A bowl of Hong Kong Macaroni Soup and a cup of milk tea, one of my favorite ways to start the day!
This Hong Kong Macaroni Soup recipe takes me back to my visits to Hong Kong. It's a staple at Hong Kong cafés, known as cha chaan teng.
Nearly every morning for breakfast, I started my day with this light and flavorful Macaroni Soup that was filling enough to power me to lunch. Paired with a cup of milk tea and I was ready to take on the day.
Now that I have a family of my own and haven't yet had the privilege of taking my girls to Hong Kong, I bring Hong Kong to them! This Macaroni Soup recipe is inherently kid-friendly. Macaroni with sliced ham in a light chicken broth. What's not to like?
Hong Kong Macaroni Soup is traditionally served for breakfast but our family enjoys it so much, we eat if for lunch or dinner as well. It's so easy and fast to make and I always have the ingredients on hand, making this recipe a real winner in our household.
Toppings for HK Cafe Macaroni Soup
The beauty of Hong Kong Style Macaroni Soup is that it can be topped with anything you like. It's a great way to clear out the fridge of leftovers. It's most often simply topped with sliced deli ham. Some popular add-ons are:
- deli ham
- Spam
- hot dog
- fried egg
- corn
- peas
- carrots
How to Make Hong Kong Macaroni Soup
A few ingredients and minimal prep work is all you need for this Macaroni Soup recipe. The broth consists of chicken stock, infused with aromatics (ginger and scallions) and mildly seasoned, keeping it light, yet flavorful.
Everything can be cooked or prepared ahead of time. It just needs to be assembled right before serving, which makes Hong Kong Macaroni Soup a perfect quick and easy meal for weekdays.
Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. Give it a rinse under cold water, drain completely then set aside.
To make the broth, heat a bit of oil in a medium-sized saucepan or pot. Lightly brown the ginger and scallions.
Add chicken broth and water. Boxed or canned chicken broth will work but homemade is always best. For extra chicken flavor, use chicken stock instead.
Add oyster sauce and light soy sauce and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
If the chicken broth you're using is salted, you may not need to add additional salt. If you're using unsalted broth, now is the time to salt to taste.
To serve Hong Kong Macaroni Soup, fill a bowl with cooked macaroni, top with sliced ham and optionally, a fried egg or any other toppings, then fill with hot soup. Garnish with chopped scallions.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Soup
If you have any leftover Macaroni Soup, store the broth, toppings and macaroni separately. This way, the soup can be reheated repeatedly without overcooking the toppings or turning the macaroni mushy.
Reheat the leftover broth on the stove and microwave the macaroni. Add your favorite toppings to the macaroni and ladle hot soup over the top.
If the toppings are small or thin, the heat from the hot broth may be enough to reheat it. If the toppings are still cold, reheat it in the broth over the stove. A quick dunk may be all it needs.
Ingredients
- 8 oz macaroni
- 8 oz deli ham, cut into slices
- 4 fried eggs, (optional)
SOUP
- 4 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 slices of ginger
- 2 stalks of scallions, cut into 2" lengths
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add about a teaspoon of oil, enough to coat the bottom. Lightly brown the ginger and scallions.
- Add chicken stock, water, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Place macaroni in a bowl and add your toppings. In this recipe, I used deli ham and a fried egg.
- Ladle hot soup over the macaroni. Garnish Hong Kong Macaroni Soup with freshly chopped scallions.
Regina Tham May Yoong says
Looks simple and light - good for a meal.