Chinese Hot Pot

4.75 from 27 votes
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Looking for a fun and interactive meal? Try my Chinese hot pot recipe! With a delicious broth filled with a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables, this comforting dish, with just 4 simple steps, is perfect for enjoying with family and friends during celebrations or cozy dinners at home.

Hearty Chinese hot pot broth with chicken, seafood and vegetables.
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The Best Chinese Hot Pot Recipe

There are many types of hot pot in Asia, each with unique flavors and ingredients. In China and Southeast Asia, we have Chinese hot pot, known for its different broths and dipping sauces. In Japan, there are yosenabe, a mix of meats and vegetables, and shabu shabu, where thin meat slices are quickly cooked in a tasty broth.

Every Chinese New Year’s Eve, my family and I gather around the dining table to enjoy a scrumptious, hearty, and homey meal of Chinese hot pot. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a cherished tradition that brings us together. The hot pot symbolizes unity and togetherness as we cook and share a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables. Each ingredient in the hot pot signifies abundance and prosperity for the year ahead, making this shared experience even more meaningful during this festive season.

I’ve put together an easy Chinese hot pot recipe that’s perfect for beginners. With just 4 simple steps and easy-to-find ingredients, it’s designed to keep things simple while still capturing the delicious flavors of traditional hot pot broth.

Looking for other hearty soups without having to make a big pot? Check out my Hot and Sour Soup, Egg Drop Soup and West Lake Beef Soup recipes!


Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Quick and easy. With just 4 simple steps, a delicious broth, and your choice of ingredients, this hot pot recipe is a straightforward and stress-free meal to prepare.
  • Variety. Hot pot offers a wide array of ingredients to choose from, ensuring endless possibilities.
  • Tasty and fresh. Ingredients are cooked right at your table, ensuring a delicious meal that’s enjoyed right away!
  • Versatility. Hot pot isn’t just for Chinese New Year and during cold weather—it’s perfect year-round, offering warmth and comfort whenever you crave it.

Hot Pot Recipe Ingredients

Chinese hot pot ingredients.
  • Chicken stock cubes – Creates a quick and hassle free savory base. You may also use can chicken broth, or make your own stock from scratch!
  • Chicken meat – Adds a mild, savory flavor to the broth.
  • Seafood – Adds a savory seafood flavor to the hot pot broth.
  • Napa cabbage and bok choy – Absorbs the flavors of the broth while adding a crisp, slightly sweet taste.
  • Fish balls – Adds a a chewy and bouncy texture. If you prefer homemade fish balls, check out my How to Make Fish Balls recipe.
  • Mushroom – Adds a savory and earthy flavor to the broth.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.


How To Make Chinese Hot Pot

Cooked garlic oil in a small bowl.

Step 1. Arrange the fresh ingredients on plates, grouping similar kinds together. Heat cooking oil in a skillet. Once hot, fry minced garlic until it turns light brown (avoid frying until medium brown). Turn off the heat and transfer the garlic oil to a small bowl. Allow it to cool before use.

Hot pot broth in a pot.

Step 2. Add chicken stock cubes, water, and ground white pepper to a pot. Bring the broth to a boil.

Napa cabbage in a pot of Chinese hot pot broth.

Step 3. Add the Napa cabbage first and cook for 1 minute.

Chinese steam boat with chicken, seafood, mushroom and vegetables.

Step 4. Add each ingredient to the pot in batches: fish balls, chicken, tofu, mushrooms, shrimp, salmon, scallops, and baby bok choy. Cook in 2 to 3 batches. Once the soup boils, drizzle garlic oil on top and stir. Serve the cooked ingredients with some soup in bowls immediately with condiments. Continue cooking the remaining ingredients in the soup until everything is used up.


Cooking Tips For Home Cooks

Chinese steamboat soup with a variety of fresh ingredients in a simmering pot of soup stock.
  • To assemble the fresh ingredients, simply cut and slice them, then arrange them on a plate.
  • All family members should gather around the dining table with the hot pot in the center. Fresh ingredients will be placed alongside the hot pot, and everyone will be given a bowl and a pair of chopsticks to enjoy the meal.
  • Start with ingredients that take longer to cook, like root vegetables or tougher cuts of meat, before adding quicker-cooking items like seafood or leafy greens.
  • Cook your ingredients in small batches to keep the broth at the perfect temperature and avoid overcrowding the pot.
  • As the soup continues to simmer in the pot, the flavor develops and it becomes tastier as the meal proceeds. I love adding garlic oil to the hot pot, which adds an earthy nuance to the dish.
  • For the dipping sauce, you can just use soy sauce. If you like a bit of heat, you can add cut chilies or chili oil to the soy sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use an Instant Pot instead of a normal pot for hot pot?

Yes, you can use an Instant Pot instead of a normal pot for hot pot. Use the Saute mode to keep the broth simmering and cook the ingredients thoroughly.

Can I customize hot pot ingredients?

Yes, you can. Hot pot is highly customizable. You can choose from a variety of meats such as beef, lamb, pork (in this recipe I used chicken), seafood (fish, squid), and other vegetables.

Is it safe to cook raw meat and seafood in the same pot?

Yes, it’s safe as long as the broth is kept simmering to cook everything well. Make sure each piece is fully cooked before eating.

How do I eat hot pot?

Use chopsticks or a small strainer to take out the cooked ingredients from the broth. Dip them in the dipping sauce before eating. You can also sip the delicious broth directly from the pot.

