If you’re looking for a delicious and classic combination of flavors, then this Chinese Tomato Egg stir fry recipe is for you! It features a sweet and savory sauce made with tomato paste for more umami, fresh tomatoes and fluffy scrambled eggs. This is the ultimate Asian comfort food!
Table of Contents
- What is a Tomato Egg?
- Why You’ll Love This Tomato Egg Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Tomato Egg at Home
- What Kind of Tomato to Use for This Recipe
- How to Make Tomato Egg (Step by Step)
- Use Tomato Paste Instead of Ketchup For More Umami
- Joyce’s Tips For Making the Best Tomato Egg
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Variation Ideas for Tomato Egg
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Store Leftover Tomato Egg
- More Chinese Comfort Foods You May Like
- Did You Make this Recipe?
- Recipe Card
Chinese Tomato Egg stir fry is the perfect combination of sweet, tart, and umami flavors all in one. It’s easily one of the best comfort foods ever, and if you’re Asian, then your parents have probably made this for you as a quick and easy dinner. So, trust me, you’re about to go down memory lane with the authentic flavors in my recipe.
What’s best is that you only need some simple pantry staples to make this delicious dish at home. Plus, it’s versatile enough to be enjoyed at pretty much any time of the day, whether as a hearty, comforting breakfast, a light lunch, or a comforting dinner.
If you are looking for another type of easy Chinese scrambled egg dish, you definitely should check out my Scrambled Egg and Shrimp Stir Fry recipe, which is a lot simpler and quicker to make and great for weeknight dinners.
Read on to learn exactly how to make this delicious tomato egg recipe today!
What is a Tomato Egg?
Tomato Egg is a delicious Chinese stir fry dish that’s loved for its simplicity, taste, and the minimal ingredients it requires. This dish features scrambled eggs and stir-fried tomatoes, all brought together with a sweet and savory sauce. It’s the ultimate Chinese comfort food that’s going to win your heart!
Making Tomato Egg at home is incredibly easy, and in just 25 minutes, you can have the perfect comfort food that doubles as a main dish, too. The combination of the soft, fluffy scrambled egg with the tangy, sweet stir-fried tomatoes is absolutely delicious. Plus, it’s a healthy dish, too that’s packed with flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Tomato Egg Recipe
Ultimate Comfort Food: This Chinese tomato egg stir-fry is a classic comfort food that many Chinese people grew up eating. The combination of fluffy scrambled eggs and tangy tomato flavor is sure to take you down memory lane.
Healthy: Who said tasty food can’t be healthy? This tomato egg stir-fry is not only delicious but it is also packed with essential nutrients. Tomatoes are a great source of vitamins and fiber, while eggs provide high-quality protein. This dish is a healthy choice that doesn't compromise on taste.
Easy to Make: This recipe is straightforward and simple for authentic flavors in each bite, with most of the work involving basic chopping and whisking. The egg mixture is scrambled to perfection and the tomatoes are stir-fried just right, guaranteeing a quick and easy cooking process.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Tomato Egg at Home
All you need are some incredibly simple, pantry-staple ingredients to make this delicious tomato egg recipe at home.
Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this Chinese egg tomato stir fry recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.
- Tomatoes: These are the star of the show in our Chinese tomato egg stir-fry recipe. They provide a rich tomato flavor to the dish that takes it to the next level. There is no right or wrong type of tomato to use for this dish, it works with any kind of tomato. I like to use baby tomatoes occasionally because I find them a bit more flavorful and sweeter. The downside to this is that there is a lot more tomato skin to eat.
- Onion: The sliced onions add a subtle sweetness and a little bit of crunch to the dish.
- Green Onions: Green onions add a lot of great flavor to this dish. You should add it at the very end after you turn off the heat to retain the flavor. Don't worry, the residual heat from the sauce will cook it. If you don't have green onions, you can also use a small yellow onion and stir fry it with the ginger.
- Ginger: Gives the dish a warm, spicy aroma that compliments the savory sauce. It’s one of the main flavors in the sauce so you shouldn’t omit or substitute this.
For the Scrambled Eggs:
- Eggs: I use large eggs to make the scrambled egg in this recipe.
- White Pepper: Adds a subtle peppery flavor to the dish. Do not substitute black pepper for white pepper, as it has a completely different flavor. If you don't have white pepper, omit it
- Oil: I add oil (instead of water or milk) to my scrambled eggs to make it fluffier.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the ingredients. You can also substitute it with soy sauce for a more authentic taste.
- Sesame Oil: Adding sesame oil will add a touch of nuttiness and extra flavor to the sauce, there is no substitution for this ingredient, if you don't have it you can omit it.
