Chinese soups have a rich history and offer a blend of flavors that can warm your soul. From the tangy Hot and Sour Soup to the comforting Wonton Soup, Chinese cuisine features numerous soup varieties that combine traditional ingredients with nourishing properties.
These soups not only taste delicious but also offer health benefits through their blend of vegetables, proteins, and herbs.
You can find a wide range of Chinese soup recipes that are perfect for any occasion.
Whether you’re looking for something simple like Egg Drop Soup or more complex like Chinese Beef Noodle Soup, there’s a recipe that will satisfy your cravings.
Many of these soups can be made at home with ingredients that are readily available in most grocery stores or Asian markets.
1. Tomato Egg Drop Soup
Tomato Egg Drop Soup is a quick, colorful Chinese dish you can make in just 10-15 minutes. It combines the tanginess of fresh tomatoes with silky strands of beaten eggs.
You don’t need complicated ingredients to make this soup. Most recipes use tomatoes, eggs, chicken broth, and simple seasonings like salt and sesame oil.
For extra flavor, add the “Asian Grandma trifecta” of scallions, garlic, and ginger. These ingredients give the soup soul and help the tomatoes and broth shine.
This soup makes a great starter for any Chinese meal. It’s healthy, gluten-free, and can be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth.
2. Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup
Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup is a delicious Chinese soup that combines silky egg ribbons with tender chicken and sweet corn in a flavorful broth. You can make this popular dish at home in just 15 minutes.
The soup features wispy “egg drop flowers” that form when beaten eggs are slowly poured into the hot broth. This technique creates beautiful ribbons that float throughout the soup.
This quick and easy recipe uses ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. It’s perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something warming and satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen.
3. Shepherd’s Purse Tofu Soup
Shepherd’s Purse Tofu Soup is a popular Shanghai specialty known for its fragrant and unique flavor. This simple yet satisfying soup combines the earthy taste of shepherd’s purse (a leafy green vegetable) with soft tofu for a comforting meal.
If you can’t find fresh shepherd’s purse, spinach makes a good substitute. The soup typically includes sliced mushrooms, minced garlic, and ginger that enhance its aromatic profile.
The preparation is straightforward, resulting in a milky, rich broth. Many home cooks enjoy that this soup tastes restaurant-quality despite being easy to make.
This warming soup makes an excellent starter or light meal, especially during cooler weather.
4. Easy Fish Tofu Soup
Fish tofu soup is a quick, healthy dish perfect for cold days. It combines tender fish with soft tofu in a flavorful broth.
You can make this soup in about 20 minutes. Simply simmer fish pieces with tofu cubes, bean sprouts, and sliced ginger in your choice of broth.
For extra flavor, add garlic and a touch of chili. Some versions include pickled mustard greens for a tangy taste.
This soup takes inspiration from both Thai hot and sour fish soup and traditional Chinese recipes. You can customize it with different vegetables or adjust the spice level to suit your taste.
5. Chinese Rice Cake Soup
Chinese Rice Cake Soup is a comforting dish made with chewy rice cakes in a clear broth. It’s quick to make and perfect for busy weeknights.
The dish features sliced rice cakes, which have a delightful chewy texture. You can often find these in Asian grocery stores in the refrigerated or frozen section.
The soup typically includes a simple broth with vegetables like bok choy. Some versions add protein such as beef or edamame for a more filling meal.
This soup is similar to Korean tteokguk but with Chinese flavors. You can customize it with your favorite vegetables or proteins for a satisfying meal that warms you up.
6. Chinese Chicken Mushroom Soup
Chinese Chicken Mushroom Soup combines simple ingredients to create a deeply nourishing dish. This soup features tender chicken pieces and earthy mushrooms in a flavorful broth.
You only need about 10 basic ingredients to make this comforting soup. The recipe is straightforward and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
The soup delivers rich umami flavors that warm you from the inside out. Many home cooks consider it perfect for cold days or when you need something soothing.
Chinese families often make this soup for its health benefits and simplicity. You can use various mushroom types for different flavor profiles.
7. Lotus Root & Pork Soup
Lotus Root & Pork Soup is a healing and nutritious Chinese dish that’s perfect for cold days. The main ingredients include lotus root, pork ribs, ginger, and sometimes goji berries.
To make this soup, you first blanch the pork ribs to remove impurities. Then combine all ingredients in a pot with cold water and simmer until the meat becomes tender.
