Lomi (Filipino Egg Noodle Soup)

About This Recipe

Lomi is a Filipino noodle soup that is less known internationally than pho or ramen but equally beloved by Filipinos, served in street stalls, home kitchens, and casual restaurants. The dish is a thick, creamy soup based on a light broth (usually made from chicken or pork), thickened with cornstarch slurry, and finished with beaten raw egg that cooks into silky ribbons as it's stirred into the hot liquid. Fresh or dried egg noodles are the primary ingredient, along with vegetables like leafy greens (usually Chinese cabbage or spinach), green peas, carrots, and sometimes liver or offal. The soup should be thick enough that a spoon stands up in it, not a thin broth. Lomi is eaten for breakfast, lunch, as a light dinner, or as a cure for a cold — it's the Filipino equivalent of chicken soup. The dish is customizable: vendors add different vegetables and proteins based on what they have that day, and home cooks vary the recipe according to family tradition. The combination of creamy texture, egg, and noodles makes lomi extremely satisfying despite its humble ingredients.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 literchicken or pork broth (or water with bouillon)
• 300 gegg noodles (fresh or dried), or lomi noodles if available
• 100 gChinese cabbage or spinach, chopped
• 100 gmixed vegetables (carrots diced, peas, corn)
• 4 largeeggs, beaten
• 2 tbspcornstarch mixed with 4 tbsp cold water (slurry)
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 smallonion, diced
• 100 gchicken liver or pork offal, thinly sliced (optional)
• 2 tbspfish sauce (patis)
• 1 pinchwhite pepper
• 1 small bunchgreen onions (scallions), sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oil

   In a large pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and diced onion, stirring until softened and fragrant (about 2 minutes). Do not brown — the aromatics should be sweet, not bitter.

2. 2

   Add broth

   Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer. Add chicken liver or offal if using, and simmer for 5 minutes to cook through and add flavor. The broth should be clear and aromatic.

3. 3

   Cook the noodles

   Add egg noodles and cook until al dente (usually 5–7 minutes for dried, 2–3 minutes for fresh). The noodles should be tender but with a slight bite. Do not overcook.

4. 4

   Add vegetables

   Add chopped cabbage or spinach and mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn). Simmer for 3–4 minutes until tender-crisp. The vegetables should retain some texture.

5. 5

   Thicken the soup

   Whisk the cornstarch slurry well and slowly pour it into the simmering soup while stirring constantly. The soup will thicken noticeably — aim for the consistency of a thick gravy, not a thin broth. Stop adding slurry once the desired thickness is reached.

6. 6

   Season

   Add fish sauce and white pepper. Taste and adjust — lomi should taste savory and slightly umami-rich from the fish sauce. Add more to taste.

7. 7

   Create egg ribbons

   Slowly pour the beaten egg into the simmering soup while stirring gently with a fork or chopstick. The egg will cook into silky ribbons as it contacts the hot liquid. Stir gently for 30 seconds until the egg is cooked but still tender.

8. 8

   Finish and serve

   Remove from heat. Taste one more time and adjust seasoning if needed. Pour into bowls, garnish with sliced green onions, and serve immediately while hot and steaming. Eat with a spoon and fork, scooping noodles and broth together.

Variations

• •

  With liver — add 100g sliced chicken liver for an older, more traditional version.

• •

  Vegetarian lomi — omit the meat and offal, use vegetable broth, and add more vegetables.

• •

  With seafood — add shrimp or clams with the vegetables for a coastal variation.

• •

  Lomi tagalog (with potato) — add diced potato to the vegetables for more substance.

Storage

Lomi is best eaten immediately but can be kept hot in a thermos for a few hours. It does not refrigerate well — the noodles become mushy and the cornstarch-based sauce separates. Eat fresh or discard.

Frequently Asked Questions