Chinese soups are a tasty and healthy part of Chinese cooking. They come in many types, from light broths to thick stews.
These soups often use chicken, pork, beef, or seafood along with veggies and spices. They taste good and are good for you too.
You can make many Chinese soups at home with easy recipes. Some popular ones are hot and sour soup, egg drop soup, and wonton soup.
These recipes use simple items you can find in most stores. You can change the recipes to fit what you like or what you have in your kitchen.
1. Wonton Soup
Wonton soup is a classic Chinese dish loved by many. It features delicate dumplings filled with savory meat in a flavorful broth.
To make the wontons, mix ground pork, shrimp, soy sauce, and seasonings. Place a small amount on wonton wrappers and fold into triangles or other shapes.
For the broth, simmer chicken or pork stock with ginger, garlic, and green onions.
Cook the wontons in the broth until they float to the top. Serve the soup hot, garnished with chopped scallions.
You can customize it by adding vegetables like bok choy or mushrooms for extra flavor and nutrition.
2. Hot and Sour Soup
Hot and sour soup is a popular Chinese dish known for its tangy and spicy flavors. You can make this soup at home with a few key ingredients.
Start by preparing a flavorful broth using chicken stock. Add julienned pork, tofu, and mushrooms for texture and protein.
The soup gets its signature taste from black vinegar and white pepper. These ingredients provide the sour and spicy elements that give the soup its name.
To thicken the soup, you’ll use a cornstarch slurry. Beaten eggs are then slowly stirred in, creating delicate ribbons throughout the broth.
Finish your hot and sour soup with a drizzle of sesame oil for added depth. Serve it hot as an appetizer or a comforting main dish on a cold day.
3. Egg Drop Soup
Egg drop soup is a classic Chinese dish you can make in just 15 minutes. Its name comes from the cooking method of dropping raw egg into hot broth.
The main ingredients are chicken stock, eggs, and seasonings like salt and white pepper. Some recipes add cornstarch to thicken the soup slightly.
To make egg drop soup, you’ll heat the broth and slowly pour in beaten eggs while stirring. This creates swirls of cooked egg throughout the soup.
You can customize your egg drop soup by adding extras like tofu, corn, or green onions. It’s a comforting and easy meal perfect for cold days.
4. Congee
Congee is a comforting Chinese rice porridge. You can make it easily at home with just a few ingredients.
Start by simmering rice in water or broth until it becomes thick and creamy. Add your favorite toppings to customize the flavor.
Popular choices include sliced chicken, pork, or fish. You can also add century eggs, green onions, or ginger for extra taste.
Congee is perfect for cold days or when you’re feeling under the weather. It’s easy to digest and can be a great meal any time of day.
Try making congee with leftover rice to save time and reduce food waste.
5. Bird’s Nest Soup
Bird’s nest soup is a luxurious Chinese delicacy made from the nests of swiftlet birds. These nests are built using the birds’ saliva, which hardens when exposed to air.
The soup has a unique jelly-like texture and a mild, slightly sweet taste. It’s prized for its supposed health benefits, including boosting the immune system and improving skin health.
To prepare bird’s nest soup, you’ll need to soak and clean the nests carefully. Then, simmer them in water or chicken broth. Some recipes add rock sugar for sweetness.
You can find bird’s nest soup in high-end Chinese restaurants. It’s also possible to make at home, but the nests are expensive and can be challenging to source.
6. Shark Fin Soup
Shark fin soup is a traditional Chinese delicacy. It’s known for its unique texture rather than taste. The soup base is usually made with chicken broth.
You can make a version at home using imitation shark fin. Soak dried shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and glass noodles in water.
Simmer chicken, mushrooms, and dried scallops in broth. Add the soaked ingredients and imitation shark fin. Season with soy sauce.
Some recipes include prawns or chicken pieces for extra flavor.
This soup is often served at special occasions. Many now avoid real shark fin due to environmental concerns. The imitation version offers a similar experience without the ethical issues.
7. Sichuan Beef Noodle Soup
Sichuan beef noodle soup is a spicy, flavorful dish from China’s Sichuan province. You’ll love the tender beef chunks and chewy noodles in a rich, aromatic broth.
To make it, simmer beef with ginger, garlic, and spices until tender. Add Sichuan peppercorns and chili oil for that signature numbing heat.
Serve the soup over thick wheat noodles. Top with bok choy, scallions, and cilantro for freshness. A sprinkle of chopped peanuts adds crunch.
This hearty soup is perfect for cold days. The spices will warm you up from the inside out.