The lotus root adds a unique crunchy texture to the soup. It absorbs the flavors of the broth while cooking. Many people enjoy this soup for its light, clean taste.
This comforting soup is often served as part of a larger meal or can stand alone as a warming dish.
8. Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup
Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup is a nourishing dish that combines black sesame oil, ginger, rice wine, and chicken to create a warming and comforting soup.
This traditional soup holds cultural significance in Taiwan, where it’s commonly served to new mothers and elderly people to strengthen health. The rich flavor comes from the unique combination of sesame oil and ginger.
To make this soup, you’ll need chicken pieces, black sesame oil, thick slices of ginger, and rice wine. Some recipes also include dried longyan and mushrooms for added nutrition and flavor.
The soup is perfect for cooler days when you need something to warm you from the inside out. It’s easy to prepare with just a few ingredients but delivers deep flavor.
9. Chinese Noodle Soup
Chinese noodle soup is a simple yet satisfying dish that takes just 15 minutes to prepare. It features a light, aromatic broth filled with noodles and fresh ingredients.
You can make this comforting soup with items from your pantry and refrigerator. The broth typically contains ginger, garlic, and other Asian aromatics that create a flavorful base.
Popular variations include chicken noodle soup, which adds protein and heartiness. For vegetarians, egg and tomato noodle soup offers a comforting alternative.
This one-pot meal is perfect for chilly days when you need something warm and nourishing. The soup’s simplicity makes it a go-to option for quick weeknight dinners.
10. Chinese Chicken Vegetable Soup
Chinese Chicken Vegetable Soup combines tender chicken with fresh vegetables and Asian flavors. This comforting dish is ready in under an hour, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
The soup typically includes chicken pieces, carrots, and aromatic ingredients like green onions and ginger. These add depth and warmth to the broth.
You can customize this soup with your favorite vegetables. Many recipes keep it light at just 108 calories per serving, making it a healthy option.
For the best flavor, use organic chicken and fresh ginger. The combination creates a hearty soup that’s especially comforting on chilly days.
11. Very Low Calorie Chinese Vegetable Soup
This quick Chinese Vegetable Soup is perfect for light meals with only 108 calories per serving. It’s both healthy and delicious.
You can make it with just vegetable broth (or water with soy sauce), garlic, and your choice of vegetables. The soup is extremely versatile – use whatever veggies you have on hand.
The preparation is super fast, making it ideal for busy weeknights when you want something warming but light. Despite being low in calories, it delivers satisfying flavor.
This soup works great as a starter or as a complete meal when you’re watching your calorie intake but don’t want to sacrifice taste.
12. Egg and Tomato Noodle Soup
Egg and Tomato Noodle Soup combines simple ingredients into a comforting meal you can make in just 15 minutes. This soup is a variation of the popular Chinese tomato and egg stir-fry, transformed into a nourishing bowl of soup.
The key to perfect results is in how you prepare the eggs. Beat them well for 1-2 minutes before slowly pouring them into the hot soup.
Fresh tomatoes add a sweet-tangy flavor that might not need additional sugar, especially during peak tomato season. You can enjoy this versatile soup for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
This quick recipe requires just a few pantry ingredients and items from your refrigerator, making it perfect for busy weeknights when you need something warming and satisfying.
13. Classic Duck Soup
Duck soup is a flavorful Chinese dish that combines rich broth with tender duck meat. This soup is popular during special occasions and festivals.
The Cantonese version pairs roasted duck with noodles, mustard greens, and ginger for a simple yet refined taste. It’s an excellent way to use leftover Cantonese roast duck.
Some recipes include Chinese herbal medicines for added health benefits. Others use salted mustard greens (kiam chye) for a savory depth.
You can enhance your duck soup with aromatics like onion, carrot, and garlic. A touch of lemon or vinegar brightens the rich flavors of the broth.
14. Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
Hot and Sour Soup is a beloved classic that combines savory, spicy, and tangy flavors in one comforting bowl. You can make this restaurant favorite at home in about 25 minutes.
The key ingredients include chicken broth, soy sauce, white pepper, mushrooms, and tofu. The soup gets its signature “hot” flavor from white pepper and its “sour” taste from vinegar.
Many recipes include ginger for extra warmth and depth. You can adjust the spice level by adding more or less white pepper to suit your taste.
This hearty soup stacks up to versions from the best Chinese restaurants and often tastes even better when made at home.
