Vegetarian egg fu yung

Before we start, let’s just address the huge elephant in the room: this vegetarian egg fu yung isn’t exactly beautiful. I’d actually go so far as to say it’s a little bit ugly (there’s only so much I can do with a pretty plate and a few sesame seeds). But, just as I don’t judge people on their appearance, I don’t judge ugly food either. In fact, ugly food often ends up being the most delicious – brown stews, brown casseroles, brown soups… and brown egg fu yung. It’s all welcome here, as long as it tastes amazing – and this vegetarian egg fu yung definitely tastes amazing!

What is egg fu yung?

Egg fu yung (or egg foo young, or basically any other spelling variation you can think of) is a Chinese egg dish made with all sorts of ingredients – it sometimes has meat or seafood, but this vegetarian egg fu yung is just packed with veggies (the eggs give it plenty of protein anyway!). It can come in a few different forms – sometimes it’s more of a structured omelette, but I like to make mine a bit more messy (which doesn’t exactly help with its ugliness, I know). My local Chinese take away when I lived up in Liverpool made their egg fu yung like this, and it was the best, so that’s how I’ve made it ever since.

I’m actually a bit hesitant to use the word ‘omelette’ when talking about egg fu yung, because that makes it sound a bit boring really, and egg fu yung is so much more than just a Chinese omelette. It has so much flavour, even with just a few simple ingredients, and it’s one of my favourite Chinese dishes, without a doubt.

How do I make vegetarian egg fu yung?

Egg fu yung is so easy to make – just fry up your veggies, then add a few eggs and a dash of soy sauce. It sounds simple, and it is, but the effect is honestly so, so tasty.

When I first started making egg fu yung, I made it much more complicated than it needed to be – it involved a mixing bowl (?), and wiping the pan out with kitchen roll before adding more oil (??). But I’ve evidently become more lazy in my old age, because I’ve cut out every unnecessary step, and it’s now no more complex than making a simple stir fry.

What veggies can I put in my vegetarian egg fu yung?

Anything you like! I like to use red and green peppers, because I feel it needs the pop of colour to mitigate the ugliness a little. I also used mushrooms, onions, and beansprouts – lots of different textures and flavours. The beansprouts in particular are really lovely, and add to the Chinese vibe, so I’d recommend those! But you can use whatever you fancy really. Egg fu yung is a great fridge clearer – I’d happily use just about any vegetable that needs eating up.

Serve your vegetarian egg fu yung with some rice, a few spring rolls, and some sweet and sour sauce for dipping, and you’ve got an amazing vegetarian Chinese feast!

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5 from 1 vote

Vegetarian egg fu yung

A classic Chinese egg dish with plenty of veggies - so simple, but so much flavour! And healthy too!

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 20 mins

Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 bell peppers, sliced or diced (I used red and green)
• 1 onion, sliced or diced
• ~ 6 medium mushrooms, sliced or diced
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 100 g (~ 1 cup) beansprouts
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 eggs
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• Black pepper
• To serve (optional): fresh coriander (cilantro), sesame seeds

Instructions

• Heat a dash of oil in a large frying pan or wok, and add all the vegetables. Stir fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until fairly soft but still with a bit of bite.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and add the eggs, soy sauce, and plenty of black pepper. Mix thoroughly until the vegetables are well coated in the egg.
• Cook over a medium-low heat without stirring for a couple of minutes, then gently begin to turn over large spoonfuls. Ideally you don't want to end up with scrambled eggs (though it's okay if parts end up like that!) - try to keep the egg mixture in larger chunks that you can turn over with a spoon. Continue until the egg is fully cooked.
• Serve the egg fu yung topped with fresh coriander and sesame seeds if desired.

Course: Main meal

Cuisine: Chinese

Author: Becca Heyes

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/3 of the recipe.

Why not serve your vegetarian egg fu yung with a drizzle of homemade sweet and sour sauce?