What Does Egg Foo Young Mean?
Egg Foo Young is a Chinese-style omelet filled with ground pork and various vegetables. Sometimes misspelled as “egg foo yung”, it is a staple in American Chinese food, and its name comes from the Cantonese language.
“Foo Young” means lotus, as it is said the dish resembles that of a lotus flower.
In this recipe tutorial, you will learn how to make an authentic version of this popular egg dish.
A long time ago, when I first set my foot on the US soil for higher education, I went straight to the middle America. I flew from Malaysia and arrived in the state of Iowa. After touching down, I went straight to a Chinese restaurant and the first dish I ordered was Egg Foo Young.
When the dish came, I was shocked to find out that the American Chinese version was puffy and doused in a thick brown sauce. There was a thick filling of vegetables inside the eggs.
The taste was very bland and unappetizing. That was my first (sad) encounter with American Chinese food.
Other Recipes You Might Like
What is the Difference Between Egg Foo Young and Omelette?
The difference is the ingredients that are set in the egg mixture, or the filling. Furthermore, the omelet is cooked until the egg mixture is slightly brown. The egg foo young is cooked until it is golden brown, which makes it “overcooked” for omelet standards.
How to Make Egg Foo Young
Despite my horrible experience, many people love this egg dish. So I developed this Egg Foo Young recipe. I filled the omelet with ground pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts.
I combined the seasonings with the eggs, so there is no brown sauce on top of the eggs.
Egg Foo Young Gravy
If you are looking for the Americanized egg foo young with the brown gravy, please trust me on this. You do not need the gravy sauce.
If you are wondering if egg foo young is healthy for you, it’s not if you have the sodium-laden and starch-heavy gravy. My recipe is healthier and more delicious, I assure you.
What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe is only 264 calories per serving.
Pairs well with:
Egg Foo Young Recipe
Egg Foo Young - Chinese-style omelet filled with ground pork and various vegetables. This is an authentic egg foo young recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 oz bean sprouts
- 2 oz ground pork
- 4 medium-sized shrimp, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 1 scallion, cut into small rings
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (optional)
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 pinch sugar
- 3 dashes white pepper
- 3 tablespoons oil
Directions
- 1Crack the eggs into a bowl, beat with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients into the egg mixture, stir to combine well. Make sure the oyster sauce is fully dissolved in the egg mixture.
- 2Heat up a wok or a pan on high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is fully heated, ladle the egg mixture into the pan. Make sure that you keep the diameter of the omelet to about 4-5 inches wide. Use a pair of chopsticks to transfer the beansprouts and other ingredients to the middle of the omelet. The omelet should be thicker in the center. Let the omelet set, for about 3 minutes before flipping it over. Fry the omelet until both sides are golden brown and nicely puffed up. Repeat the same and use the remaining egg mixture to make a total of 3 omelets. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Latest Recipes:
Paul Marzolla
Thank you for your version. I am very curious to learn of the authentic version and if it is still referred to Egg Foo Young. Thank you for your time.
Paul
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Paul, the version you get in the restaurants are not even egg foo young, and they are not authentic. My recipe is authentic.
Eric
I love your recipe. Please tell me if you can just what that “brown sauce” is made from… I’m one of those unhealthy Americans who was brought up with it and I’d like to know what I’ve been eating all these years.
Eric
Rasa Malaysia
Brown sauce is basically soy sauce, oyster sauce, water and corn starch.
Kimberly
I make mine from either beef or chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, a bit of chili paste, and thicken with a cornstarch slurry. I happen to like it with gravy. I am not concerned with authenticity at all. I am concerned with what I enjoy. I love sauces and gravies and add them whenever I can.
Brent
Hey. We tried this without the pork and was equally awesome. With the ground pork, does it need to be cooked before adding to the omelette mixture?
Thanks!
Rasa Malaysia
No need to cook the ground pork first. They will get cooked together.
Syl Fowler
Bee, thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe. I’m used to the egg foo young from Chinatown restaurants (without gravy) in San Francisco. I’ve moved to Northern California and was shocked when I ordered EFY and got it with gravy. Never had it like that before (I must say I’m not a fan of the gravy). I’ve made your recipe a couple of times (always have to double it because it’s that good!). The flavors blend so well with the pork and chicken. Because of your great recipe, I love, love, love my homemade egg foo young!
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Syl, thanks so much for trying my Egg Foo Yong recipe. Yes we don’t need the sauce!
Michelle J Martinez
We loved it!! I just made a couple of changes, no shrimp because it was really expensive, and I added some garlic and ginger. Thanks for a great recipe, no gravy required! 😉
Rasa Malaysia
Awesome so glad you liked the egg foo young.
Jocelyn Yip
Cooked it tonight. I semi panfry the prawns, lightly marinated the minced pork and bean sprout separately before adding to the egg mixture. I prefer not to overcook my omelette. Taste yummy! Thanks for sharing.
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks for trying Jocelyn.
JoyceK
Thank you for this recipe! When I order it from a restaurant, I ask for the gravy on the side; sometimes I dab it on a piece as I eat, and sometimes I throw the whole gravy container in the trash! I also set the egg foo young on several changes of paper towels to blot out as much oil as possible. SO glad to see you only call for 3 Tbs.oil for 3 servings! I even love eating this stuff at room temperature! Great recipe! Making this with roasted pork or fresh crab meat would be spectacular! Thanks, Bee!
Robert Miller
Hi Rasa,
Another great recipe, Like others my norm is shrimp, but I plan to make it both ways. The only Chinese place where I am now is definitely not at the same level as places in Honolulu…:( I’ve been showing my family your website. My sister-in-law and I have been trying some of the recipes. You might remember that like you, I love shrimp. Keep those recipes coming…are you going to publish another book?
Bobster
DB
I’ve had char siu, shrimp, and julienned pork with thickened brown gravy and oyster sauce gravy. Ground pork is interesting! Thank you.
T. Barganier
This is the Egg Foo Young recipe I have been looking forever for! Growing up in the 60s on the east coast, there was a chinese restaurant my mom would get egg foo young from-gravyless, loaded with meat/seafood and veggies, When we moved west, all the egg foo young was almost flavorless, egg mixture was starchy, filling was minimal, and it was topped with gravy. I was always disappointed. Then I found this recipe. Hits every point of the perfect egg foo young, and every bite is a mini explosion of flavors. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.