Egg Balls for Soup

These egg balls are a heritage soup garnish from the era when nothing went to waste in the kitchen. Hard-boiled egg yolks get mashed smooth with raw yolks and a touch of flour, rolled into small balls, and dropped into boiling soup just before serving.

The texture is like a cross between a dumpling and a rich egg custard. They hold their shape in the hot broth but stay tender and creamy inside. The yolk-on-yolk combination gives them an incredibly rich, golden color that looks beautiful floating in a clear consomme or chicken broth.

This is a 3-ingredient recipe with no room to hide, so technique matters. Rub the cooked and raw yolks together until completely smooth with no lumps. Any grainy bits will show in the finished balls.

Chef Tips

• Keep the balls small, about the size of a marble. They cook through faster and are easier to eat in a spoonful of soup.
• Drop them into actively boiling soup and cook for just a few minutes. They’re already mostly cooked from the hard-boiled yolks, so they just need to set.
• Use the leftover hard-boiled egg whites chopped into salads or deviled egg filling.

Variations

• Add a pinch of nutmeg or white pepper to the yolk mixture for a subtle spice note.
• Roll the balls in finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives before dropping into the soup.
• Use in matzo ball soup as a richer alternative to traditional matzo balls.