This classic ABC soup brings back so many childhood memories. My mom used to make it all the time when I was growing up. It’s a warm and comforting soup made with just a few humble ingredients. The main ingredients my mother used were tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes, but now I’ve added my touch by including onions.

It is called ABC soup, likely because the preparation is as simple as ABC. Another common reason is that it is rich in vitamins A (carrots), B (potatoes), and C (tomatoes). 

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Main Ingredients for a Traditional ABC Soup

ABC soup is prepared with either chicken or pork ribs, so it is not a pure vegetable soup. Besides, it has a universal taste that is not spicy, making it a kid-friendly soup. It is one of the most popular soups in Cantonese households, particularly among children, as it is a comfort food with rich nutritional value.

• Main ingredients. The most important ingredients are tomatoes, potatoes, and carrots. This trio must be present for the soup to qualify as truly ABC soup.
• Optional vegetables. Other vegetables you can include are onion chunks and sweet corn. These are optional, as the combination of tomato, potato, and carrot alone is sufficient to create the soup’s signature flavor.
• Meat. Since this is not a purely vegetarian soup, protein is typically added in the form of pork ribs or chicken pieces with bones. You can use chicken drumsticks, chicken breast meat, pork ribs, or pork bones in the recipe. I use chicken because it is healthier, but pork bones will give it a better flavor. You can also remove the skin to eliminate excess animal fat. However, you may use boneless meat if you prefer. The simplest version is to cook the vegetables with store-bought chicken broth, although it won’t have the same authentic, home-cooked flavor as the traditional method.
• Seasoning. As for seasoning, it’s just salt and pepper. The easiest way is to sprinkle in some ground white pepper, but for a deeper flavor, adding a small teaspoon of whole peppercorns works best.

How to prepare the Chinese ABC soup

Below are the step-by-step instructions to prepare Chinese ABC soup at home.

1. Get ready the vegetables and meat

• Cut the tomato into wedges or thick slices. You can remove the skin, but it does not matter.
• Peel the carrots and cut them into wedges or thick slices on the bias.
• Also, peel the potato and cut it into large chunks, about one-inch cubes. Submerge the potatoes in water as they change color when exposed to air.
• Cut the onion into thick slices. Otherwise, you can cut it into chunks.

2. Blanch the chicken to get a clear broth

• Put the bone-in chicken pieces into a large pot of boiling water to blanch the chicken for 2 minutes. Remove any scum floating on the surface with a fine wire mesh strainer.  This step helps to get a clear broth.
• Wash the chicken under running water so that the final soup will look clean and free from any debris from the chicken.

3. Simmer the ABC soup

• Place the blanched chicken in a slow cooker. Add about one liter of cold water or just enough to cover the chicken, and wait until it comes to a boil again. Let the chicken slowly cook for 30 minutes to release its maximum flavor. Using a wire mesh strainer, remove any impurities that occasionally float to the top.
• Next, add the onions, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes. Cover and let it slowly cook until the vegetables are tender. It will take another hour for my slow cooker, but it should be faster if you use a gas stove.
• You may also want to add some black peppercorns (or white peppercorns), but omit them if you’re making it for young children.]
• Season the soup with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl, and serve.

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ABC soup- How to make the ultimate Chinese comfort soup

Yield: 3 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

ABC soup is the ultimate Chinese soup prepared with tomato, carrot, potato, and chicken (or pork). This Asian soup recipe is nutritious and kids friendly.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken drumsticks
• 4 cups water, more as needed
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
• 1 medium onion, thickly sliced
• 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
• 3 medium potatoes, cut into one-inch cubes
• 3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Put the bone-in chicken pieces into a large pot of boiling water. Blanch the chicken for a minute.
2. Remove any scum floating on the surface.
3. Wash the chicken under running water.
4. Place the blanched chicken in a slow cooker. Add cold water or just enough to cover the chicken.  Slow cook for half an hour.
5. Next, add the onions, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes. 
6. Cover and let it slow cook for one hour or until the vegetables are soft. 
7. Add some black peppercorns and season the soup with salt. 
8. Transfer to a serving bowl, and serve.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 466Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 192mgSodium: 771mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 42g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 11/5/2022

