When it’s cold outside, warm up with a bowl of winter melon soup. This might be the easiest recipe you’ll ever make. Plus it’s customizable to your personal taste. Add the ingredients you like and omit the ones you don’t want. Feel free to add more or less of any ingredient!
Start with my basic recipe and adjust to your liking. I tend to buy whatever pork is on sale but it’s traditionally made with pork ribs. If you love ginger, add more! Dried scallops or shrimp will give your soup more flavor. Can’t find winter melon? You can even use cucumbers for this recipe.
Every family has its own way of making winter melon soup and they are all delicious!
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Instant Pot Winter Melon Soup Recipe
Possibly the easiest chinese soup to make on cold days
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 3 lbs winter melon
- 2 lbs pork bone-in for flavor
- 10 cups water
- 1 tbsp salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Optional Ingredients
- 3 slices ginger
- 2 or 3 whole dried scallops
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp
- 2 whole dried jujube
- 1 tbsp goji berries
- 1-2 tbsp shaoxing or rice wine
Instructions
- Remove the winter melon rind with a knife or vegetable peeler. Cut into the size and shape you like—cubes, strips, wedges, etc.
- Trim any excess fat from the pork ribs and cut into the size that you prefer.
- Preheat the Instant Pot on the saute function. Add a little bit of oil and sear the pork pieces. This step is not necessary but adds depdth to the flavor.
- Pour in the water and add the ginger and dried seafood if you wish.
- Pressure cook on high heat for 20 minutes. Then allow it to naturally release pressure until you can open the lid, about 15 minutes.
- Switch to the saute function again. Add the winter melon. If you wish, also add the jujube and goji berries.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the winter melon is to your desired texture. It will start to look translucent when cooked.
- Add salt and pepper to tast.