8. Double Boiled Chicken Soup
Double boiled chicken soup is a traditional Chinese dish known for its rich flavor and potential health benefits. You make it by slow-cooking chicken and herbs in a special pot called a double boiler.
To prepare this soup, you’ll need chicken legs, herbs like red dates and goji berries, and a double boiler.
First, remove the skin from the chicken and wash it thoroughly. Place the herbs at the bottom of the inner pot, then add the chicken on top.
Pour in enough boiling water to cover everything. Set the inner pot inside the outer pot filled with water.
Cook the soup on medium-low heat for about 2.5 to 3 hours. This slow cooking process helps extract all the flavors and nutrients from the ingredients.
9. Tom Yum Soup
Tom Yum soup is a spicy and sour Thai dish that’s become popular in Chinese cuisine. You’ll find it bursting with flavors like lemongrass, lime, and chili.
The soup base is made with chicken or shrimp broth. Key ingredients include mushrooms, tomatoes, and your choice of shrimp or chicken.
To make Tom Yum, you’ll simmer lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves in the broth. Then add fish sauce, lime juice, and chili paste for that signature tangy kick.
This soup is quick to prepare and perfect for chilly days. You can adjust the spice level to suit your taste. Serve it hot as a starter or main course.
10. Buddha Jumps Over the Wall
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is a famous soup from Fujian province. It’s known for its rich flavor and fancy ingredients.
The soup got its name from a story. People say the smell was so good, it made a Buddhist monk jump over a wall to eat it.
You’ll find many luxury items in this soup. It often has abalone, shark fin, sea cucumber, and fish maw. Pork, chicken, and mushrooms are also common additions.
Making this soup takes time. You need to soak and prepare ingredients for days. Then it cooks slowly for hours to blend all the flavors.
This soup is special and often served at big events. It’s not an everyday dish because it’s complex and uses pricey items.
11. Chinese Herbal Soup
Chinese herbal soup blends traditional ingredients to create a nourishing and flavorful dish. You’ll find common herbs like goji berries, dried Chinese yam, and lotus seeds in these recipes.
To make a basic herbal soup, start by soaking dried ingredients in water. Then simmer pork bones or chicken with the herbs in a pot for several hours.
Some popular varieties include Four Herbs Soup and Ching Po Leung. These soups are believed to have health benefits and are often enjoyed for their comforting warmth.
When preparing herbal soup, use a low heat to slowly extract flavors from the ingredients. This gentle cooking method helps preserve the herbs’ properties.
12. Sweet Corn Egg Drop Soup
Sweet Corn Egg Drop Soup is a tasty Chinese dish that mixes corn and eggs in a flavorful broth. You can make it at home in about 15 minutes.
Start by bringing chicken stock to a boil with corn kernels and turmeric. This gives the soup its yellow color and corn flavor.
Next, slowly pour beaten eggs into the hot soup while stirring. This creates thin, silky egg strands throughout the broth.
Add salt, white pepper, and a dash of sesame oil to enhance the taste. You can thicken the soup with a cornstarch slurry if you like.
Garnish with chopped green onions before serving. This soup is perfect for cold days or as a light meal anytime.
13. Fish Maw Soup
Fish maw soup is a classic Chinese dish known for its rich flavor and smooth texture. To make it, you’ll need fish maw, chicken broth, and a few other ingredients.
Start by soaking the fish maw until it’s soft. Then, add it to simmering chicken broth along with some ginger and scallions for extra flavor.
You can enhance the soup by adding shrimp, pork, or vegetables. For a thicker consistency, mix cornstarch with water and slowly stir it into the soup.
To finish, beat an egg white and pour it into the soup while stirring. This creates delicate egg strands throughout the broth. Serve hot and enjoy this comforting Chinese soup.
14. West Lake Beef Soup
West Lake Beef Soup is a popular dish from China’s Zhejiang province. It’s named after the famous West Lake in Hangzhou.
This soup combines ground beef, tofu, and egg whites in a flavorful broth. The result is a silky smooth texture and rich taste.
To make it, you’ll marinate ground beef with salt, wine, and ginger. Then cook it in chicken broth with mushrooms and cubed tofu.
The final touch is slowly stirring in beaten egg whites. This creates delicate ribbons throughout the soup.
West Lake Beef Soup is both satisfying and light. It’s perfect for cooler days when you want something comforting yet not too heavy.
15. Chrysanthemum Leaf Hot Pot
Chrysanthemum leaf hot pot is a delicious Chinese soup dish. You’ll love the unique flavor of chrysanthemum greens in this warming meal.
