Chinese hot pot is a beloved culinary tradition and communal dining experience that brings people together around a simmering pot of flavorful broth like Chinese New Year feast. Whether you enjoy it in a restaurant or hot pot at home. This Chinese hot pot recipe shows you some basic essential hot pot at home: ingredients, tips and tools. Let's learn how to prepare and make Chinese hot pot at home with friends and family during the cold weather and festive season.
Love Asian food? Check out these taiyaki, pineapple cake, steamed meatballs, crispy noodles, walnut shrimp, salmon sushi cups, chicken satay and pan fried buns recipes.

What is Chinese hot pot?
Hot pot in Chinese Mandarin we call it huǒ guō (火锅) or fo wo (火鍋) and daa bin lou (打邊爐) in Cantonese. Literally it translates as fire pot. It is a popular and interactive dining experience in Chinese cuisine.
It involves cooking a variety of raw ingredients in a simmering pot of broth at the center of the dining table. The hot pot is typically divided into two sections, with one side containing a non-spicy broth and the other with spicy broth.
The idea of hot pot is similar to western fondue, but instead of dipping bread and fruit into cheese and chocolate. People cook and dip raw meat, vegetables and noodles into a pot of boiling soup.
How to make hot pot?
Usually, Chinese hot pot begins with a choice of broth. The common options include a plain, mild and a spicy broth that is made with various herbs and spices. Restaurants often offer a combination of both.
The ingredients for Chinese hot pot usually have a variety of thinly sliced raw meats like beef, lamb, pork and chicken. Some like to add seafood such as shrimp, fish, oyster and squid. Besides, you can use mushrooms, leafy greens, tofu, and noodles.
Each person cooks their chosen ingredients in the simmering broth at the table. The process is interactive, and individuals can control how well they want their food to be cooked. Once the food is cooked, dip the food into sauce and eat. The sauces usually include soy sauce, garlic sauce, chili oil and others. You can always create your own and personalize your dipping sauce.
The communal nature of hot pot makes it a social and enjoyable experience. Hot pot is popular among Chinese and Asians. Different regions have their variations. It's not only a delicious meal but also a social activity that brings people together around the dining table.
What does Chinese hot pot taste like?
The taste of Chinese hot pot can vary based on the broth, ingredients and dipping sauce. There are two main types of broths: spicy and non-spicy. Usually, spicy broths are often flavored with ingredients like chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices. Non-spicy broths can be mild or savory like miso soup base, vegetable, chicken or beef broth.
The taste of the hot pot is weighting on the dipping sauce. It can be savory to spicy depending on your choice. The basic dipping sauce is soy sauce. However, you can add chili oil, sa cha sauce, XO sauce, ginger scallion sauce or to customize your own sauce and taste.
What is the difference between Chinese hot pot and Japanese shabu shabu?
Chinese hot pot and Japanese shabu shabu are very similar but they are slightly different in flavor, dipping sauce and ingredients.
Chinese Hot Pot:
Hot pot broths can vary widely in flavor, with options ranging from spicy and numbing (common in Sichuan cuisine) to mild and savory. The broth is often seasoned with ingredients like chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and various herbs and spices.
Also, Chinese hot pot dipping sauces use ingredients like soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, green onions and chili oil. The dipping sauce adds an extra layer of flavor to the cooked ingredients. Besides, hot pot includes a wide variety of ingredients such as vegetables, tofu, mushrooms, seafood, and noodles. Various regions have their own unique flavors.
Japanese shabu shabu:
On the other hand, Shabu shabu broths are generally milder and more delicate in flavor. The focus is on a clear, savory broth that allows the natural flavors of the ingredients to shine. Therefore, it is commonly used for dashi (Japanese soup stock), kombu (seaweed), and sometimes soy sauce as the soup base.
Also, Japanese shabu shabu dipping sauces are typically simpler. It usually uses ponzu (citrus-based soy sauce) or soy sauce. In addition, shabu shabu tends to focus more on high-quality, fresh ingredients such as thinly sliced vegetables, beef, mushrooms, tofu, and udon noodles. Lastly, shabu shabu is a Japanese dish that can be served to one person or with a group of people.
When do people have Chinese hot pot?
You can enjoy Chinese hot pot throughout the year. However, people often do hot pot during cold weather because the warmth of the simmering broth, the communal aspect of cooking and eating hot pot provide a cozy experience during chilly weather.
Also, people like to do hot pot for celebrations, family gatherings, and festive occasions like Chinese New Year. The interactive and communal nature of hot pot makes it a perfect option for bringing people together for special events.
What equipment do I need for a hot pot at home?
To enjoy Chinese hot pot at home, here's a list of essential items for a hot pot setup:
Pot:
You'll need a pot for cooking the broth and ingredients. The pot is typically divided into two sections, with one side containing a mild broth and the other with spicy broth. Then, place the pot on a portable stove. Nowadays, you can use an electric hot pot with a heating element built into the pot itself.

