3 Chinese Soups to Warm You Up This Winter

Wonton Soup
Photo by Max Griss on Unsplash

Winter is the perfect time to indulge in comforting and nourishing soups, and Chinese cuisine offers a delightful array of options. Feel like paying a culinary visit to a faraway country without leaving your kitchen? Here are three must-try Chinese soups that will leave your taste buds steaming with happiness this winter.

Hot and Sour Soup

A beloved classic, Hot and Sour Soup is a symphony of flavors and textures, boasting a perfect balance of spiciness and sourness. The base is typically a broth made from chicken stock, seasoned with sugar, pepper, soy sauce, chili flakes or red peppers, and white or rice vinegar. A medley of ingredients is then tossed in the mix, from wood ear mushrooms, dried shiitake mushrooms, and tofu to bamboo shoots, eggs, and shredded chicken or pork.

Wonton Soup

Wonton Soup is a delicate yet satisfying choice from Chinese cuisine. The star of this soup is the wonton, a Chinese dumpling filled with pork or shrimp. These yummy dumplings swim in a simple-yet-tasty chicken or pork broth-based soup. Its simplicity allows the subtle flavors of the wontons to shine and take over your mouth. Alongside the dumplings, you’ll find fresh bok choy or green onions, adding a crisp texture to every spoonful.

Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup

Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup is a perfect option for keeping winter chills away. This soup features hand-pulled noodles immersed in a beef-based broth along with various spices and herbs. Thin slices of beef, green onions, and sometimes radish or cilantro decorate the steaming bowl and add delicious shades of taste to this classic winter dish, and the meticulously prepared noodles result in a satisfying chewiness.