Chinese Mushroom Soup Recipe: A Nutritious Mushroom Clear Soup!

Mushroom has a myriad of health benefits, such as lowering your blood pressure, preventing cell damage, accelerating cell growth, fighting inflammation, reducing weight, and more. You can enjoy mushrooms in a lot of different ways. But as stir-frying mushrooms in oil increases the fat content of the recipe, you can resort to mushroom soups.

I have a Chinese mushroom soup recipe for you today. The best thing about this recipe is you need to use just a small amount of oil and it can be made quickly. This mushroom soup will provide you with essential vitamins and minerals to keep your immune system healthy. Have some time to spare? Why don’t you make this soup with me?

Recipe At A Glance

It is a bit awkward to start cooking something if you don’t know when it gonna end. The following chart will give you the necessary information about timing, serving, and calories. 

Course: Appetizer	Cuisine: Chinese		Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 15 minutes
Serving		Preparation Time	Cooking Time	Calories
2 persons		3 minutes	12 minutes	88 kcal

Tools and Utensils Needed for the Recipe

I hope all of the following utensils and tools are readily available in your kitchen. If not, arrange them before you make the soup.

1. One medium frying pan
2. One casserole or earthen pot
3. A pair of scissors or a kitchen knife
4. A pair of tongs
5. A teaspoon
6. Serving bowls and soup spoons

Ingredients Needed for the Recipe

You can count the number of ingredients in this recipe with your fingers. Check the following list to see how easy this recipe is.

• Mushroom: 14-15 pcs. I used button mushrooms because they look good in the soup.
• Oil: 1 tsp
• Salt: ⅓ tsp
• Pepper: ⅓ tsp of black pepper, freshly ground
• Green Onion: 1 tsp, finely chopped
• Goji Berry: 1 tsp

Chinese Mushroom Soup Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions

The recipe is so simple that I could write it in just one step. However, I broke it down so that you follow along easily. Let’s get into it.

Step 1: Clean and Prepare the Mushrooms

Wash mushrooms in clean water so that there is no dirt on them. Then, break the stem off using your thumb. It will create a hole in the middle.

You Can Also Try: Chinese Borscht Soup Recipe

Step 2: Fry the Mushrooms

Put oil in a frying pan and heat it up. Then, place the mushrooms in the pan. Fry them until the bottom gets browned. Then, turn the mushrooms upside down and fry that side as well. Do this carefully with a pair of tongs. Frying the mushrooms on both sides will take about 5-6 minutes.

You Can Also Try: Chinese Chicken and Mushroom Recipe

Step 3: Slice the Mushrooms and Simmer in Water

Use a pair of scissors or a kitchen knife to slice the mushrooms. Take the mushrooms in a casserole and add 4-5 cups of water to it. Simmer this for about 3 minutes over high heat.

You Can Also Try: Lotus Root Soup Recipe

Step 4: Season the Soup

Add ⅓ tsp of salt, ⅓ tsp of freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp of chopped green onion, and 1 tsp of goji berries to the soup. Stir the soup to mix everything and simmer it for a few more minutes. Now you can serve the soup in your favorite bowl.

You Can Also Try: Chinese Chicken Broth Recipe

Nutrition Facts of the Recipe

Chinese mushroom soup is enriched in so many nutrients that you will want to include it in your daily menu. It provides so many vitamins and minerals that you don’t get in many other dishes. Check its nutritional value below.

• Total Carbohydrates: 1.2g
• Protein: 3.6g
• Total Fat: 7.5g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.1g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 4.1g
• Total Dietary Fiber: 0.2g
• Total Sugar: 0.3g
• Cholesterol: 52mg
• Sodium: 1291.7mg
• Potassium: 192.2mg
• Calcium: 23mg
• Iron: 0.5mg
• Magnesium: 7.6mg
• Phosphorus: 46.6mg
• Selenium: 3mcg
• Vitamin A: 120.1IU
• Vitamin B6: 0.1mg
• Vitamin C: 0.9mg
• Vitamin K: 5.2mcg
• Folate: 8.1mcg

Unlike many other soups, this recipe contains selenium, which is important for your cell development. It also has Vitamin B6 to prevent cell damage. 

Do’s and Don’ts of the Recipe

The chance of making a mistake in this recipe is really slim. Still, the following tips can help you.

Do’s

• If you are using frozen mushrooms, let them come to room temperature before you fry the mushrooms. Otherwise, the center will not be cooked properly.
• You can splash a few drops of soy sauce onto the sauce to give it a slightly darker color. However, some people like this soup to be lighter.

Don’ts

• After adding the seasonings, don’t simmer the soup for a long time. It will make the mushrooms too soft and change the color of the soup. The mushrooms should have a bite to them.
• Don’t use any chilies in this soup if you are making it for kids. For adults, you can add one or two chopped red chilies to make the soup slightly spicy. It also makes the soup look better.

Can I Use Other Vegetables for This Recipe?

As this recipe is called mushroom soup, you shouldn’t overcrowd the soup with other vegetables. Using only mushrooms in this soup gives it a subtle flavor profile that will go away if you use other vegetables. 

However, you can use a few varieties of mushrooms in this soup. Besides being visually appealing, it will enhance the flavor of the soup.

Is Cream of Mushroom Soup and Chinese Mushroom Soup the Same?

Not at all. Cream of mushroom soup is a thick, full-bodied soup that is made with a lot of ingredients, including cream, milk, mushroom broth, etc. It has a creamy texture and a richer flavor profile. Making this soup is also a lot harder.

But the Chinese mushroom soup is a clear soup that doesn’t require any milk or cream. It can be made with just mushrooms, water, and a few seasonings. It has a thin consistency with lighter flavors.

Can I Use Protein in This Mushroom Soup Recipe?

Definitely, you can use chicken, beef, or pork in this soup to make it more flavorful and protein-rich. Seafood items like prawn or crab meat will also pair well with this soup. If you want to use proteins in this soup, you need to cut them into small cubes or thin slices.

This way, the proteins will be cooked faster. As the cooking time of this soup is very short, you can enjoy tender proteins by adding small pieces.

Is Chicken or Vegetable Stock Better Than Water for This Recipe?

Not necessarily. It is true that chicken or vegetable stock has more flavor than water. However, using those stocks will incorporate a different flavor. So, you won’t get the authentic flavor of the Chinese mushroom soup. If you are very interested in doing that, use stock and water in a 1:1 ratio.

Last Few Lines

Mushroom is not only a healthy addition to your menu but also taste amazing. It combines well with a lot of different ingredients and you can make hundreds of recipes using mushrooms. Among all of them, this Chinese mushroom soup recipe has a special place in my heart.

Whenever I caught a cold or fever, my mom used to make this mushroom soup to warm me up. I still remember that heavenly flavor tickling my tastebuds to be alive again.