Egg Foo Young (Fú Róng Dàn 芙蓉蛋)

Egg Foo Young is a Chinese egg omelet. The name comes from Cantonese and means “hibiscus egg.” Egg Foo Young (also spelled Egg Foo Yung or Egg Fu Yong) is made from beaten eggs and ham, but you can add all kinds of meat, seafood and, above all, vegetables. What sets it apart from a French omelet is that Egg Foo Young is served with a savory brown gravy.

Egg Foo Young is a popular dish you’ll find in Chinese restaurants, as well as in Chinese-Indonesian cooking. Various meats and vegetables are combined with eggs and fried in a pan until set and golden brown – a deeper color than the typical yellow of a classic omelet. While it’s usually filled with shrimp or pork and vegetables, there are as many versions as there are cooks, and every family has its favorite style. It’s also a perfect way to use up leftovers.

The Origins of Egg Foo Young

Although the French coined the word “omelette” in the 16th century, various egg “pancakes” filled with meat or vegetables have existed since ancient times. (The dish the ancient Persians feasted on probably looked more like Egg Foo Young than a classic French omelet.)

Egg Foo Young as we know it is often said to have emerged in Chinese-American restaurants in the 19th century, but its inspiration most likely comes from China. “Fu rong” dishes made with whipped egg whites – such as fu rong egg slices with minced ham, a refined dish associated with Shanghai cooking – are thought to be its ancestors. A northern Chinese version swaps the ham for minced chicken. Egg Foo Young grew out of dishes like these.

A few eggs, crunchy vegetables and simple Asian seasonings are all it takes to make a tasty dish that’s perfect for breakfast, dinner or a snack. Let your imagination run wild with the fillings – there are no rules about what goes into Egg Foo Young. Chinese sausage, roast pork, shrimp and even tofu are popular. For vegetables, mushrooms and onions are common choices. And for some people, it just isn’t proper Egg Foo Young without plenty of crunchy mung bean sprouts.

Tips for Making Egg Foo Young

A few tips for the fluffiest, tastiest Egg Foo Young:

• Beat the eggs lightly, but not so much that they get foamy.
• Slice the meat and vegetables thinly so they cook evenly.
• Blanch or stir-fry the vegetables before adding them to the egg mixture – they’ll taste better.
• Don’t add the other ingredients to the egg once it’s in the pan. Instead, mix everything with the eggs before cooking.
• Make sure the pan is hot enough so the egg mixture cooks properly.
• Shape the eggs into small patties or one large pancake.
• Make the brown sauce first and keep it warm while you cook the Egg Foo Young.

Don’t be afraid to create your own version with your favorite ingredients. Serve with rice.

Print Recipe

Egg Foo Young (Fú Róng Dàn 芙蓉蛋)

A few eggs, crunchy bean sprouts and simple Asian seasonings are all it takes to make a tasty dish that’s perfect for breakfast, dinner or a snack – fluffy Chinese omelets topped with a savory brown gravy.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Sauce

• 4 tsp cornstarch
• 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
• 200 ml water a scant 1 cup; or unsalted broth
• pinch of ground white pepper

Omelets

• 6 eggs
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 4 scallions white parts only, sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 150 g cooked chicken, pork or shrimp about 5 oz, diced
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp neutral oil for frying
• pinch of salt
• pinch of ground white pepper

Garnish

• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 4 scallions green parts, sliced

Instructions

Sauce

• In a small saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, cornstarch and white pepper with the room-temperature water (or unsalted broth).
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of a thin syrup (don’t overcook it – it keeps thickening as it cools). Set aside and keep warm.

Omelets

• Beat the eggs in a bowl.
• Add the bean sprouts, scallion whites, garlic, cooked meat or shrimp, sugar, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Heat an empty wok or skillet over high heat until hot. Add ½ tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, pour in a quarter of the egg mixture. Lower the heat to medium-low and fry until golden on both sides.
• Repeat with the remaining oil and egg mixture to make 4 omelets.
• Transfer the omelets to a plate. Pour the sauce over them and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallion greens.
• Serve with rice.

Notes

Cook raw meat first, then dice it and stir it into the egg mixture.

Finely minced raw meat will cook through fine while the omelets fry.