This healthy Gai Lan Soup Recipe with Egg is as nourishing, comforting and delicious as it looks!
It’s almost Chinese New Year, and I suggest serving this super delicious soup.
Gai Lan. Ever heard of it?
What is Gai Lan?
- Gai Lan is actually Chinese Kale, and is often referred to as Chinese broccoli.
- The dark green leaves of Gai Lan are packed with nutrients and become soft, like spinach, when cooked.
- Gail Lan has thick green stems and deep green leaves. As with most greens, the younger the plant, the more tender the stalks and leaves are.
- The flavor is similar to broccoli, both bitter and sweet. Though perhaps a little more bitter, which mellows as it cooks, making it perfect for gai lan soup or in stir-fries.
- Gai Lan is available year-round.
What does Gai Lan taste like?
Gai Lan is similar to broccoli, but with a much stronger flavor that is slightly bitter. I especially love it in soups because the bitterness mellows and it keeps its sweet and pungent flavor even after a longer cooking time.
How to Serve Gai Lan
Gail Lan is delicious sautéed with oyster sauce and garlic. It shines in all sorts of stir-fries. It’s also one of my favorite greens to add to soups.
This Gai Lan Soup Recipe is on the spicy side, and with the addition of egg and miso, it’s not only healthy, but it’s quite rich and hearty.
If you are cooking up a Chinese New Year’s menu, I hope you include the soup.
And it would also be wonderful along this Garlic-Ginger Flank Steak.
And Crispy Garlic Ginger Bok Choy Chips. . .
Whatever you serve it with, I hope you enjoy every last spoonful of the gai lan soup!
I want to thank Melissa’s Produce again for essentially sending me Chinese New Year — in a box. This is not a sponsored post, as always, all opinions are my own.
This healthy Gai Lan Soup Recipe with Egg is as nourishing, comforting and delicious as it looks!
Please note that the prep time does not include hard boiling the eggs, which will take 15 to 20 minutes. (Here's how to hard boil eggs.)
- grapeseed oil for the pot
- ¼ cup light Miso paste (Shiro Miso)
- 1 tablespoon ginger pulp
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1½ teaspoons chili paste
- ¾ cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cups Gai Lan, washed and dried, roughly chopped, tough portions of stems removed
- 5 cups warm water
- 4 hard boiled eggs, yolks removed, thinly sliced
- salt to taste
- dried chili flakes for garnish
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Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with grapeseed oil and place it over medium-low heat. Add the miso, ginger, garlic and chile paste. Let this sauté for a couple of minutes, and then add the onions.
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Continue to sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes.
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Add the Gai Lan and cook just until it's wilted. Then add the water and bring to a boil.
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Add the sliced hard cooked egg whites, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.
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Season to taste with sea salt and garnish each serving with dried chili flakes.
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Christina says
Sounds wonderful! I would love to try this soup!
valentina says
Thanks, Christina! Enjoy!
Kathy Smith says
So if one adds a he Miso to the pot with just the oil, ginger and garlic, etc, even at low temp, it chars and burns on the pan bottom. By the time the onions get cooked properly, the paste mixture is burnt and dried out. That can’t be right. Is there a step missing in the instructions? Thanks.
valentina says
Hi Kathy, Thanks for writing in. I’m so sorry you had this happen. I haven’t had this problem when making this recipe. If the heat is already low, the only think I can think of is that maybe the pot you’re using isn’t heavy-bottomed enough? I would also suggest adding more oil. I will play around with this recipe ASAP to see if while doing so, I think of any other possibilities. Again, I’m sorry this didn’t work out. I’ll report back soon! ~Valentina
Bonnie says
yum! I never thought of putting miso and gai lan together, will definitely try it!
valentina says
Thanks so much, Bonnie! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Rolando l. Sta. maria says
What is gai lan and where can we buy it?
valentina says
Hi Rolando, gai lan is Chinese broccoli and it’s often available in many major grocery stores (Gelson’s Whole Foods, Ralph’s), and definitely in any Asian market. Cheers!
Andrea Metlika says
Looks fabulously spicy and flavorful. Soup is definitely on with this one.
valentina says
Thanks so much, Andrea! 🙂
Catherine Brown says
I don’t think I’ve ever tried gai lan, but from your description I think I would love it! Now to find some…
valentina says
Hi Catherine, I hope you find Gai Lan in your market and try it. In not in the soup, you can just sauté it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Like you would spinach. 🙂
Caroline says
I’ve heard of gai lan but not sure I have managed to try. The flavors here sound great.
valentina says
Thanks, Caroline! Hope you try it. 🙂
Adrianne says
Great recipe Valentina and perfect for Chinese New Year! I also like the bok choy chips you mention….anything Asian and you have got me. Cheers
valentina says
Me too! I love Asian flavors so much! Thank you!
Cathy says
Valentina, thanks I can now finally make this recipe at home! You make it look so easy and so delicious!
valentina says
Thank you, Cathy! 🙂