The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
Chinese winter melon soup is a popular dish that is often served in Chinese households and at Chinese banquets. Winter melon usually has a light refreshing sweetness with a soft texture once cooked. However, it does not contribute a lot of taste to a dish and instead absorbs the flavors of the ingredients it is combined with. Chinese people believe winter melon is a Yin food that can help our bodies to counter the summer heat and humidity.
There are many different methods to prepare winter melon soup; this recipe uses shiitake mushrooms and ham. If you have trouble finding Chinese ham, you can replace it with another cured ham.
Tips for Making Winter Melon Soup
- No winter melon, no problem! – If winter melon is unavailable, you can use a peeled and seeded cucumber instead.
- More mushroom flavor – If you want more mushroom flavor, don’t squeeze the excess liquid from the shiitake’s after steeping.
- Save time – To save time, cut the melon in advance and refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. You can save even more time by cooking the melon in the water in advance, cooling, and refrigerating until ready to move forward with the recipe.
What You’ll Need to Make This Winter Melon Soup Recipe
“This is a very soothing soup I’d eat on a rainy day. The broth is infused with flavor from the ham. The melon and shiitake mushrooms are soft and tender, and there’s a mellow ginger fragrance to the broth.” —Jasmine Smith
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1/2 pound winter melon
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4 dried shiitake mushrooms
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2 cups chicken broth
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2 to 3 slices ginger
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1/4 cup diced cooked ham
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Fine salt, to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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1 green onion, green part only, thinly sliced
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Wash 1/2 pound winter melon. Remove the green skin, seeds, and pulp. Cut into 2-inch pieces.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Place the winter melon in a large saucepan of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until the melon is tender, about 20 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Meanwhile, place 4 dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl. Cover with cold water to reconstitute the mushrooms, about 20 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Squeeze out any excess water from the mushrooms.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Add the mushrooms, 2 cups chicken broth, 2 to 3 slices ginger, and 1/4 cup diced cooked ham. Add salt and pepper to taste.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
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Simmer on low heat until the broth is infused with the flavors of the ginger and ham, about 20 minutes. Divide the soup between 4 bowls, garnish with 1 green onion (green part only, thinly sliced), and serve immediately.
The Spruce Eats / Christine Ma
How to Store Winter Melon Soup
- Store any remaining soup refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- The soup can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Feeling Adventurous? Try This:
- Add more to the soup – It’s easy to add to this simple soup without altering the recipe’s intention. Feel free to replace the ham with barbecued pork or shrimp or add either or both to the ham. You can also include other vegetables, such as bamboo shoots, carrots, or silk squash. Adding some rice or garnishing with crispy lotus chips are also great options.
- Make it fancy – To make this dish a bit fancier and more impressive, purchase a whole 8 to 10-pound winter melon; cut off the top, remove the seeds and pulp, and place the other ingredients inside. Steam for 1 to 2 hours.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 64 | Calories |
| 1g | Fat |
| 11g | Carbs |
| 4g | Protein |
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 64 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 1g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 1% |
| 8mg | 3% |
| 756mg | 33% |
| 11g | 4% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 6% |
| Total Sugars 2g | |
| 4g | |
| Vitamin C 9mg | 45% |
| Calcium 26mg | 2% |
| Iron 1mg | 5% |
| Potassium 276mg | 6% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
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I don’t like this at all.
It’s not the worst.
Sure, this will do.
I’m a fan—would recommend.
Amazing! I love it!
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