Easy Egg Foo Young and Gravy Recipe

I’ll never forget the night I discovered how simple it is to make restaurant-quality Egg Foo Young at home. After a long workday, I was craving Chinese takeout but didn’t want to wait for delivery or spend the extra money. Looking through my refrigerator, I spotted eggs, leftover chicken, and various vegetables that needed to be used up. On a whim, I decided to try recreating the Egg Foo Young I regularly ordered.

Egg Foo Young with Gravy on a serving platter.

o my amazement, the result wasn’t just good—it was better than my usual takeout! The eggs were fluffier, the vegetables fresher, and I could control exactly what went into my meal. That impromptu experiment has turned into one of my favorite weeknight dinners, perfect for using up leftovers while still feeling like I’m treating myself to something special.

What Makes This Egg Foo Young Recipe Special

Unlike many restaurant versions that can be greasy or heavy, this homemade Egg Foo Young strikes the perfect balance between hearty and light. The eggs create a fluffy, protein-rich base, while the vegetables add freshness and texture. What really elevates this dish is the rich, umami-packed gravy that transforms these savory egg patties into a complete meal.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility. You can customize it based on whatever vegetables or proteins you have on hand—making it the perfect “clean out the refrigerator” meal that never feels like you’re just using up leftovers. Plus, it comes together in under 30 minutes, making it faster than waiting for delivery and much easier on your wallet.

Equipment Needed

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Small saucepan for gravy
  • Wok or large non-stick skillet
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Spatula for flipping
  • Small bowl for cornstarch slurry
  • Knife and cutting board for chopping vegetables

Ingredients and Their Purpose

For the Gravy:

  • Chicken stock – Forms the flavorful liquid base of the gravy while adding savory depth
  • Oyster sauce – Provides rich umami flavor and slight sweetness that gives the gravy its distinctive Chinese restaurant taste
  • Sugar – Balances the savory elements with a touch of sweetness for complexity
  • Soy sauce – Adds saltiness and depth of flavor while contributing a rich brown color
  • Cornstarch – Acts as a thickening agent to create the perfect gravy consistency
  • Water – Used to make the cornstarch slurry for easy incorporation into the gravy

For the Egg Foo Young:

  • Vegetable oil – Creates the proper cooking surface for achieving golden-brown egg patties
  • Eggs – Serve as the main binding ingredient and provide protein and structure to the dish
  • Cooked chicken or shrimp – Adds substantial protein and makes the dish more filling
  • Celery – Provides a crisp texture and subtle flavor that complements the eggs
  • Mushrooms – contribute earthy flavor and meaty texture while absorbing the sauce beautifully
  • Green onions – Add aromatic freshness and color both in the mixture and as garnish
  • Sesame oil – Imparts a distinctive nutty aroma and flavor that’s essential for authentic taste
  • Light soy sauce – Seasons the egg mixture and adds savory depth
Egg Foo Young with Gravy Ingredients

Customization Options

Vegetable Variations

Mix and match vegetables to use what you have on hand or to suit your taste preferences:

  • Bean sprouts – Add a signature crunch and authentic touch
  • Cabbage – Shredded thinly, adds volume and subtle sweetness
  • Carrots – Julienned or grated, provide color and natural sweetness
  • Water chestnuts – Deliver unique texture and mild flavor
  • Snow peas – Sliced thinly, contribute freshness and crunch
  • Bell peppers – Diced small, add color and slight sweetness
  • Bok choy – Chopped finely, incorporates authentic Chinese flavor

Protein Options

Experiment with different proteins or combinations:

  • Chinese BBQ pork (char siu) – Adds sweet and savory flavor
  • Ham – Provides saltiness and familiar flavor
  • Cooked ground pork – It offers hearty texture and savory notes
  • Crab meat – Creates a luxurious version with delicate flavor
  • Tofu – Makes a vegetarian-friendly option when diced and pre-cooked
  • Roast duck – Brings rich flavor for a gourmet variation

How to Make Egg Foo Young with Gravy

Preparing the Gravy

  1. Combine sauce ingredients: In a small saucepan, mix 1 cup chicken stock, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Place over medium heat.
  2. Heat the mixture: Bring the sauce mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar is fully dissolved and the flavors begin to meld.
  3. Prepare the thickener: In a small bowl, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth.
  4. Thicken the gravy: While whisking the simmering sauce, slowly pour in the cornstarch slurry. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens to a gravy consistency, about 1-2 minutes. If it becomes too thick, add a bit more chicken stock; if too thin, mix a little more cornstarch with water and add gradually.
  5. Keep warm: Reduce heat to low to keep gravy warm while preparing the egg patties, or set aside and reheat when ready to serve.
Cooking homemade Egg Fu Young in a wok.

Making the Egg Foo Young Patties

  1. Beat the eggs: In a large bowl, whisk 6 eggs until well beaten and slightly frothy.
  2. Add the filling ingredients: To the beaten eggs, add 1 cup diced cooked chicken (or shrimp), ½ cup finely diced celery, ½ cup chopped mushrooms, 3 tablespoons sliced green onion whites (reserve the green parts for garnish), 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. Stir until well combined.
  3. Heat the pan: Place a wok or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
  4. Cook the patties: When the oil is hot but not smoking, ladle about ½ cup of the egg mixture into the pan to form a patty. The edges should bubble immediately. If cooking multiple patties at once, leave space between them.
  5. Shape and flip: As the bottom sets, gently push any runny egg to the edges of the patty to maintain a circular shape. Cook for about 2 minutes until golden brown on the bottom, then carefully flip using a spatula. F
  6. inish cooking: Cook for another 2-3 minutes on the second side until golden brown and fully set. The patty should be about ½-inch thick.
  7. Continue cooking batches: Transfer cooked patties to a warm plate and repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil to the pan as needed between batches.