For the Tomato Sauce:
- Tomato Paste: Intensifies the tomato flavor in the sauce. I like using tomato paste instead of ketchup for this egg and tomato stir fry because I find it has a lot more flavor and it also has a natural umami flavor as well.
- Honey: This balances the acidity of the tomatoes with a touch of sweetness. I use honey for the recipe since it is easier to mix into the sauce, but you can swap this out with sugar if that is what you prefer. If your tomatoes are very tart, you can adjust the sweetness with additional honey.
- White Vinegar: This adds a tangy flavor that cuts through the sweetness of the honey and the richness of the eggs.
- Soy Sauce: This gives the dish its savory, umami flavor but also balances out the sour and the sweet as well.
- Shaoxing Cooking Wine: This Chinese rice wine adds a depth of flavor to the sauce. If you can't find it, you can omit it.
What Kind of Tomato to Use for This Recipe
When it comes to the type of tomatoes to use for this simple dish, it honestly doesn't really matter and you should use what you can find or what is in season. I have used all kinds of tomatoes for this Chinese tomato egg dish and they all turn out equally as good!
- Standard Red Tomatoes (Hot House or Tomatoes on the Vine) - These tomatoes are the easiest to find at the grocery store and are great for this dish because of their 50/50 seed to flesh ratio which gives the sauce a good flavor as well as a good texture. You can't go wrong with this tomato!
- Heirloom Tomatoes - This is my favorite tomato to use for Chinese tomato eggs but I know it may be hard to find if you don't grow them yourself. Beef Steak tomatoes are a good substitute for it for heirloom tomatoes as well. This tomato is flavorful, very juicy, and delicious for this tomato egg stir fry!
- Baby Tomatoes (or Grape Tomatoes) - I personally love growing baby tomatoes because I love to snack on them but they can be a hit or miss for this tomato egg recipe. I love using baby tomatoes in this dish (as you can see in my photos) because they are the most flavorful tomato on this list. The only downside is you will need to use a lot of baby tomatoes which means you will get a lot of skin in the final dish.
- Roma Tomatoes - This would actually be my last choice of tomatoes for Chinese tomato egg stir fry. I find this type of tomato too fleshy, not very juicy and depending on how fresh they are they can have a grainy texture as well. Since it also doesn't contain a lot of seeds I find it also doesn't have a lot of flavors as well - I find the most flavorful tomatoes are the ones with good seed-to-flesh ratio.
How to Make Tomato Egg (Step by Step)
Making this incredible tomato egg recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:
Preparation Process
Prepare your Ingredients: Begin by washing the tomatoes and chopping them into bite-sized pieces. Slice the onions and ginger, and cut the green onions into thin 2-inch lengthwise pieces. Set all these aside for later.
Mix your Sauces and Whisk the Eggs: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients listed under 'Tomato Sauce' on your recipe. In another separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and seasonings listed under 'Scrambled Eggs'. Set these mixtures aside.
Cooking the Scrambled Eggs
Heat your Pan: Set your stove to medium heat. Add a bit of vegetable oil to a nonstick skillet and wait until it starts to smoke slightly.
Cook your Eggs: Once the pan is hot, pour in your egg mixture. As the edges begin to set and bubble, push the corners into the center of the pan.
Tilt the Pan and Push the Corners In: Tilt the pan to allow the uncooked egg to flow to the edges, and push the corners in again. Repeat this process until the eggs are cooked, but be careful not to overcook them. Break the cooked eggs into bite-sized pieces and set them aside.
Bringing It All Together
Toast Ginger: With the stove still on medium heat, add a bit more oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add in the ginger and toast it until it turns a light brown color. This will release the ginger flavor into the oil.
Softening Onions: After the ginger has browned, add in the onions. Cook these until they become soft and translucent.
Cook Tomatoes: Once the onions have softened, add in the chopped tomatoes and your prepared tomato sauce mix. Then cook this for about three to four minutes, or five to six minutes if you prefer a saucier tomato egg. Be careful not to overcook the tomatoes, as you want them to remain somewhat chunky.
Taste and Adjust: After the tomatoes have cooked, taste the sauce. If it is too sour, add half a teaspoon of honey or sugar and taste again. Adjust the sweetness to your preference.
Add the Eggs and Green Onions: Turn off the heat and add the scrambled eggs and green onions to the pan. Mix these together until the eggs are well coated with the sauce. Don't worry the green onions will wilt from the residual heat.
Final touches: Before serving, remove the ginger slices. Enjoy your Chinese tomato egg stir-fry with a bowl of steamed rice!