Portable stove or induction cooker:
Traditionally, you will need a portable stove for the pot or an induction cooker to place the pot on the dining table. Now, electric hot pots come with a built-in heating element.

Portable gas:
When you use a portable stove, you need portable gas as well.

Dipping sauce bowls:
Provide small bowls for each person, so they can prepare their own dipping sauce.
Chopsticks, tong and strainers:
Have chopsticks, tongs and strainers ready for people to cook and get ingredients from the hot pot. It is best for the strainer to have long handles, so it is easier for scooping out cooked food.
Plates and Bowls:
Prepare plates and bowls for placing cooked food on the table.
What are the essential Chinese hot pot ingredients?
The beauty of hot pot lies in its variety, allowing people to customize their favorite with a wide range of ingredients. While preferences may vary, here are some essential hot pot ingredients that my family likes.

Thinly sliced meats:
Chinese hot pot often uses thinly sliced meats like beef, lamb, pork and chicken. It is because the thin sliced meats can cook quickly in the hot broth.
Seafood:
We like to use shrimp, fish, squid, oyster, clams and other seafood options. Choose whatever you prefer to add a delicious flavor to the hot pot.
Tofu varieties:
For hot pot, we like to use tofu (soft, medium or firm). Dried tofu skin, fried tofu or soya ring rolls. They absorb the flavors from the broth and add a nice texture.

Mushrooms:
You can use shiitake, enoki, oyster, and other mushroom varieties. The mushrooms absorb the broth flavors and provide a nice texture.

Leafy greens:
Any leafy greens are great options. The most common vegetable Chinese like for hot pot is tong ho (茼蒿), garland chrysanthemum. Besides, you can use napa cabbage, water spinach, baby bok choy, choy sum, gai lan and watercress.

Noodles:
People like to use mung bean noodles, glass noodles, udon noodles, oil noodles or shanghai noodles are great for adding a carb element to the hot pot.
Fish balls and meatballs:
Fish balls are round or oval-shaped balls made from fish paste. They have a bouncy and slightly chewy texture. There are various types of fish balls such as the regular fish balls, fish roe balls, and fish tofu balls.

Besides, meatballs are typically made from ground meat, and they come in various shapes and sizes. We like to use beef, pork, chicken, or a combination. There are also specialty meatballs like shrimp, lobster and crab balls.
Optional:
Some people like to add dumplings or wontons for an extra treat. These can be cooked directly in the hot pot or pan fried.
How to make Chinese hot pot soup base?
Hot pot begins with a choice of broth. The common options are mild flavor broth and a spicy broth made with various spices. You can buy hot pot soup base packages, spicy or non-spicy, from Asian stores. For sure, the package soup base is easier and more convenient.

If you like to make your own soup base, you can use chicken, beef or vegetable broth. But, we like to use miso paste or doenjang, Korean soybean paste, with fried shallots which add extra flavors to the broth. Sometimes, I use red or green curry paste with rock sugar and coconut milk for the spicy soup base. You can adjust and customize your own soup base.
What type of dipping sauce is typically used for Chinese hot pot?
The typical and basic dipping sauce for Chinese hot pot is soy sauce. However, you can use sesame oil, garlic, green onion and other ingredients to enhance the flavors. Our family likes soy sauce, sa cha sauce (Chinese BBQ sauce) and Sichuan chili oil. It is a simple, yet flavorful and delicious dipping sauce. You can combine all three together or dip it as individual sauce.

