This Chinese Chayote Soup is soothing and delicious. It's made with wholesome ingredients, simple to make, and super nourishing! It's one of my favorite ways to use chayote squash.
Can't get enough of chayote recipes? You'll love my Chayote Kimchi recipe.
Chayotes are one of my favorite vegetables to use in the kitchen. In Chinese cuisine, they're typically used for stir-fries, braises, and soups. They're known for having a crunchy, firm texture and mild flavor. When cooked in sauces and soups, they work like a sponge, absorbing the delicious flavors around them.
My Chinese Chayote Soup recipe features tender chunks of chayote simmered in a flavorful, Chinese-style broth. Serve it with warm rice for a simple and cozy meal that can be enjoyed repeatedly.
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🍐 What are Chayotes?
Chayotes, also known as mirlitons, are pear-shaped pale green squashes. They typically measure five to seven inches in length and three and a half inches in width at their widest point. When eaten raw, they have a firm and crunchy texture with a mild and refreshing flavor similar to cucumbers and squash. Chayotes are in season from fall to spring and should be peeled before cooking.
❓ How to prepare Chayotes
Chayotes have thick skin that needs to be peeled before cooking. You can peel the chayotes with an apple peeler or a paring knife. Cut the chayotes in half and then quarter them lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the core and cut them into ½-inch chunks.
🧂 Ingredients
- Chayotes - Choose bright, green chayotes with no brown spots or blemishes.
- Chicken Stock - Use homemade chicken stock for the best flavor.
- Dried Shiitake mushrooms - Add a ton of earthiness and umami. The stems are stiff and chewy and should be cut off and discarded.
- Pork shoulder/butt - You can also use pork loin.
- Ginger and Sichuan peppercorns - These ingredients form the main aromatic base for Chinese chayote soup. Use fresh ginger only, no ground.
- Carrots - Add a touch of sweetness and vibrant color to the soup.
- White Vinegar - Added at the end to brighten the chayote soup.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Soak Dried Mushrooms
Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes to soften them slightly. Use a knife to remove the tough stems and discard them. Reserve the mushroom caps and soaking water.
Step 2. Boil ingredients
In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, water, soaked mushrooms, and soaking water, pork, ginger, and salt, Sichuan peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface of the pot. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 1 hour.
📋 Note
I use homemade stock and keep the leftover fat in the stock so the chayote soup looks oily. If you don't want fat, remove it with a spoon or ladle.
Step 3. Add chayotes and carrots
Add the chayotes and carrots to the pot, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
Step 4. Finish and serve.
Use a skimmer to skim off extra fat and remove the Sichuan peppercorns. Next, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the pot and stir to distribute it evenly. Taste a spoonful of the soup and add extra salt or vinegar as needed. Serve the Chinese chayote soup immediately with fresh cilantro and freshly cracked black pepper.
💭 Top Tips
- Use homemade chicken stock. Check out my Chinese Chicken Stock recipe.
- Add the ingredients in the order specified. Each ingredient has different cooking times, so we add them at different stages. Pork is added first, requiring two hours of cooking to become tender and fall apart. Chayotes and Carrots only need 40 minutes, so we add them near the end.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. Your chayote soup may turn out vastly different due to different cooking conditions and the quality of your vegetables. Add more salt or vinegar as needed.
👩🏻🍳 Variations & Substitutions
- Chicken stock can be substituted with any stock you choose, such as pork, beef, or vegetable.
- Dried shiitake mushrooms have a unique flavor but can be substituted with dried porcini in a pinch.
- Vegan - This recipe can be made vegan using vegetable stock and substituting the pork loin with soft tofu. However, make sure to add the soft tofu in the last 10 minutes of cooking instead of the beginning, as it tends to disintegrate when cooked for a long time.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Let the Chinese chayote soup cool down to room temperature before storing it in air-tight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: Scoop out the portion you plan to eat into a microwave-safe bowl. Warm it in the microwave and then top it with fresh cilantro. Alternatively, you can reheat the soup in a small pot on the stove.
Freezing: Allow it to cool completely before storing it in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let it defrost in the fridge overnight, and then follow the instructions for reheating.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Chayote has a mild and subtle flavor. When raw, it tastes similar to a cucumber or zucchini but with a crunchier texture. When cooked, it becomes tender and absorbs the flavors of the ingredients around it. It's frequently described as having a slightly sweet and nutty flavor with hints of squash or melon.
Yes, chayote soup can be made in a slow cooker. Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker except the vinegar. Cook on "High" for 2 hours (starting when the soup begins to bubble), then reduce to "Low" until ready to serve. Season with vinegar and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add additional water if the liquid level decreases too much.
For a clear broth, I recommend parboiling the pork loin in boiling water to remove impurities from the meat. To do this, fill a pot with boiling water and simmer the meat for 1 minute. This step helps to ensure a cleaner and clearer broth.
Technically the skin is edible, but it has a tough texture, so I recommend peeling and discarding it.
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📋 Recipe
Chinese Chayote Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups water
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms (plus 1 cup of water for soaking)
- 600 g pork shoulder/butt (or pork loin, cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 4 slices ginger
- 2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt (use half the amount if you're using table salt)
- ½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (optional, don't worry, you won't taste any numbing flavor)
- 3-4 chayotes (seeds removed and chopped into ½-inch chunks)
- 2 medium carrot (chopped into ½-inch chunks)
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
For serving
- cilantro (chopped)
- ground black pepper
Instructions
- Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes to soften them slightly. Use a knife to remove the tough stems and discard them. Reserve the mushroom caps and soaking water.
- In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, water, soaked mushrooms, and soaking water, pork, ginger, and salt, Sichuan peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface of the pot. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 1 hour.
- Add the chayotes and carrots to the pot, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
- Use a skimmer to skim off extra fat and remove the Sichuan peppercorns. Next, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the pot and stir to distribute it evenly. Taste a spoonful of the soup and add extra salt or vinegar as needed. Serve the soup immediately with fresh cilantro and freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Use homemade chicken stock. Check out my Chinese Chicken Stock recipe.
- Add the ingredients in the order specified. Each ingredient has different cooking times, so we add them at different stages. Pork is added first, requiring two hours of cooking to become tender and fall apart. Chayotes and Carrots only need 40 minutes, so we add them near the end.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. Your soup may turn out vastly different due to different cooking conditions and the quality of your vegetables. Add more salt or vinegar as needed.
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