Main Course

Shrimp Egg Foo Young

Name: Shrimp Egg Foo Young
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 30 g / 1 oz. bean sprouts; 4 cooked shrimps, cut into small pieces; 1 teaspoon oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon soy sauce; 1 pinch of sugar; 1 pinch white pepper; 2 tablespoons sesame oil

Ribana Hategan March 17, 2022

Quick to make and incredibly delicious, Egg Foo Young is a perfectly crisp and fluffy omelet filled with ground meat or shrimp and bean sprouts. This super easy Chinese-style recipe will give your regular omelet a run for its money!

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About This Chinese Egg Foo Young Recipe

Literally meaning “hibiscus egg” in Cantonese, Egg Foo Young is a Chinese-style omelet that’s packed with proteins like ground pork or shrimp and is full of various vegetables like bean sprouts, mushrooms, or peppers.

While this is not a traditional Chinese dish, it does have some roots in Chinese cuisine with some believing it is a variation of a traditional Shanghai dish called fu yung egg slices.

The story goes, Chinese chefs in America created Egg Foo Young in order to use up leftovers. In fact, if you are a fan of Chinese food and often go to Chinese restaurants, you may have noticed that the omelet there tends to have different ingredients.

So, as with any recipe involving leftovers, there isn’t an exact list of ingredients for Egg Foo Young. You may use whatever proteins and vegetables you have on hand.

In some places, it is served with brown gravy but you really don’t need that in this recipe. This recipe is flavorful enough that you won’t need any other sauces or condiments.

What makes this omelet truly stand out is the slight umami flavor from the soy sauce, the variety of fillings, and the sesame oil in which the egg mixture is cooked.

This recipe is great for a quick, healthy dinner made with just a few simple ingredients!

What You Need for This Easy Egg Foo Young Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Eggs: Try to use fresh free-range eggs.
Bean Sprouts: I like using bean sprouts, which are the young shoots of the mung bean because they have a lovely crunch and a subtle nutty flavor.
Shrimp: I like to use cooked shrimps that I cut into smaller pieces. I think they are the perfect protein for this omelet.
Sesame Oil: It is one of the “must” ingredients in this recipe because it gives the dish a deep, rich, and nutty flavor.
Oyster Sauce: If you’ve never tried oyster sauce before, don’t worry; it is not fishy at all. It has a salty and sweet flavor and is the perfect sauce for this omelet.
Soy Sauce: It adds a wonderful umami flavor to the dish.
Sugar: I like to add just a little bit of sugar to balance the sweet and salty flavors.
White Pepper: I like to use white pepper in this recipe because it has less pungent heat.

Ingredient Substitutions

Shrimps: You may substitute them with ground pork. I recommend cooking it a little bit before adding it to the eggs mixture.
Bean Sprouts: You may substitute them with other veggies like mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, but I recommend chopping them finely so that they can cook through in just a few minutes.

FAQs

What can I serve with this Egg Foo Young?

I recommend serving it over steamed or fried rice for a complete meal. Or, you can also serve it with butter prawns, chow mein, or bok choy chicken.

How can I store the Egg Foo Young?

If you have leftovers, you may store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, just place the omelet back into the pan and reheat for 3 to 5 minutes on both sides.

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