This Malaysian-style ABC soup is warm, cozy, and super comforting to have. Packed with nutritious veggies, this soup is filling and satisfying without being overly heavy. This version is meatless too, making it suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
This is another one of those dishes that I have almost every week growing up! Although simple, this Chinese ABC soup is incredibly versatile, delicious, and comforting. You can pair it with literally any Chinese or Asian mains or on its own with a bowl of rice.
🤔What is ABC soup
ABC soup is an incredibly popular Malaysian Chinese vegetable soup. As its name suggested, this soup is rich in vitamin A from carrots, vitamin B from potatoes, and vitamin C from tomatoes. The other explanation for its name is that it is effortless to make - like ABC.
Although every household cooks it a bit differently, the base ingredients stay the same. Onions, potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes are simmered in broth, the most commonly used being chicken stock.
To keep this meatless, we will be using vegetable stock in place. But if you are not vegan, feel free to use chicken flavored broth or anchovies broth!
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Heartwarming, filling, and satisfying - This ABC soup is like a hug in a bowl! It is incredibly flavorful and tasty yet is light and refreshing at the same time.
- Simple to make - You could say this dish is as easy as ABC! This one-pot recipe only calls for simple pantry ingredients, and all you have to do is throw everything in and let it simmer.
- Packed with veggies - This soup is a delicious way to sneak in a variety of colorful veg into your diet!
🥕What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Onion - I am using yellow onion here, but you can replace it with red onion.
- Potatoes - I recommend going with waxy potatoes, as they are lower in starch and hold their shape well after boiling. With that being said, you can use Russet or Yukon potatoes if that is what you have on hand!
- Vegetable stock - You can dissolve bouillon cubes or vegetable stock powder in some hot water and use it in place. If you are not vegan, chicken stock or anchovies stock will work too.
🔪How to make
Here is a quick rundown of the steps involved in making this meatless ABC soup. As usual, the full recipe with detailed instructions will be provided in the recipe card below.
Heat some oil in a Dutch oven/soup pot. Start by sauteing onion until translucent.
Next, add in all your veggies, and saute for a few minutes, or until they have softened slightly.
Pour in stock and water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat to a gentle simmer, and cook, with the lid on, for 1-2 hours.
Season it with salt and pepper, and serve it while hot!
✔Helpful tips
- Use a large enough pot to make your ABC soup to prevent it from boiling over. I am using a 5.5 quarts Dutch oven.
- The longer you cook your soup, the more flavorful it will be. Hence, you could boil it for 1-2 hours depending on your time restraints.
- You can also make your soup in a slow cooker/crockpot. Skip the sauteing steps and simply throw everything into your pot. Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. Simply warm it up on the stove or in the microwave when ready to serve!
✨Variations/add-ins
Veggies - Feel free to add any other veggies that you like! Some veg that works well in this soup includes cabbage, beetroot, and chunks of corn on cobs.
Cooked noodles - This ABC soup works well as a base for noodle soup! Cook up your favorite noodles like soba or ramen, and pour this soup over.
Chinese herbs - Another popular addition to give this soup extra flavors. Some popular ones include goji berries, red dates, and Chinese yam (wai san).
🍚How to serve
This Chinese ABC soup is that good that I frequently have it on its own as a light meal! However, you can make your meal more satisfying by pairing it with other dishes.
Toppings - Feel free to go wild for the toppings! Some of my personal favorites are chopped herbs like green onion and parsley, chili flakes, and ground white pepper.
Rice - We love paring rice with soups here in Malaysia! Any kind of rice will work, be it white, brown, or basmati. You could also use cauliflower or broccoli rice.
Chinese main dishes - I love cooking some Hunan tofu or vegan orange chicken to go with this dish.
❔Commonly asked questions
This ABC soup is freezable and can be frozen for up to a month. Let it cool down completely, then portion it into individual servings using freezer containers.
To reheat, let it defrost overnight in the fridge or on the countertop for a couple of hours. You can proceed with heating it in the microwave or on the stove.
You can cook this ABC soup in a pressure cooker, like the Instant pot. Add all ingredients into the pot, and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Once the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before quick releasing the remaining pressure.
Give it a taste, adding more seasonings, if needed. It is ready to be enjoyed!
🍽More Asian soups
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📖 Recipe
Chinese ABC soup (meatless)
Equipment
- Dutch oven or soup pot
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced into thick strips
- 2 tomatoes quartered
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 potato diced*
- 2 cups vegetable stock **
- 2 cups water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up a tablespoon of neutral oil in a Dutch oven/soup pot. Once pot is heated, add in onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent.1 medium yellow onion
- Next, add in all veggies, and saute for 4-5 minutes, or until they have soften slightly.2 tomatoes, 2 ribs celery, 1 carrot, 1 potato
- Pour in vegetable broth and water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower heat to a gentle simmer, and cook, with the lid on, for 1-2 hours.2 cups vegetable stock, 2 cups water
- Season it with salt and black pepper. Serve it with a side of rice, or whatever you like!
Notes
- Use a large enough pot to make your ABC soup to prevent it from boiling over. I am using a 5.5 quarts Dutch oven.
- The longer you cook your soup, the more flavorful it will be. Hence, you could boil it for 1-2 hours depending on your time restraints.
- You can also make your soup in a slow cooker/crockpot. Skip the sauteing steps and simply throw everything into your pot. Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Graham Lloyd
I made this soup tonight for upcoming meals. Easy to make, affordable and very tasty indeed - even with my modest cooking skills. Thank you!
Meesha
So happy to hear that!😁