I was brought up in a Cantonese family, and I had soup for every dinner without fail. Over the years, I have tasted many variations of lotus root soup, but none can beat my mother’s time-tested traditional lotus root soup with fresh lotus root, pork bones, and groundnuts.

In this article, I will share details on how to prepare this marvelous Cantonese-style Lotus Root Soup. This healthy Chinese soup is delicious and nutritious, making it a perfect addition to your Asian-inspired recipes. Whether using a stovetop, pressure cooker, Instant Pot, or a traditional slow cooker, this lotus root peanut soup is a must-try for lovers of clear soups and Asian cuisines.

Lotus root soup with pork ribs and groundnuts (排骨花生莲藕汤) is a light, healthy, and delicious clear broth. This traditional Chinese soup is unique due to the combination of ingredients. It is also a nutritious soup that only involves a few components.

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Key ingredients for the lotus root soup

• Fresh Lotus Root
  Lotus root that is more starchy tastes excellent for making soup, whereas those more crunchy types are best for lotus root stir fry. Those that are starchy have a darker color and rougher surface. The more crunchy types are lighter in color and smoother. Purchase lotus roots that feel heavy when holding and without soft spots on the surface.
• Pork Ribs or Pork Bones
  I choose pork ribs because they deliver a more wholesome flavor than bone or meat alone. However, you can use pork belly or pork bones for a richer flavor. For those who do not eat pork, substitute it with chicken breast meat plus some chicken bones.
• Peanuts
  You can either retain or remove the peanut skins (shell coat). The decision is personal, as the skin will not affect the soup’s flavor. There is a slight difference, though, as the soup will have a beautiful color due to the presence of the skin. Remove the skin if you prefer a clearer soup.
• Goji Berries (枸杞子, Goji Berry, or Wolfberry)
  Goji berries are available in dry form at Chinese grocery stores and Chinese medical halls. They have a slightly sweet taste and a light, clean flavor. They are widely used in Chinese cooking and traditional Chinese medicine for various illnesses.
• Red Dates (红枣)
  Red dates impart a sweet taste to the soup. They are usually sold in dry form. You can purchase red dates from the Asian grocery store or Chinese medical halls.
• Seasoning
  The soup flavor comes from the lotus root and ribs. Therefore, I only need some basic seasoning to boost the flavor. Salt and pepper are all I need. Please use only ground white pepper, not black pepper, to get the authentic taste. Alternatively, add a teaspoon of white peppercorns to the soup during simmering.

How to prepare the lotus root soup

a. Cut the lotus root

• Clean the fresh lotus root before cutting, as it may contain mud. Cut it into individual sections.
• Remove both ends of each root section. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off the skin and cut it crosswise into half-centimeter-thick pieces. You can cut the round pieces into half if they are too big.
• Soak the lotus root pieces in water to prevent them from changing color. This is because lotus root slices will turn darker due to oxidation when exposed to air.

b. Soak the peanuts and goji berries

• Soak the peanuts in water overnight to soften them. Otherwise, the peanuts will still be slightly crunchy even after stewing for two hours. Soft peanuts are preferred for this soup.
• Soak the goji berries until rehydrated and plump. It takes only 15 minutes.

c. Boiling the soup

• Blanch the pork ribs (also applied to the chicken bones and the large pieces of pork) will eliminate the unwanted smell of the meat due to the presence of blood and other impurities.
• Place the pork ribs in a large pot of water and heat it. Once the water reaches a boil, blanch the ribs for one to two minutes. Please do not blanch the ribs too long, as they may lose flavor. After blanching, transfer the pork ribs to cold water for a quick rinse to remove the debris and impurities.
• Place the blanched pork ribs in a soup pot. Submerge the ribs in water by adding sufficient cold water about half an inch above the ribs. Bring the water to a boil and let it simmer for half an hour.
• Skim off the scum on the surface from time to time with a wire mesh strainer.
• After half an hour, add the lotus root, peanuts, red dates, white peppercorn, and ginger. Simmer over low heat for 90 minutes.
• Add goji berries and salt. Please do a taste test to decide the amount of salt required.
• Simmer for another 15 minutes, and it is ready to serve.