How do I prevent the broth from becoming too salty?

You can dilute the broth with water if it becomes too salty during cooking.

How do I store leftover broth and ingredients?

Strain and store leftover broth in the fridge for a few days. Keep leftover ingredients in separate airtight containers.

How many calories per serving?

This hot pot recipe has 480 calories per serving.

Best hot pot ingredients scooped with a ladle.

What To Serve With This Recipe

This hot pot recipe is best served as the main dish. For a wholesome festive feast with your family and friends, I recommend the following recipes:


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4.75 from 27 votes

Chinese Hot Pot

Looking for a fun and interactive meal? Try my Chinese hot pot recipe! With a delicious broth filled with a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables, this comforting dish, with just 4 simple steps, is perfect for enjoying with family and friends during celebrations or cozy dinners at home.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients  

  • 4 oz (125g) napa cabbage, sliced
  • 12 oz (350g) fish balls
  • 6 oz (175g) chicken meat, sliced
  • 4 oz (125g) tofu
  • 4 oz (125g) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 oz (125g) white mushrooms, sliced
  • 6 oz (175g) shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 4 oz (125g) salmon fillet, cut into pieces
  • 4 oz (125g) scallops
  • 4 oz (125g) baby bok choy, sliced

Garlic Oil:

  • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
  • 5 tablespoons cooking oil

Broth:

  • 2 cubes (20g) chicken stock
  • 3 cups water
  • 5 dashes ground white pepper

Condiment:

  • soy sauce
  • chili pepper, optional

Instructions 

  • Arrange the fresh ingredients on plates, grouping similar kinds together. Heat cooking oil in a skillet. Once hot, fry minced garlic until it turns light brown (avoid frying until medium brown). Turn off the heat and transfer the garlic oil to a small bowl. Allow it to cool before use.
  • Add chicken stock cubes, water, and ground white pepper to a pot. Bring the broth to a boil.
  • Add the Napa cabbage first and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add each ingredient to the pot in batches: fish balls, chicken, tofu, mushrooms, shrimp, salmon, scallops, and baby bok choy. Cook in 2 to 3 batches. Once the soup boils, drizzle garlic oil on top and stir. Serve the cooked ingredients with some soup in bowls immediately with condiments. Continue cooking the remaining ingredients in the soup until everything is used up.

Notes

  • To assemble the fresh ingredients, simply cut and slice them, then arrange them on a plate.
  • All family members should gather around the dining table with the hot pot in the center. Fresh ingredients will be placed alongside the hot pot, and everyone will be given a bowl and a pair of chopsticks to enjoy the meal.
  • Start with ingredients that take longer to cook, like root vegetables or tougher cuts of meat, before adding quicker-cooking items like seafood or leafy greens.
  • Cook your ingredients in small batches to keep the broth at the perfect temperature and avoid overcrowding the pot.
  • As the soup continues to simmer in the pot, the flavor develops and it becomes tastier as the meal proceeds. I love adding garlic oil to the hot pot, which adds an earthy nuance to the dish.
  • For the dipping sauce, you can just use soy sauce. If you like a bit of heat, you can add cut chilies or chili oil to the soy sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 4people, Calories: 480kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 46g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 143mg, Sodium: 523mg, Potassium: 1067mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 1511IU, Vitamin C: 24mg, Calcium: 148mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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Recipe Rating





29 Comments

  1. janis says:

    this recipe is used in an instant pot….would that be the same as a pressure cooker? I would like to try out new recipes and use my pressure cooker more.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      It all depends if your pressure cooker can be used to boil soup, with the cover open. Instant Pot has a Saute function.

      1. janis says:

        yes I believe I can saute, boil, with lid off. I don’t use the pressure cooker that often

        1. Rasa Malaysia says:

          Yes, that’s how you do it. Lid off. No need pressure cooking.

          1. janis says:

            thanks rasa for the info

  2. Michele Bauer says:

    5 stars
    I’m so used to this style of dining. I like it’s slower version of it, Shabu shabu. More indivdualized but still collects everyone together. Thanks for the recipe

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Michele, once you get into hot pot, you will love all kinds of hot pot.

  3. Sandrine says:

    Hi Bee,
    Thanks for featuring an Asian instant pot recipe.
    Can please share more Malaysian style food instant pot recipes like beef rendang, tau yu bak, bak kut teh, etc?

  4. Marlene says:

    5 stars
    I learned so much in using hot pot recipes. Look forward in trying every one as well as bring on new recipes.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thanks Marlene, yes, try this Chinese hot pot, it’s amazing.

  5. William says:

    5 stars
    Wow thanks I’ve got to try this one.thanks again.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Please do, hot pot is so good!

  6. Arthur in the Garden! says:

    Yummy

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thanks Arthur.

  7. James says:

    4 stars
    Sounds like a hearty and delicious pot of great soup. Could also chuck in some “tung hoon”. Might try that tonight in my claypot.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi James, yes, glass noodles would be awesome!

  8. Sharon Shattan says:

    How can this be made in a crock pot, or a regular pot?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Sharon, yes you can in a regular pot on a stove top but not crock pot.

  9. mark says:

    Thanks for doing an Instant Pot recipe, Bee !! Are there many Asian recipes that work in the Instant Pot? If there are, please show more Instant Pot recipes for those of us tiring of chili, stew, & hot wings !!