This Napa Cabbage Mushroom Soup is light, brothy, and full of umami. It’s a cozy one-pot vegetable soup that tastes like it’s been simmered for ages, even though it only needs 20 minutes on the stove. Great on its own as a healthy meal or paired as a side dish with other Asian recipes.
About the Recipe
Napa cabbage (also known as Chinese cabbage) is one of my favourite budget veggies. It’s cheap and frequently on sale at my local Asian supermarkets, it’s versatile, and it tastes much better than regular green cabbage, imho.
It has more water content and a softer texture than other types of cabbage, so it almost melts into the broth. The leaves turn especially tender and silky.
To me, napa cabbage and mushrooms are a match made in heaven! The more mushroom varieties you’ve got, the better. Throw in shiitake, enoki, oyster, shimeji, seafood mushrooms, and whatever else you’ve got.
Plus, this recipe is flexible. Keep it as is for a fairly light dish, or bulk it up by adding tofu, noodles, konjac bundles, or rice cakes. Lots of options here.
And if you need a use for any leftover napa cabbage you have, check out my recipes for Buddha’s Delight and Vegan Fish Ball Noodle Soup.
What You’ll Need
A few notes on the ingredients for Napa Cabbage Soup with Mushrooms:
Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil gives the broth a nutty aroma right from the start. Since the soup is so simple, it makes a big difference.
Garlic: Three cloves might sound like a lot, but the garlic mellows once sauteed and simmered.
Napa cabbage: I used half of an entire baby napa cabbage, which weighs around 350 to 400 grams. If using a large head of napa cabbage, weigh it if you can, or just eyeball it. It’s not a big deal.
Mushrooms: Use whatever fresh mushrooms you like: cremini, shiitake, oyster, shimeji, or a mix. The more flavourful the mushrooms, the more savoury the broth.
Soup soy sauce: Also called guk-ganjang, it seasons broth without darkening it too much. I also use this soy sauce in recipes for Kongbiji Jjigae and Tofu Skin Soup. Feel free to sub with regular soy sauce, although you might want to add a bit of extra salt because guk-ganjang is more potent than the regular stuff.
Umami seasoning: I used porcini mushroom powder plus an extra 1/2 tsp salt to boost the savouriness. Mushroom bouillon powder, bouillon paste or cubes, or a small pinch of MSG would also work.
White pepper: I am not sure why but Asian soups usually use white pepper instead of black pepper. And they taste much better for it. If you only have black pepper, you can use that too; it’s just a small amount to add some additional flavour.
Scallions, cilantro, and chili crisp: These are the finishing ingredients so they’re optional but highly recommended to add some freshness and zing!
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Ingredient Substitutions
If you need to be aware of allergies or are missing certain ingredients, here are a few options to consider:
- Gluten-free: Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce instead of soup soy sauce. Check your seasonings too, since some bouillon powders contain wheat.
- Oil-free and WFPB: Substitute the sesame oil with some Tahini or Sesame Paste or omit it altogether.
- No napa cabbage: The next best substitutes would savoy cabbage or bok choy.
- No mushrooms: Try my Napa Tofu Soup or Vegan Fish Ball Soup instead.
- No umami seasoning: Use vegetable broth instead of water, or just add more salt.
If you made this recipe with a successful substitution, please let me know! Post a comment describing what you did so I can add it to this section and help future readers. (Leave your name blank if you don’t want to be credited.)
Flavour Variations
- Tofu cabbage soup: Add cubed soft tofu, medium tofu, or fried tofu puffs during the last 5 minutes of simmering.
- Noodle soup: Add some quick-cooking noodles like udon or instant ramen in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Miso mushroom cabbage soup: Turn off the heat, dissolve 1 to 2 tbsp miso paste in a ladleful of broth, then stir it back into the pot.
- Rice cake soup: Add sliced rice cakes at the beginning of cooking. After 15 minutes of simmering they should be nice and chewy.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Heat sesame oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.
Step 2: Add garlic and sauté just until the raw smell disappears. Try not to let it brown.
Step 3: Add napa cabbage, mushrooms, water, soup soy sauce, umami seasoning, and white pepper. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer mostly covered until the cabbage is tender.
Step 5: Taste and adjust with more salt if needed.
Step 6: Top with fresh herbs and chili crisp if desired.
Meal Prep & Storage Tips
Refrigerate: In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: On the stovetop over medium heat, or in the microwave until hot.
Freeze: Up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge the night before you plan to eat it. I recommend adding some fresh herbs to freshen it up after defrosting.
What to Serve with Napa Cabbage Soup
- This soup is light enough to pair with a more filling side, but cozy enough to eat on its own. Try it with:
- Steamed jasmine rice or short-grain rice
- Pan-fried soft tofu
- Hiyayakko (Japanese cold tofu)
Recipe FAQs
I don’t recommend subbing regular green cabbage in this recipe. Savoy cabbage works though.
Shiitake, oyster, shimeji, enoki, and seafood mushrooms all work. Cremini, button, and portobello mushrooms are ok but not my first choice.
Soup soy sauce (also called guk-ganjang) is a lighter-coloured, saltier soy sauce used for seasoning broths and soups. If you do not have it, use regular soy sauce or tamari, then add salt to taste.
The base soup is not spicy. White pepper adds a little warmth, but the chili crisp is optional and can be added bowl by bowl.
More Mushroom Soup Recipes
Recipe Card
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Napa Cabbage Soup with Mushrooms
Ingredients
Switch between volume vs weight measurements:
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ head baby napa cabbage, chopped
- 4 cups water 1 quart
- 4 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 tbsp soup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp umami seasoning, plus salt to taste see Note 1
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 2 scallions, sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped *optional, for topping
- 1 tbsp chili crisp *optional, for topping
Instructions
- Add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil to a soup pot over medium heat.
- Sauté 3 cloves garlic, minced for 30 to 60 seconds, until the raw smell goes away.
- Add 1/2 head baby napa cabbage, chopped, 4 cups sliced mushrooms, 4 cups water, 1 tbsp soup soy sauce, 1 tbsp umami seasoning, plus salt to taste, and 1/4 tsp white pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer mostly covered for 15 minutes, or until the napa cabbage is tender.
- Taste and add more salt or soup soy sauce if needed.
- Ladle into bowls. Top with 2 scallions, sliced, and 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped if using, and 1 tbsp chili crisp if you want a spicy finish.
Notes
- Umami seasoning: I used porcini mushroom powder as the seasoning and added an additional 1/2 tsp salt. If using mushroom bouillon or vegan broth powder, start with less salt and adjust at the end.
- To make it a meal: For a heartier soup, add cubed tofu, tofu puffs, cooked noodles, or rice cakes.