Continue to Content

Lotus Root Soup (with pork ribs and peanuts)

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Lotus root soup with pork ribs and groundnuts (排骨花生莲藕汤) is a light, healthy and delicious clear soup. The taste is unique due to the combination of ingredients. It is also a healthy soup which only involves a few components.

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Ingredients

• 500g pork bone-in ribs
• 400g lotus root
• 100g raw peanuts (soak overnight)
• Few large pieces of ginger (about 20g)
• 10 pieces red dates (rinsed and soaked for 15 mins)
• 2 tablespoon of Goji
• Water 2.5 liter
• 1/4 tsp White peppercorn
• 2 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Blanch the pork ribs in hot water. Remove when the surface color turns pale and the water starts to boil. Place the pork ribs in cold water to have a quick wash.
2. Place the blanched pork ribs in a pot. Submerge the ribs in water by adding sufficient cold water about 1 cm above the ribs. Then, bring the water to a boil and let it simmer for half an hour. 
3. Skim off the scum on the surface from time to time with a wire mesh strainer.
4. Peel the lotus root. Cut it crosswise into half-centimeter-thick pieces. 
5. Soak the peanuts in water overnight to soften it. 
6. Soak the wolfberry until re-hydrate and plump.
7. Add the lotus root, peanuts, red dates, white peppercorn, and ginger. Simmer over low heat for 90 minutes.
8. Add wolfberry and salt. 
9. Simmer for another 15 minutes, Done.

Notes

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 588Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 1608mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 7gSugar: 13gProtein: 43g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 3/24/2019

Tips to make the best lotus root and pork ribs soup

• Wash the fresh lotus root with water thoroughly, as it may contain some mud from the market. (It is a root vegetable!).
• Lotus root has a sweet, flowery aroma and a refreshing taste perfectly paired with pork and peanuts. The lotus root will turn soft and starchy after stewing and lose part of its crunchy texture, but it will not turn mushy like overcooked potatoes.
• Fill up sufficient water initially so you do not need to add more water during boiling. Add hot water only if required.
• Add the salt fifteen minutes before completing the cooking process. There are two reasons to add salt at this time. First, it allows part of the salt to be absorbed by the lotus and pork. Secondly, it isn’t easy to estimate the amount of salt required at the initial boiling stage, as it depends on how much water is left when it is done. Adding the salt at this time (with a taste test) will ensure it is at the right level of saltiness.
• Add the goji berries about fifteen minutes before finishing the cooking. Goji berries only need to be cooked for a short time.

Variations

• Dry Cuttlefish (吊片), Dry Scallops (干贝), and Dry Sea Snail Slices (螺片) are popular additions as they furnish the soup with a powerful umami lift. You only need to add two dry cuttlefish to this recipe, boosting the flavor significantly. You can get all these at the Chinese dry marine store in Asia, although I am unsure if these are available easily elsewhere. Therefore, I put these as optional items in the recipe.
• Garlic. I watched a Chinese chef add a sautéed garlic clove to the soup. I am unsure if this will turn out well in my recipe since his version is without peanuts. Because of this, I do not recommend adding garlic to the lotus root soup with pork ribs and peanuts.
• Sweet Corn. Various Chinese soups include sweet corn in the recipe for its sweetness and clean flavor. My family recipe does not include sweet corn. We think the taste of pork ribs, peanuts, and lotus roots is the triumvirate of the lotus soup. That is the ultimate combination!
• Carrots. You can also prepare lotus root soup with carrots, as it complements other ingredients well. One small carrot should be sufficient for the quantity in this recipe.
• Lotus Seeds. For an extra nutty flavor, consider adding lotus seeds, a common ingredient in Asian soups. They add a unique texture and enhance the nutritional value of the soup.

Using a Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot

You can use a pressure cooker or Instant Pot to speed up the cooking process. Here’s how to do it:

• Follow the same steps as above to prepare the ingredients.
• Add all the main ingredients (lotus root, pork ribs, peanuts, red dates, ginger, and white peppercorns) to the pressure cooker.
• Add enough water to cover the ingredients.
• Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, followed by a natural release of 10 minutes.
• Open the lid, add the goji berries and salt, and simmer for 5 minutes on high heat.