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Chinese Napa Cabbage Soup Recipe

4.5 from 61 reviews

This comforting Chinese Napa Cabbage Soup is a light and flavorful broth-based dish featuring tender napa cabbage, sweet carrots, and fragrant garlic. Enhanced with classic Chinese seasonings like soy sauce, shaoxing wine, and toasted sesame oil, this soup is perfect as a starter or a light meal, delivering both nourishment and simplicity in every warm bowl.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 large leaves napa cabbage, sliced into 2-inch pieces (about 0.5 lb/250 g)
  • 1 medium carrot, sliced

Liquids & Seasonings

  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil (for sautéing)

Instructions

  1. Heat the Oil and Garlic: Heat about 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once heated, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
  2. Add Vegetables and Broth: Add the sliced napa cabbage and carrot to the pot, then pour in the 4 cups of vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  3. Simmer the Soup: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.
  4. Finish the Soup: Remove the pot from heat, then stir in the soy sauce, shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Taste the soup and add more soy sauce if desired for seasoning.
  5. Serve Warm: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve while warm, enjoying the delicate flavors and nourishing ingredients.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, use homemade vegetable stock or low-sodium broth to control salt levels.
  • ShaoXing wine can be substituted with dry sherry if unavailable.
  • Adjust soy sauce quantity to taste, especially if using salted broth.
  • To make this soup vegan, ensure the vegetable stock is free from animal products.
  • Adding fresh ginger or scallions can enhance the aromatic profile.

Keywords: Chinese soup, Napa cabbage soup, vegetarian soup, easy soup recipe, light Chinese soup, vegetable soup, vegan Chinese recipe