Besides, a lot of Hong Kong people like to beat an egg into the dipping sauce for a silky texture. (Disclaimer: eating raw or undercooked eggs may pose a risk of food borne illness.) Also, you can use chili oil, XO sauce, ginger scallion sauce and garlic chili sauce as a dipping sauce.
How to set the table for hot pot at home?
Place the hot pot or electric hot pot at the center of the table. If using a traditional hot pot, set up a portable stove with portable gas or induction cooker for heating. Then, pour the broth into the pot. If using a split pot, you can use different broths.
After that, each person has an individual bowl for their cooked ingredients and a small plate for dipping sauces, a pair of chopsticks for cooking and eating and strainers with long handles, so it can easily get the cooked foods.
Arrange plates or trays with a variety of raw ingredients, including thinly sliced meats, seafood, tofu, mushrooms, leafy greens, and noodles. Organize them in a way that is accessible to all people. Also, providing napkins or wet towels for people to clean their hands as hot pot is a hands-on dining experience. Besides, have a selection of beverages such as tea, soda, boba drinks, lychee slush, grass jelly drink, red bean ice drink or other drinks accompany the hot pot.
How to prepare ingredients for hot pot at home?
Chinese hot pot seems complicated because you need quite a lot of stuff and ingredients. However, it is quite simple and easy once you have the ingredients and tools. A lot of people like hot pot because it is easy and can feed a group of people. Doing hot pot, it just requires washing, cutting and opening packages as preparation work. It depends what ingredients you have and use.
What to do with Chinese hot pot leftovers?
If the food is cooked, you can refrigerate them and warm them up in the microwave. But, if the food is not cooked, you can pack them in a plastic ziplock bag. Then, refrigerate or freeze them. For leafy greens or mushrooms, I suggest refrigerating them and using them within 2-3 days.
Cooking tips for how to hot pot at home:
Preparation:
- Shop for ingredients, tools and choose your favorite ingredients.
- Then, open packages, wash and cut ingredients if necessary.
- For leafy greens vegetables, I usually soak them for 15 minutes. Then, rinse and wash them at least 3 times because it has sand and mud.
- After that, start with the broth. You can use soup base packages or customize your own.
- Usually, I will put the food that takes longer to cook into the broth first such as daikon, dried or fried tofu.
Rules while cooking hot pot:
- Be patient and wait until the broth is boiling.
- Then, add a small amount of food each time.
- Do not overcook the food.
- Only cook the food you plan to eat.
- Add more water or broth when you see the soup base is low level.
FAQs:
Dip the cooked ingredients into a dipping sauce and enjoy them. Some like to eat the ingredients with a bowl of rice.
Sa cha sauce or sha cha sauce, is a flavorful and spicy condiment that originated in Chinese cuisine. It is a key ingredient in various Chinese and Taiwanese dishes. The sauce typically contains ingredients such as soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chili peppers, dried shrimp, and various spices.
Also, sa cha sauce has a rich and savory flavor with a hint of spiciness. It is commonly used as a dipping sauce for hot pot or as a marinade for meats, a base for stir frying dishes or a base for laksa noodle soup. The combination of ingredients gives sa cha sauce a unique and complex taste which adds a depth to the dishes.
Sure, you can! Hot pot is highly customizable. You can choose ingredients based on dietary preferences like vegetarian options.
Instructions for how to do hot pot at home:
Preparation vegetables:

1. Put 1 pound of tong ho (茼蒿) into the bowl. Then, pour 8 cups of water and soak it for 15 minutes. After that, rinse and wash it at least 3 times before using it because it has sand and mud.

2. Next, put 1 pound of baby bok choy into the bowl. Pour 8 cups of water and soak it for 15 minutes. After that, rinse and wash it at least 3 times because it has sand and mud.

3. Peel 1 daikon (1 pound). Then, cut it into chunks.
Mushrooms:

4. Open 1 pack (5.29 oz) of enoki mushrooms. Then, cut the bottom root. Wash and rinse it.

5. Cut open 1 pack (5.29 oz) seafood mushrooms. After that, remove the root. Then, wash and rinse it.
Tofu variation:

6. After, cut 8 oz of long deep fried tofu into squares or cubes.

7. Cut 1 block (19 oz) of soft tofu into cubes.

8. Personally, I like soya ring roll (deep fried tofu skin) for Chinese hot pot. Open 1 pack (5.93 oz) of soya ring roll and put them on the plate.
Fish balls and meatballs:

9. Then, open 1 pack (8 oz) of fish ball, 1 pack (8 oz) of fish ball with roe, 1 pack (8 oz) of beef balls and 1 pack (8 oz) of imitation of lobster balls. Put them on the plate.
Seafood:

10. We like shrimp as a seafood option. Open 1 bag (12 oz) of raw XL no shell shrimp, rinse it and place them in a bowl.
Meat:

11. Buy or cut your own thin sliced meats. We like thin sliced beef with some fat. Usually it is ribeyes or beef steak for hot pot. Place 1 pound of thin sliced beef on the plate.
Noodles:

12. Our family likes udon noodles for hot pot. Therefore, open 1 package (2.42 pounds) of frozen udon noodles and place them on the plate.
Soup base:

13. Pour 8 cups of water into each side of the pot. (Adjust the amount of water depending on the size of your pot.)

14. Then, add 1 pack (7.1 oz) of tomato flavored soup base into one side of the pot. ( I used non-spicy tomato flavored, you can use spicy soup base.)

15. The other side of the pot, we like to use miso paste or Korean soybean paste. Add ¼ cup of Korean soybean paste (doenjang) into the water. Mix it well. Then, add ¼ cup of fried shallots. Turn on a high fire and let it boil.