To make it, prepare a flavorful broth with chicken stock, soy sauce, and rice wine. Add thinly sliced meats like chicken and beef.
Wash the chrysanthemum leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt. Arrange the leaves and other ingredients on platters around the hot pot.
Cook the ingredients by dipping them into the simmering broth at the table. The chrysanthemum leaves add a slightly bitter, peppery taste.
This interactive dish is perfect for gatherings. You can customize it with your favorite vegetables, meats, and seafood.
16. Lotus Root Pork Soup
Lotus root pork soup is a comforting Chinese dish. It combines tender pork ribs with sliced lotus root in a flavorful broth.
To make this soup, you’ll need pork ribs, lotus root, and some basic seasonings. Start by blanching the pork ribs to remove impurities.
Next, slice the lotus root thinly. Add the blanched ribs, lotus root slices, and water to a pot. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours.
The long cooking time allows the flavors to meld and the ingredients to become tender. Season with salt to taste before serving.
This nourishing soup is popular in Cantonese cuisine. You can enjoy it on its own or as part of a larger meal.
17. Winter Melon Soup
Winter melon soup is a refreshing Chinese dish perfect for hot summer days. This soup uses a large gourd-like vegetable with a mild flavor.
To make it, you’ll need winter melon, pork ribs, dried shrimp, and goji berries. Cut the winter melon into bite-sized chunks, removing the seeds and rind.
Simmer the pork ribs to create a flavorful broth. Then add the winter melon, dried shrimp, and goji berries. Cook until the melon is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
This soup is believed to have cooling properties that help clear heat from the body. It’s light yet satisfying, making it a popular choice in Chinese cuisine.
18. Watercress and Honey Dates Soup
This Chinese soup combines watercress with sweet honey dates for a flavorful and healthy dish. You’ll need watercress, pork ribs or chicken, honey dates, and other ingredients like carrots and almonds.
Start by boiling the meat to make a rich broth. Add honey dates, carrots, and almonds, then simmer for about an hour.
Wash the watercress well and add it near the end of cooking. The soup has a mild sweetness from the honey dates.
It’s believed to boost the immune system and promote youthfulness in traditional Chinese medicine. Serve hot in bowls for a comforting meal.
Understanding Chinese Soup Culture
Chinese soups play a big role in meals and health. They use special ingredients and cooking methods that go back a long time.
Historical Significance
Soups have been part of Chinese food for thousands of years. In ancient China, people thought soups could heal the body and mind. Doctors used them as medicine.
During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), soup became a main part of meals. Rich people had fancy soups with rare ingredients. Poor people made simple broths.
Today, Chinese families still drink soup daily. It’s a way to show love and care. Many believe hot soup keeps you healthy and strong.
Key Ingredients in Chinese Soups
Chinese soups use a mix of meat, veggies, and herbs. Here are some common items:
- Meats: Chicken, pork, beef
- Veggies: Bok choy, mushrooms, carrots
- Herbs: Ginger, green onions, garlic
- Special items: Goji berries, red dates, lotus seeds
Bone broth is a key base for many soups. It’s made by cooking bones for hours. This makes a rich, flavorful liquid.
Some soups use dried ingredients. These add more taste and health benefits.
Examples are seaweed, dried scallops, and Chinese herbs.
Health Benefits of Chinese Soups
Chinese soups offer many health benefits. They blend tasty ingredients with healing properties to boost your well-being.
Nutritional Value
Chinese soups pack a lot of nutrition into one bowl.
They often use bone broths, which give you protein, collagen, and minerals.
Many recipes include veggies like mushrooms, carrots, and bok choy. These add vitamins and fiber to your meal.
Soups with meats like chicken or pork offer protein to help build and repair your body. Adding herbs and spices not only improves flavor but also provides extra nutrients.
Some soups use special ingredients like goji berries. These little red berries are full of antioxidants that may help protect your cells.
Traditional Medicinal Uses
In Chinese medicine, soups play a big role in healing. People have used them for thousands of years to treat many health issues.
Different soups target specific needs:
- Four Herbs Soup may boost energy
- Chicken and mushroom soup could help fight colds
- Detox soups aim to cleanse your body
Certain ingredients are chosen for their healing powers. For example:
- Ginger can help with digestion
- Garlic might support your immune system
- Chinese yam is thought to improve overall health
Doctors of traditional Chinese medicine often prescribe soups as part of treatment plans. They believe these recipes can restore balance in your body and prevent illness.