Shrimp Egg Foo Young (Egg Foo Yung)

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/30/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Shrimp Egg Foo Young (Egg Foo Yung)

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 28 mins
Total: 53 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 4 egg foo yung
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
405 Calories
26g Fat
10g Carbs
32g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 405
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 34%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 441mg 147%
Sodium 857mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 54mg 270%
Calcium 123mg 9%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 548mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This egg foo young is deep-fried, which is the way it was originally served in restaurants in the 1950s. Not to be mistaken for an egg omelet, egg foo young (or 'yung' as it's also spelled), typically has more fillings and a sauce that you put over it for a finishing touch. This egg foo young recipe is filled with shrimp, mung bean sprouts, onion, pepper, mushrooms, and eggs. Pork or chicken can be used instead of shrimp.

For a complete meal, serve this over steamed rice. 

"The shrimp egg foo yung was delicious with the sauce. The omelets were quite large so I used 2 spatulas to carefully turn each one. There was lots of chopping, but the overall preparation was easy. I used Chinese dark soy sauce in the recipe." —Diana Rattray

shrimp egg foo yung with gravy/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

  • 1 cup homemade or store-bought Chinese-style chicken broth

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 dash kosher salt

  • 1 dash freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 4 tablespoons of water

For the Egg Foo Young:

  • 3/4 pound fresh shrimp, shelled and deveined

  • 1/2 cup mung bean sprouts

  • 1 medium white or yellow onion

  • 1 medium red bell pepper

  • 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms

  • 2 medium green onions

  • Oil, for frying

  • 6 large eggs

  • 1 dash kosher salt

  • 1 dash freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry

  • 1 cup steamed rice, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

Make the Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for sauce for egg foo young

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Stir in the oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Add the cornstarch-water mixture and stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Adjust the seasoning to taste, if necessary. Keep warm on low heat while making the egg foo young.

    Bring sauce to a boil in a saucepan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Egg Foo Young

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for egg foo yung

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Rinse the shelled and deveined shrimp under warm running water. Pat dry and finely chop.

    Rinse and cut shrimp

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Rinse the mung bean sprouts and drain thoroughly.

    Rinse the mung bean sprouts and drain

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Peel and dice the onion.

    Peel and dice onion

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Remove the seeds from the red bell pepper and dice.

    Cut the red bell pepper into small pieces

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth and thinly slice.

    clean and dice mushrooms

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Wash and finely chop the green onions.

    Wash and finely chop green onion

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large wok or skillet. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp. Stir fry until they turn pink and are cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

    Heat oil and saute shrimp in a pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with salt and pepper.

    Lightly beat eggs in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Stir in the rice wine, cooked shrimp, and the vegetables.

    rice wine, cooked shrimp, and the vegetables in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. In a wok or other deep, heavy-duty skillet, heat 2 1/2-inches of oil to 375 F. When the oil reaches temperature, carefully ladle 1/4 of the egg mixture (about 1 cup) into the wok.

    egg foo young frying in oil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  12. Deep-fry on one side until browned for about 2 minutes. Ladle a bit of oil over the top so that it firms up.

    egg foo young frying in oil

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  13. Use a spatula (or 2 spatulas if necessary) to gently turn the omelet over and brown the other side. Remove the omelet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining 3 portions (about 3 cups) of egg mixture.

    egg foo young on a paper towel lined plate

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  14. Serve with the egg foo young sauce on the side. Enjoy!

    Shrimp Egg Foo Young (Egg Foo Yung)

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

If you don't have Chinese-style chicken stock, you can make a quick substitute. Combine 2 cups of chicken broth in a saucepan with 2 green onions cut into 1-inch lengths, 2 thin slices of fresh ginger, 1/2 clove of garlic, smashed, and 1 teaspoon of rice wine or dry sherry. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and discard the solids.

Recipe Variation

  • Substitute chicken or pork for the shrimp.
  • Garnish with thinly sliced fresh scallions.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Any leftovers of egg foo young can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet on medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until warmed through.
  • Make these ahead of time and put in the freezer for later use. Fry the egg foo young as directed, cool, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer-safe bag. To reheat directly from frozen, put in the oven at 375 F, for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.