Helpful Tips to Elevate Your ABC Soup

1. The flavor of the chicken is not affected by blanching, as it only takes a few minutes. Some home cooks omit this step for simplicity. Although the soup may appear cloudy, it will not affect its flavor. However, I strongly suggest blanching pork to remove the unwanted porky smell if you use pork instead of chicken.
2. You can also use a stockpot on the stove instead of the slow cooker. The steps are the same, except you must adjust the heat to sustain a bare simmer temperature. Also, you may need to add more water as it evaporates more quickly than in a slow cooker.
3. One way to cook it quickly is to pressure-cook it in a multicooker by setting the pressure-cook mode for soup.
4. To simplify the steps, I use a slow cooker to boil the soup. Since the slow cooker automatically sets at a bare simmering temperature, I can add all the ingredients and let it cook without worrying that it will dry out. A slow cooker is highly recommended, as you don’t need to adjust the heat constantly.
5. Always use bone-in chicken or pork if available to make the soup more wholesome and flavorful.
6. Reducing the heat to just enough to maintain a slow boil is key to keeping the meat tender and preventing the vegetables from becoming too soft and disintegrating. On the other hand, high heat will toughen the meat in the soup.
7. MSG or other flavoring agents, such as store-bought chicken stock or bouillon, can be used to enhance the flavor of the soup, but I do not recommend them, as this should be a healthy soup with a high nutritional value.
8. Remove the skin from the chicken chunks to make the soup healthier. (less oil)

How do you serve ABC soup?

The soup is simple to make and provides all the essential nutrients you need, including vegetables, protein, and a wide range of vitamins. It can be a meal, and the Chinese will serve it with steamed rice.

Variations for this ABC soup recipe

There are many ways to prepare it, and every family has its own version. Here are some suggestions:

• The vegetarian version. I would suggest starting with a vegetable broth instead of water to add more flavor.  Another way is to add some sweet corn and celery, and double the amount of onion.
• Use pork or anchovies. You can use pork or anchovies instead of chicken, or a combination of both. The ABC soup recipe is versatile.
• Other suggestions. Adding a few dry cuttlefish can significantly enhance the taste. Some families also include red dates and a handful of goji berries, which I would omit to let the flavor of the carrot, tomato, and potato shine. Finally, you can add any extra ingredients from the leftovers.

Some common questions about the Chinese ABC soup

1. Can I refrigerate the soup? You can store the ABC soup in an airtight container and refrigerate it for a few days. Then, when you want to serve, and a few tablespoons of water and gently heat it over low heat until it boils.
2. Is it better to double-boil the soup for a better result? The flavor of this nourishing soup is better with the double-boil method. Cooking it directly over the stove at a barely simmering temperature is relatively close to a double-boil and is more practical for daily use, as it is quick and easy.
3. What type of potato should I use? Both starchy and waxy potatoes are suitable for the soup. I like using the less starchy type to keep the soup clean and clear, but others may have different preferences.
4. Does ABC soup originate from Malaysia? Most people agree that it originated in Malaysia. I’m unsure because my mom is from Hong Kong and has been preparing this soup since I was a child.

Other related traditional Chinese soups

You will likely like to try other nutritious Chinese soups on this food blog. Here are my picks:

• Chinese-style chicken herbal soup is well-known for its health benefits. The soup recipe is what we have appreciated in my family for decades.
• This winter melon soup recipe (冬瓜汤) is the adaptation of my mother’s recipe, which she cooked for our family when I was young. This refreshing and comforting soup is sure to be a hit with you and your family. 

The Southeast Asian vegetable ABC soup is not a pasta soup

This Asian ABC soup might be mistaken for the Western-style alphabet soup, which is made with small pastas in the shape of the letters A, B, and C.

The confusion arises because the term “ABC” in Asian ABC soup refers to the vitamins A, B, and C, which are rich in the ingredients used. In contrast, the Western ABC pasta soup is named after the letter-shaped pasta it contains.

In Asia, when we mention “ABC soup,” it almost always refers to a clear, vegetable-based soup, like the one featured in this recipe.