Serving

  1. Garnish: Sprinkle with the reserved sliced green onion tops to add color and fresh flavor.
  2. Assemble the dish: Place egg patties on individual plates or a serving platter.
  3. Add the gravy: Drizzle the warm gravy generously over the egg patties.
Homemade Egg Foo Young with Gravy on a plate.
Egg Foo Young with Gravy on a serving platter.

Egg Foo Young

Savory Chinese egg patties filled with vegetables and protein, topped with rich brown gravy for an authentic takeout experience at home.
4.84 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese, Chinese recipes
Keyword: Chinese Egg, Egg Foo Young
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 289kcal

Ingredients

Egg Foo Young Gravy

  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 4 teaspoons water

Egg Foo Young

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup cooked chicken or shrimp
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions whites only
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion tops greens only
  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Egg Foo Young Gravy

  • Make the sauce by combining the chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar, and sauce in a small pan over medium heat. Cook until warm and bubbly. 
  • Prepare cornstarch slurry by combining the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Stir to combine. 
  • Add in the cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat. 

Egg Foo Young

  • To make the egg foo young, in a large bowl add the eggs. Beat eggs together until the whites break down completely. 
  • Stir in the cooked chicken or cooked shrimp, celery, mushrooms, sliced green onion whites, soy sauce, sesame oil into the egg mixture, and stir well.
  • In a heated wok add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil into the base. When the oil is hot stir it around coating the sides. Pour about a half cup of the egg foo young batter into the pan. 
  • The eggs should bubble up when the batter is poured into the pan. Stir the uncooked eggs gently to the sides of the pan so they cook. The egg foo young will cook for about 2 minutes before you will need to flip the eggs to the other side.
  • Gently flip the egg foo young to the other side, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until this is a golden brown color.
  • Serve with brown gravy and top with green onion slices. 

Equipment

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 322mg | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 4.2mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Refrigeration

  • Egg patties: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Gravy: Store separately in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freezing

  • Egg patties: Place cooled patties in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
  • Gravy: Not recommended for freezing as the texture may change.

Reheating Methods

  • Egg patties (from refrigerated):
    • Microwave: 30-60 seconds per patty
    • Oven: 350°F for 8-10 minutes
    • Skillet: 2 minutes per side over medium heat
  • Egg patties (from frozen):
    • Thaw in refrigerator overnight first
    • Oven: 350°F for 10-12 minutes
  • Gravy: Gently reheat in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water or stock if it’s too thick.

Looking for more Chinese American take-out favorites? Try these recipes

Chinese Sauce Recipes

Check out more of my easy Chinese food recipes and favorite copycat recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There’s something magical about transforming simple ingredients into a dish that tastes like it came from your favorite Chinese restaurant. This Egg Foo Young recipe gives you that satisfaction while being incredibly practical—it’s the perfect solution for those nights when you need to use up odds and ends in your refrigerator.

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda

    I’ve made my own version of egg foo young using the recipe from a YouTube poster. I love spinach so of course that was in my mix, I added carrots and tomatoes. I also add a teaspoon of soy sauce and oyster sauce to my batter and cook in my special oil mixture (the tsp is for single patty use 1to 2 tbsp when making a bigger batch)

    I personally didn’t like the soy sauce and oyster sauce for the gravy. Instead I found another gravy recipe online which happened to be a KFC gravy recipe where you make a roux with butter and flour and then add in equal parts of beef and chicken gravy.  It turned out great and is SUPER delicious.  I’ve even done the recipe using either the beef or chicken separately and the gravy is equally delicious. It might not be an Asian gravy but it’s darn good and pairs well with the egg foo young if you don’t believe me try for yourself.

    Google KFC gravy Recipe and you won’t be sorry you did.🙂

  2. Brian

    5 stars
    These were very good. I fried mine using a small 9-inch skillet with a half inch of peanut oil. Beautiful golden brown. Made the gravy using poultry gravy powder, adding oyster sauce and soy sauce. Saved time and tasted like carry out. Very easy. Enjoyed the leftovers for lunch today.

  3. David Royal Fogg Smith

    Using left over chop suey for my veggies. Just gotta make the gravy, whip up some eggs, and fry.
    Easy peezy.

  4. bobbg

    My mom used to make this but for the sauce she used soy and molasses
    The omelet had bean sprouts bamboo shoots and water chestnuts red and green peepers sliced small
    And mushroom might have bee added this on a bead of rice
    This is one mean you can add about anything you like to but it should ahve a sweet flavor. for the sauce.
    I’d be willing to try other flavor profiles. Like real oriental flavors and even hot flavors.
    Really I don’t think you can go wrong.
    I think with Shrimp a shrimp sauce would be good. if you add some sweet to it.
    Eggs pair really good with shrimp sauce

  5. Doris H. Elias

    5 stars
    I made this for lunch for my family and my kids thought it was Awesome!
    I made it with the vegetables in the original recipe and I added additional veggies such as: purple cabbage and carrots. Bean sprouts were not available so I added fresh ramen noodles that I had cooked and drained earlier in the day. Not healthy, but it was a good substitution for bean sprouts!

    • Stephanie

      You are right, I didn’t specifically add them to the recipe. They can be hard to find in some stores, I did note that you can add them in, it was one of my optional ingredients.

4.84 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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