16. While waiting for the soup base to boil, put 2 tablespoons of sa cha sauce, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of chili oil into a bowl.

17. Mix it well and divide it into a small dipping dish.

18. Once the soup base boils, you can start adding ingredients like daikon, dried tofu, noodles, vegetables, shrimp and beef.

Enjoy this simple and delicious Chinese hot pot recipe guide for your feast! Also, check out these black sesame soup, taro buns, cabbage stir fry, crab stir fry, claypot rice and eggplant pork stir fry recipes.
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Chinese Hot Pot
Equipment
- 1 Pot with divider or pot
- 1 Portable stove
- 2-3 Portable gas
- 3 Tongs
- 3 Strainers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound Tong ho (Leafy green vegetable)
- 1 pound Baby bok choy
- 1 Daikon (1 pound, medium large)
- 1 pack Enoki mushrooms (5.29 oz)
- 1 pack Seafood mushrooms (5.29 oz)
- 1 pack Fried tofu (8 oz)
- 1 block Soft tofu (19 oz)
- 1 pack Soya ring rolls (5.93 oz)
- 1 pack Fish balls (8 oz)
- 1 pack Fish balls with roe (8 oz)
- 1 pack Imitation of lobster balls (8 oz)
- 1 pack Beef balls (8 oz)
- 1 pack Shrimp (12 oz, XL no shell)
- 1 pound Thinly sliced beef
- 1 pack Udon noodles (2.42 pounds, have 5)
Soup base:
- 16 cups Water (8 cups each side on the pot depends on the size of the pot)
- 1 pack Tomato flavored soup base (7.1 oz)
- ¼ cup Korean soybean paste (doenjang)
- ¼ cup Fried shallots
Dipping sauce:
- 2 tablespoons Sa cha sauce
- 3 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chili oil
Instructions
- Put 1 pound of tong ho into the bowl. Then, pour 8 cups of water and soak it for 15 minutes. After that, rinse and wash it at least 3 times before using it because it has sand and mud.
- Next, put 1 pound of baby bok choy into the bowl. Pour 8 cups of water and soak it for 15 minutes. After that, rinse and wash it at least 3 times because it has sand and mud.
- Peel 1 daikon (1 pound). Then, cut it into chunks.
- Open 1 pack (5.29 oz) of enoki mushrooms. Then, cut the bottom root. Wash and rinse it.
- Cut open 1 pack (5.29 oz) seafood mushrooms. After that, remove the root. Then, wash and rinse it.
- After, cut 8 oz of long deep fried tofu into squares or cubes.
- Cut 1 block (19 oz) of soft tofu into cubes.
- Personally, I like soya ring roll (deep fried tofu skin) for Chinese hot pot. Open 1 pack (5.93 oz) of soya ring roll and put them on the plate.
- Then, open 1 pack (8 oz) of fish ball, 1 pack (8 oz) of fish ball with roe, 1 pack (8 oz) of beef balls and 1 pack (8 oz) of imitation of lobster balls. Put them on the plate.
- We like shrimp as a seafood option. Open 1 bag (12 oz) of raw XL no shell shrimp, rinse it and place them in a bowl.
- Buy or cut your own thin sliced meats. We like thin sliced beef with some fat. Usually it is ribeyes or beef steak for hot pot. Place 1 pound of thin sliced beef on the plate.
- Our family likes udon noodles for hot pot. Therefore, open 1 package (2.42 pounds) of frozen udon noodles and place them on the plate.
- Pour 8 cups of water into each side of the pot. (Adjust the amount of water depending on the size of your pot.)
- The other side of the pot, we like to use miso paste or Korean soybean paste. Add ¼ cup of Korean soybean paste (doenjang) into the water. Mix it well. Then, add ¼ cup of fried shallots. Turn on a high fire and let it boil.
- While waiting for the soup base to boil, put 2 tablespoons of sa cha sauce, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of chili oil into a bowl.
- Mix it well and divide it into a small dipping dish.
- Once the soup base boils, you can start adding ingredients like daikon, dried tofu, noodles, vegetables, shrimp and beef.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to hot pot at home:
Preparation:
- Shop for ingredients, tools and choose your favorite ingredients.
- Then, open packages, wash and cut ingredients if necessary.
- For leafy greens vegetables, I usually soak them for 15 minutes. Then, rinse and wash them at least 3 times because it has sand and mud.
- After that, start with the broth. You can use soup base packages or customize your own.
- Usually, I will put the food that takes longer to cook into the broth first such as daikon, dried or fried tofu.
Rules while cooking hot pot:
- Be patient and wait until the broth is boiling.
- Then, add a small amount of food each time.
- Do not overcook the food.
- Only cook the food you plan to eat.
- Add more water or broth when you see the soup base is low level.
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