This healthy Gai Lan Soup Recipe with Egg is as nourishing, comforting and as delicious as it looks!
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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.
Delicious sautéed with oyster sauce and garlic, it’s also one of my favorite greens to add to soups. While the slightly bitter flavor mellows, it keeps its sweet and pungent flavor even after a longer cooking time.
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.
I want to thank Melissa’s Produce again for essentially sending me Chinese New Year — in a box.
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!
If you try the gai lan soup, or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook to keep up with my mouth-watering recipes!
This is not a sponsored post — Melissa’s Produce sent me Gai Lan for recipe testing, and as always, all opinions are my own.
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.)
- Grape seed oil for the pot
- ¼ cup light Miso paste Shiro Miso
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger pulp
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated garlic
- 1½ teaspoons chili paste I like Sambal Oelek
- ¾ cup thinly sliced brown onion
- 3 cups Gai Lan washed, dried and roughly chopped with tough portion of stems removed
- 5 cups warm water
- 4 thinly sliced hard boiled eggs yolks removed (Here's how to hard boil eggs.)
- Sea salt to taste Here's how to season to taste.
- Dried chile flakes for garnish
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Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with grape seed 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 5 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 eggs, 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 chile flakes.
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Sounds wonderful! I would love to try this soup!
Thanks, Christina! Enjoy!
yum! I never thought of putting miso and gai lan together, will definitely try it!
Thanks so much, Bonnie! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
What is gai lan and where can we buy it?
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!
Looks fabulously spicy and flavorful. Soup is definitely on with this one.
Thanks so much, Andrea! 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever tried gai lan, but from your description I think I would love it! Now to find some…
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. 🙂
I’ve heard of gai lan but not sure I have managed to try. The flavors here sound great.
Thanks, Caroline! Hope you try it. 🙂
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
Me too! I love Asian flavors so much! Thank you!
Valentina, thanks I can now finally make this recipe at home! You make it look so easy and so delicious!
Thank you, Cathy! 🙂