Use Tomato Paste Instead of Ketchup For More Umami
Most tomato and egg stir-fry recipes are made with ketchup, but I break tradition and using tomato paste instead.
The reason why I have started to use tomato paste, honey, and vinegar instead of ketchup is because I find that tomato paste has a bit more tomato flavor and it also has a natural umami flavor as well, which is always a bonus.
On a side note, when I am super lazy or out of tomato paste, I will use ketchup as well in place of the tomato paste, vinegar, and honey. Use the method that works for you.
Joyce’s Tips For Making the Best Tomato Egg
Try this Quicker Version: If you are pressed for time, you can alter this recipe to be more traditional and use ketchup. If you use ketchup, remove the tomato paste, white vinegar, and honey from the recipe and replace it with ½ cup of ketchup instead.
Maintain a Balanced Tomato-to-Egg Ratio: For every large tomato you use, add one egg. This ratio provides a balanced tomato flavor and scrambled egg mixture in every bite.
Add Oil to the Scrambled Egg for Added Fluffiness: A touch of oil in your scrambled egg mixture before frying will give you a fluffier scrambled egg.
Adjust the Sweetness According to Your Tomatoes: Tomatoes can vary in tartness. If your dish tastes too sour, add honey or sugar, a half teaspoon at a time, until you reach your preferred sweetness.
Don't Substitute Black Pepper for White Pepper: It may be tempting to replace white pepper with black, but if you don't have white pepper then don't use any pepper. The two offer different flavors, and black pepper will overpower this recipe.
Substitute Onions If You Don't have Green Onions: If green onions are not available, use a small, sliced onion stir-fried with the ginger. This will still give your tomato dish a delightful onion flavor and aroma.
Double Up the Sauce: Double up the tomato sauce to make more sauce if you like this dish saucier! Alternatively, if you like it less saucy then cut the amount of the tomato sauce section by half.
Serving Suggestions
- Instead of serving it with plain white rice, serve this Chinese tomato egg stir-fry with a side of Egg Fried Rice or Vermicelli Rice for a complete, satisfying meal. The rice dishes will soak up the savory sauce, enhancing their flavor.
- Looking for a wholesome lunch? Pair the tomato egg stir-fry with a side of Chinese stir-fried cabbage. The crunchiness of the cabbage adds a refreshing contrast to the soft and creamy eggs and tomatoes.
- For a twist, try serving this dish with Buttery Scallion Pancakes. The rich, buttery taste of the pancakes works wonders with the tangy tomato flavor and the soft, fluffy scrambled eggs. It’s two comfort foods at the same time, you can even dip the crispy pancakes in the delicious tomato sauce!
- For an extra protein kick, serve this dish with a side of Cumin Beef Fried Rice. The spicy, aromatic flavors of the cumin beef will balance the sweet and tangy tomato egg stir-fry beautifully.
Recipe Variation Ideas for Tomato Egg
This delicious tomato egg recipe is so flavorful and easy to make, you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations! Here are some great ideas:
Make it saucier: If you enjoy a rich, savory sauce, double the ingredients in the 'Tomato Sauce' section of the recipe. This will result in a more robust tomato flavor and a saucier dish, perfect for serving over steamed rice.
Spice it up: For those who enjoy a bit of heat, add a finely chopped red chili or a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes when you add the tomatoes. This will give your dish a spicy kick that contrasts nicely with the sweetness of the tomatoes.
Add some greens: If you want to incorporate more fiber into your meal, try adding some chopped spinach or bok choy into the stir-fry towards the end of cooking. This will add a nice crunch and additional nutrients to your dish. Garnish with some fresh herbs for added freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this dish is quite healthy. It contains fresh tomatoes which are rich in vitamin C, folate, potassium, lycopene, and beta carotene. The eggs provide protein and an abundance of vitamins. The amount of sugar can be controlled as tomato paste is used instead of ketchup.
The most delicious way to serve this dish is with plain steamed rice or fried rice. The savory sauce and stir-fried tomatoes pair wonderfully with the rice.
How to Store Leftover Tomato Egg
If you have any leftover tomato egg, you can easily store it by placing the leftover stir-fried tomatoes and scrambled egg in an airtight container and storing it in the fridge. It should last in the refrigerator for about two to three days. Remember, the sooner you consume it, the fresher the taste will be.
When you're ready to enjoy your leftovers, take the container out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, add a bit of vegetable oil, then add the leftover Chinese tomato egg stir-fry. Stir gently until it is heated through.
Alternatively, you can also microwave it for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 1 minute to ensure that it is heated through evenly.
Unfortunately, this delicious Chinese tomato egg stir-fry recipe doesn't freeze well. The texture of the tomatoes and eggs changes drastically when frozen and thawed, which can ruin the dish's appealing consistency.