15. Bok Choy & Pork Soup
Bok Choy & Pork Soup is a simple yet flavorful Chinese dish that combines tender pork slices with fresh bok choy in a savory broth. This soothing soup can be prepared in just about fifteen minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
The soup begins with thinly sliced pork tenderloin, often marinated briefly with Shaoxing rice wine and soy sauce. Some recipes also add tapioca starch to tenderize the meat.
You’ll find the bok choy adds a pleasant crunch and slight sweetness to balance the savory elements. The broth is typically clear and light, allowing the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine through.
16. Wonton Soup
Wonton soup is a classic Chinese dish featuring dumplings in a flavorful broth. The wontons are typically filled with pork and shrimp, then wrapped in thin dough.
You can make this soup in about 15 minutes using frozen wontons, or create everything from scratch for a more authentic experience. The broth is often made with chicken stock, ginger, and garlic.
For a quick version, simply drop store-bought wontons and some vegetables into simmering broth. Add ingredients like spinach, green onions, or shiitake mushrooms to enhance the flavor.
This comforting soup works well as an appetizer or a light meal when you want something warming and satisfying.
17. Chinese Herbal Chicken Soup
Chinese Herbal Chicken Soup is a nourishing dish that combines chicken with medicinal herbs. It’s simple to make but packed with health benefits.
The basic ingredients include chicken (often leg quarters), pork bones, and ginger as the foundation. Traditional Chinese herbs like wild yam, astragalus root, codonopsis root, red dates, and goji berries add medicinal properties.
To prepare, you just simmer the chicken with the herbs on low heat for about an hour. The result is a warming, slightly earthy soup that’s both comforting and nutritious.
This isn’t as bitter as medicinal herbal remedies. It’s more like a gentle, flavorful way to consume vitamins and traditional Chinese medicine.
18. Sichuan Spicy Noodle Soup
Sichuan Spicy Noodle Soup, also known as Xiao Mian, delivers a fiery and addictive flavor experience. This popular Chinese dish features springy noodles swimming in a rich, savory broth that balances heat with complexity.
The soup typically includes a combination of chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, and various aromatics like ginger and garlic.
Many versions incorporate tender beef chunks that have been slowly simmered to perfection.
You can customize your bowl with toppings such as braised beef, crispy pork, or peanuts for added texture. The dish works well as a warming meal during cold weather but is enjoyed year-round in China.
19. Seaweed Egg Drop Soup
Seaweed Egg Drop Soup, or 紫菜蛋花汤 (zǐcài dànhuā tāng), is a simple yet nutritious Chinese soup that’s quick to prepare. This home-style dish combines dried seaweed with fluffy egg ribbons in a flavorful broth.
To make this soup, you’ll need dried seaweed, beaten eggs, chicken stock, ginger, and cornstarch.
Many Chinese families serve soup with every meal, and this light option is perfect for everyday dining.
The preparation is straightforward: rehydrate the seaweed, heat your stock with ginger, create a cornstarch slurry for thickness, then slowly pour in beaten eggs while stirring to create delicate ribbons.
This mineral-rich soup works well as a starter or light meal when you want something warming and healthy.
20. Pork and Century Egg Congee
Pork and Century Egg Congee is a classic Chinese rice porridge dish served in dim sum restaurants. This comforting soup combines tender pork strips with creamy century eggs for a savory experience.
The dish starts with rice cooked in plenty of water until it breaks down into a smooth porridge. The pork is usually seasoned with salt before being added to the congee, allowing its flavors to infuse the rice.
Century eggs, with their dark, creamy centers, add a unique richness that contrasts well with the salty pork. This congee is perfect for beginners wanting to try century eggs, as the flavors blend harmoniously in the porridge.
You can garnish your congee with green onions, white pepper, and a dash of sesame oil.
21. Bitter Melon and Spare Ribs Soup
Bitter Melon and Spare Ribs Soup is a classic Cantonese dish that balances bitter and savory flavors. The key ingredients are bitter melon, pork ribs, and simple seasonings.
This soup is easy to make at home. You simply simmer pork ribs with bitter melon, often adding red dates to balance the bitterness.
Many Taiwanese versions of this soup exist too. The pork provides a rich contrast to the distinctive bitter taste of the melon.
This soup is typically served as part of a larger meal. You can adjust the cooking time to control how bitter you want the final soup to be.
Nutritional Benefits of Chinese Soups
Chinese soups offer remarkable health benefits through their nutritious ingredients and traditional cooking methods. Many recipes combine healing herbs, vegetables, and proteins in ways that support overall wellness.
