Tomato Egg Soup with Pickled Mustard

Feeling too lazy to cook but you’re craving something warm and comforting? This soup recipe is sure to satisfy you as it’s really QUICK and EASY to make and only requires a few pantry ingredients.

My husband first introduced me to this dish that he learned from his mom and since then it’s been one of my favorite go-to dishes because it’s so tasty and it’s one of those things that just makes you feel all warm and cozy without putting in much effort.

The SECRET INGREDIENT that makes this soup so unique and satisfying are the PICKLES! I call them “Happy Man” pickles in reference to the logo (see below), as oppose to the “Angry Man” pickles which are another variety by the same brand. The official name of these in Chinese is “Zha Cai” , which are a type of pickled mustard plant stem originating from Chongqing province.

These packets come as sliced marinated preserved mustard tubers you can find in most Asian grocery stores. We like to get ours from 99 Ranch and we always have a stock of these packets in our fridge on hand ready to go! These pickles are mild in flavor, a little salty, a little sour, and they give have a really nice crunch to the soup and extra umami flavor! Be sure to give this recipe a try!

Tomato Egg Soup with Pickled Mustard

Prep time: 5 min     
Cook time: 15 min     
Total time: 20 min     
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Heat pot to medium high heat with oil and fry pickled mustard until fragrant (10-20 seconds). Be careful the pickled mustard may ‘pop’ and splatter while frying.
2. Cut tomatoes into quarters and place into the pot with the pickled mustard. Fry for 3-5 min until juices start to come out.
3. Add sugar and stir to combine.
4. Add water and bring soup to a boil on high heat. Let it cook for another 5 min.
5. Beat eggs in a separate boil and slowly pour into the soup while it’s still boiling.
6. Immediately turn off the heat and add chopped green onions.
7. Add salt to taste and serve hot. Enjoy!