The egg mixture, when frozen, tends to become rubbery, and the tomatoes lose their fresh, juicy tomato flavor. It is best to enjoy this dish fresh or refrigerated for a few days.
More Chinese Comfort Foods You May Like
- Corn Egg Drop Soup Recipe
- Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)
- Easy Creamy Congee Recipe
- Steamed Chinese Spare Ribs with Black Beans
- Chinese Scrambled Egg and Shrimp Stir Fry
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Recipe Card
Chinese Tomato and Egg Stir Fry
Joyce's Recipe Notes
- QUICKER VERSION: If you are pressed for time, you can alter this recipe to be more traditional and use ketchup. If you use ketchup, remove the tomato paste, white vinegar and honey from the recipe and replace it with ½ cup of ketchup instead.
- My rule of thumb for a good tomato to egg ratios is: For every 1 large tomato you use, use one egg.
- Different tomatoes have different tartness. If your tomatoes are very sour, do a taste test and add ½ teaspoon of honey/sugar at a time and adjust it until it is to the right sweetness for you.
- Do not substitute black pepper for white pepper. Leave it out if you don't have it. It is a completely different flavor.
- If you do not have any green onions, you can slice one small onion and stir fry it with the ginger instead.
- Double up the 'Tomato Sauce' to make more sauce if you like this dish saucier! Alternatively, if you like it less saucy then cut the amount of the 'Tomato Sauce' section by half.
What Kind of Tomatoes to Use
- Standard Red Tomatoes (Hot House or Tomatoes on the Vine) - These tomatoes are the easiest to find at the grocery store and are great for this dish because of their 50/50 seed to flesh ratio which gives the sauce a good flavor as well as a good texture. You can't go wrong with this tomato!
- Heirloom Tomatoes - This is my favorite tomato to use for tomato eggs but I know it may be hard to find if you don't grow them yourself. Beef Steak tomatoes are a good substitute for it for heirloom tomatoes as well. This tomato is flavorful, juicy, and delicious for this tomato egg stir fry!
- Baby Tomatoes (or Grape Tomatoes) - I personally love growing baby tomatoes because I love to snack on them but they can be a hit or miss for this tomato egg recipe. I love using baby tomatoes in this dish (as you can see in my photos) because they are the most flavorful tomato on this list. The only downside is you will need to use a lot of baby tomatoes which means you will get a lot of skin in the final product.
- Roma Tomatoes - This would actually be my last choice of tomatoes for tomato egg stir fry. I find this type of tomato too fleshy, not very juicy and depending on how fresh they are they can have a grainy texture as well. Since it also doesn't contain a lot of seeds I find it also doesn't have a lot of flavors as well - I find the most flavorful tomatoes are the ones with good seed-to-flesh ratio.
Ingredients
- 3-4 large tomatoes
- 1 onion (sliced)
- 1-2 stalks green onions
- 3-4 large slices ginger
Scrambled Eggs
- 4-5 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon salt (or 2 teaspoons of soy sauce)
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Tomato Sauce
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons honey (or sugar)
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine (Optional)
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash the tomatoes and chop them into bite sized chunks and set aside
- Slice 1 onion and 3-4 large slices ginger and set aside
- Cut the green onions 2 inches lengthwise and then cut them again lengthwise thinly and set aside
- In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup tomato paste, 3 tablespoons honey, ¼ cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine, and ¼ cup water. Set aside for later.
Scrambling the Eggs
- In another bowl, whisk together the 4-5 eggs, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and½ teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside for later.
- Set the stove to medium and add a little bit oil into a frying pan and wait until it is slightly smoking
- When the pan is hot, add in the egg mixture. The eggs will start to bubble on the edges and start to set. Once egg starts to set around the edges, use a utensil to push the 4 corners into the center, then tilt the the pan slightly so the remaining raw egg runs to the edge of the pan and push the corners into the center again. Do this a few times until it is cooked but try not to overcook the eggs.
- You won't get broken up pieces of scrambled egg with this method but instead a big mound of fluffy cooked eggs. Break up the egg into bit sized chunks and set it aside on a plate for later
Putting It Together
- Set the stove to medium heat, and add a bit more oil into the pan
- Once the oil is hot, add in the ginger and toast it a bit so that it turns brown. This way the ginger flavor comes out into the oil. (approximately 1-2 minutes)
- When the ginger is brown, add in the onions and cook it until it is soft and translucent.
