Easy Bok Choy Soup Recipe

This easy bok choy soup is light, savory, and comforting, with crisp-tender bok choy in a clear ginger-garlic broth. It comes together in 25 minutes with simple ingredients and works equally well with chicken or vegetable broth.

Because bok choy has thick stems and delicate leaves, it can cook unevenly and turn mushy. I’ll show you how to get the stems crisp-tender while keeping the leaves just wilted. Add a poached egg if you want a more filling bowl.

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Terry said:

“We made this for the family and everyone loved it! It’s simple to make and the bok choy stays crisp – thanks for the special tip! This bok choy soup is delicious and a fantastic way to enjoy bok choy!”

Main Ingredient Notes

For the complete ingredient list, please use the button below to jump to the recipe card. Here are the ingredients worth knowing before you begin:

• Baby bok choy (Shanghai variety): I use heads that are about 8–9 inches tall or shorter—the size often labeled baby bok choy at Western grocery stores. At Asian markets, baby or dwarf bok choy may be much smaller; those work too. Look for firm stems and bright green leaves. For larger heads, see my size guide below.
• Fresh shiitake mushrooms: These give the light broth a deeper savory flavor and a tender, meaty bite. Fresh mushrooms work best here because they cook quickly.
• Ginger, garlic, and toasted sesame oil: This trio creates a warm, nutty flavor base. Make sure the sesame oil is toasted for the best aroma.
• Chicken or vegetable broth: Both work well in this soup. Choose a broth that tastes good on its own. I use Pacific Foods, Swanson, or Kettle & Fire. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and shiitake mushroom seasoning. To keep it vegan, leave out the optional egg.
• Light soy sauce: It seasons the broth without making it too dark or overpowering the bok choy.
• Shiitake mushroom seasoning or Asian chicken bouillon powder: Optional, but adds depth. Mushroom seasoning gives earthy umami and can be used with vegetable broth to keep the soup vegetarian. Asian chicken bouillon adds a fuller chicken flavor.

How to Make Bok Choy Soup

This soup comes together quickly, but the flavor is built in layers. Pay attention to the bok choy timing and how I cook it below so it stays crisp-tender instead of turning mushy.

1. Prepare the Bok Choy: For this recipe, I use bok choy that is about 8–9 inches tall or shorter. Halve the smaller heads lengthwise and quarter the ones closer to 8–9 inches. Rinse well, especially between the stalks, where grit can hide.

2. Start with the Aromatics: Warm a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the toasted sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. This quick step builds warmth, nuttiness, and depth before the broth goes in.
3. Add Mushrooms for Umami: Fresh shiitake mushrooms add a savory, meaty flavor to the soup. A quick sauté in avocado oil draws out their aroma and gives the broth a richer base.
4. Simmer the Broth: Add the chicken or vegetable broth. Cover and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes so the ginger, garlic, and mushrooms can flavor the broth.
5. Optional: Poach the Eggs: While the soup simmers, poach the eggs separately, if using. The silky yolk adds richness and makes the soup more filling.
6. Season for Depth: Taste the broth first. Stir in the light soy sauce and optional shiitake mushroom seasoning or Asian chicken bouillon powder. Taste again and add more light soy sauce or salt only if needed.

7. Add Bok Choy Last: Turn the heat to medium. Place the bok choy stem-side down in the broth, keeping the leafy parts above the broth. Cook the stems for 1 to 2 minutes. Then gently press the whole bundles into the broth and cook for 1 minute more, until the leaves are just wilted.

8. Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Finish with a small drizzle of toasted sesame oil and garnish with scallions. Divide the soup among the bowls and add a poached egg to each bowl, if using.

How to Cook Bok Choy for Soup Without It Turning Mushy

For the best texture, I recommend baby or medium bok choy that is 8–9 inches or shorter. Full-sized bok choy can work if that is what you have, but it needs to be chopped and cooked in stages.

Cut the Bok Choy Based on Its Size

Bok choy labels vary by store, so use its actual height as your guide:

• Very small baby or dwarf bok choy: About 6 inches or shorter. Halve lengthwise.
• Medium or regular bok choy: About 8–9 inches. This size is often sold as baby bok choy at Western grocery stores. Quarter lengthwise.
• Large or full-sized bok choy: About 10 inches or taller. This is my least preferred size for soup because the stems can be fibrous and stringy. Chop it into bite-sized pieces and separate the stems from the leaves.

Rinse the bok choy after cutting, especially near the base and between the stalks where grit can hide. For halved or quartered heads, gently spread the stalks while rinsing.

Need more help? See my full guide on how to cut bok choy.

Adjust the Cooking Time Based on the Cut

• Halved or quartered bok choy: Over medium heat, place the bok choy stem-side down in the broth, keeping the leaves above the liquid. Cook for 1–2 minutes. Then gently press the whole bundles into the broth and cook for 1 minute more, until the leaves are just wilted.
• Chopped bok choy: Add the stems first and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the leaves and cook for about 1 minute, just until wilted and bright green.

The thick stems need a head start, while the delicate leaves need only a minute. This keeps the stems crisp-tender without turning the leaves mushy.

Serving ideas

This bok choy soup can be served as a starter or side soup. You can also add a few simple ingredients to make it a meal.

• Make it a meal: Add cooked ramen or rice noodles, a scoop of cooked rice, boiled shrimp wontons, or the optional poached egg. Boil the wontons and cook the noodles separately, then add them to each bowl before serving so they don’t soak up too much broth.
• Serve it as a starter or side soup: Pair it with steamed rice and a stir-fry, such as Chinese Black Pepper Chicken or Beef with Chinese broccoli.

Frequently asked questions

More bok choy recipes

If you’d like more ways to cook bok choy, try these next:

• Bok Choy Stir-Fry: A quick skillet recipe with a simple three-ingredient garlic sauce.
• Steamed Bok Choy: Baby bok choy steamed until tender-crisp and served with garlic oyster sauce.
• Roasted Bok Choy: Oven-roasted bok choy served with a savory chili garlic sauce.
• Bok Choy Salad: Lightly blanched bok choy served chilled or at room temperature with creamy toasted sesame dressing.