Rich in Proteins
Chinese soups provide excellent protein sources that help build and repair body tissues. Bone broths, a foundation of many Chinese soups, contain collagen and amino acids that support joint health and digestion.
Many traditional recipes include lean meats like chicken, fish, or pork that deliver complete proteins.
Vegetarian options often feature tofu, mushrooms, or beans that provide plant-based proteins.
These protein-rich ingredients are typically slow-cooked, making nutrients more bioavailable for your body. The gentle simmering process breaks down proteins into easily digestible forms.
For those watching their weight, these soups offer satisfying protein without excessive calories or fat.
Boosting Immunity
Chinese soups contain powerful immune-supporting ingredients that help protect your body from illness. Many recipes include ginger, garlic, and scallions—all known for their natural antimicrobial properties.
Traditional healing soups often feature medicinal ingredients like:
- Goji berries (rich in antioxidants)
- Chinese dates (high in vitamin C)
- Shiitake mushrooms (contain beta-glucans)
- Astragalus root (supports immune function)
The warming nature of these soups can help improve circulation and reduce inflammation in your body. Many ingredients work synergistically, enhancing their protective effects when combined.
Low-calorie vegetable-based options provide vitamins and minerals that strengthen your immune system without adding unnecessary calories.
Common Ingredients in Chinese Soups
Chinese soups feature a variety of traditional ingredients that create their distinctive flavors and healing properties. These ingredients are chosen not just for taste but also for their nutritional and medicinal benefits.
Herbs and Spices
Ginger is one of the most essential ingredients in Chinese soups. It adds warmth and helps remove “cold” elements from the body according to traditional Chinese medicine. Fresh ginger slices are often added at the beginning of cooking to infuse the broth.
Chinese dates (jujubes) and goji berries appear frequently in nutritious soups. They add natural sweetness and are believed to boost immunity and energy. Both ingredients are particularly common in healing soups and bone broths.
Star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns provide aromatic depth to many Chinese soup bases. These spices are often toasted before use to release their essential oils.
Shiitake mushrooms contribute an earthy, umami flavor to broths. They’re valued for both their taste and medicinal properties, containing compounds that support immune function.
Tofu and Soy Products
Tofu comes in several varieties, each suited for different soup applications:
- Silken tofu: Soft and delicate, perfect for egg drop soups
- Firm tofu: Holds its shape well in heartier soups
- Tofu skin (yuba): Made from the film that forms on heated soy milk, adds texture
Bean curd sticks are dried, folded sheets of tofu that absorb the flavors of the soup while providing protein. They need to be soaked before cooking and work well in longer-simmering broths.
Fermented tofu products like fermented bean curd add complex, savory notes to soups. Just a small amount can transform a simple broth into something deeply flavorful.
Soy sauce is often used in moderation to enhance umami without overwhelming other ingredients. Light soy sauce is typically preferred for soups to maintain the broth’s clarity.
Tips for Cooking Authentic Chinese Soups
Making authentic Chinese soups requires attention to both ingredients and technique. The right foundation and balance of flavors will help you create soups that taste like they came from a traditional Chinese kitchen.
Selecting the Right Broth
Choose bones with meat still attached for the most flavorful broth. Chicken, pork, and beef bones all work well, but each creates a distinct flavor profile.
For vegetarian options, use dried mushrooms and kombu (seaweed) to create umami depth. Soak dried ingredients for at least 20 minutes before adding them to your soup.
Simmer broths slowly – never boil rapidly. A gentle simmer for 2-3 hours extracts flavors without making the broth cloudy.
Remove any scum that rises to the surface with a fine mesh strainer. This step ensures a clean-tasting soup without bitter flavors.
Always make broth in advance when possible. Overnight refrigeration allows you to easily remove fat and creates a more concentrated flavor.
Balancing Flavors
Chinese soups rely on a careful balance of five key flavors: sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty. Adjust these elements with ingredients like rock sugar (sweet), black vinegar (sour), and white pepper (spicy).
Use aromatics strategically. Ginger adds warmth, green onions provide freshness, and garlic offers depth. Add these at different cooking stages for varied flavor intensity.
Remember that less is more with salt. Many Chinese recipes use soy sauce or fish sauce instead of plain salt for added complexity.
Consider texture when balancing flavors. Soft tofu, crunchy vegetables, and chewy fungi create interest beyond taste alone.
Don’t forget medicinal ingredients like goji berries or Chinese dates. These add subtle sweetness while providing traditional health benefits.