- Once the onions are soft, add in the chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce mix and cook it for 3-4 minutes (or 5-6 minutes if you like it saucier). (Be careful if the oil is hot, the tomatoes might sizzle and splash a bit when you add them to the oil) You want to cook the tomatoes slightly so they are soft and some of the tomato juices are released into the sauce. Try not to overcook the tomatoes too much so there are still chunks of it to eat.
- Do a taste test. Tomatoes have different acidity depending on what type you use. If the sauce is too sour, add an additional ½ teaspoon of honey/sugar and taste it again. Adjust it until it is to your preferred sweetness.
- Once it is done, turn off the heat and add the scrambled eggs and green onions and mix together with the sauce until the eggs are well coated with the sauce.
- Remove the ginger slices before serving
- Enjoy with a bowl of rice!
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*
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Scottie Gehrer says
I actually wanted to thank you for these marvelous tips you are showing at this website. My extensive internet investigation has at the end of the day been recognized with awesome facts to talk about with my friends. I feel lucky to have come across the website and look forward to have more excellent reading time here. Thanks a lot once again for all the details.
Joyce Lee says
Hi Scottie,
Thank you for your wonderful and kind words. I love to share tips with food and cooking because I know I make a lot of mistakes so I always want to share the mistakes I make so that everyone can avoid my mistakes and be successful with their recipes 🙂
Thanks so much for making my day.
Joyce
Josie says
I come back w/ your easy fast cooking tomatoes & eggs recipe because this dish is very summery & healthy , & I have grown many cherry tomatoes in my backyard .
Oh! , thanks for this revived reminder about tomatoes cooking I am going to prepare for dinner. Thanks 👍
Joyce Lee says
Hi Josie,
I have a lot of cherry tomatoes in my backyard too! My husband always asks for this recipe as well at all times of the year but having the tomatoes in the backyard gives me a reason to ask him to make this for dinner to give me a break from the kitchen! haha!
Kimberly Matlock says
Hi, I love a fluffy egg but haven't mastered it. Would you please post a video of how it's done?
Joyce says
Hi Kimberly,
Hmm... I have not mastered the skill of making videos yet! haha 🙂 Sorry! It's on my bucket list of to-dos!
In the meantime, here are a few tips!
- I find that adding a touch of oil while beating the egg helps make it fluffy!
- Don't overcook it. When the eggs look about 75% done, you can probably give it one more flip and then take it off the heat. While you are plating it, it will continue to cook.
- Don't overmix or scramble it. Once you have it in the hot pan, let it cook untouched until you start to see the edges starting to cook, then use your spatula to push the eggs towards the center of the frying pan. I usually just push the 4 corners in (like I have in the photo in the blog), then tilt your pan so that the raw egg runs onto the hot pan and I repeat it again, push it to the center. Then to cook the runny top, I flip it once and then take it off the heat.
Hope this makes sense?
Joyce
J says
Tomato and egg is my go-to Chinese dish. So simple and so good over rice.
Joyce says
Me too. It's my favorite dish to eat, and I eat a lot of it around this time when Summer is over and I have tons of tomatoes from my garden! haha 🙂 It's amazing with rice right? So addictive! 🙂
Tony Zoccolillo says
This is something we eat often, especially this time of the year when our garden is putting out allot of tomato's. My wife is Chinese and she makes it similar to this recipe except she chops the green onion finer and wisks in into the egg before trying. She doesn't use ketchup or tomato paste either...she probably adds more tomato and cooks it longer though...adds some water and cooks till the water is like a thin tomato soup. Great with rice...of without. Thanks
Joyce says
Hi Tony!
I'm doing the same thing and eating a lot of this too because we have so many tomatoes in our garden this year! 🙂 I love having this with rice too, so comforting right? 🙂
Your wife must make incredible foods at home for you!
Josie says
I love this CHERRY TOMATO AND EGG STIR FRY recipe . I have grown quite a few cherry tomatoes in my small backyard. I nornally use small tomatoes for salad only. Now, instead of using regular medium-sized round tomatoes that buy from the supermarkets, I can use my own grown cherry tomatoes to cook this juicy healthy dish as a fast cooking means esp. after work in the evening. My younger kid likes this , and even mixed it with rice to eat. Thanks Joyce for a new simpler cooking recipe.
Joyce says
I loved it too as a kid. Tastes like ketchup sauce heehee 🙂
Sean Mahan says
This actually looks a bit weird to me, but I can't judge it till I try it, right? Let's give it a shot!
Joyce says
It's definitely not a common looking food haha 🙂 It's usually not seen at restaurants either and is usually ever made at home as a home cooked dish 🙂 Definitely try it out if you like a saucy dish, with a bit of sweet, salty and slight tanginess. The sauce goes good with rice 🙂