How to Make Chinese Hot Pot at Home

Last Updated on September 23, 2024 by Carne Diem

Protein: Beef, Chicken, Pork

Method: Hot Pot, Stovetop

Huǒ guō or Chinese hot pot is a popular communal dining experience where diners cook various ingredients in the hot pot and dip them in different sauces before eating. Literally translating as "fire pot," referring to the pot of simmering broth in the center of the table, it is one of my family's favorite special meals and is a fun and relatively easy experience to pull off at home.

Bring the Fun and Flavor Home: How to Make Hot Pot Like a Pro
What Do You Serve with Chinese Hot Pot?
- Other ingredients to serve with homemade Chinese Hot Pot
- Dipping Sauces to Serve with Homemade Hot Pot
Hot Pot Party Tips:
Frequently Asked Questions

I was first introduced to Chinese Hot pot in Taipai, Taiwan while visiting a friend. I was instantly in love with the dish and the process. Spicy and savory broths were used to cook up a table full of bite sized vegetables and meats. Since that time, I have also been able to enjoy traditional Hot Pot in Beijing and at local restaurants in the U.S. It was not until a few years ago that I realized how simple (and fun) it is to make Chinese Hot Pot at home. Now even our kids are huge fans of hot pot night at our house and enjoy going to the Asian Market in town to pick out the various meats, veggies, and mushrooms to cook up in the spicy broth.

Home made noodles being made at a Chinese Hot Pot restaurant in Taipei.

When we lived on the West coast, hot pot restaurants were not uncommon. After moving to the Midwest, however, we found it more difficult to get good Chinese hot pot near me. We do, thankfully have a number of fantastic Asian markets in town which made creating our own Hot Pot dinners an easy and fun meal that our entire family looks forward to.

Bring the Fun and Flavor Home: How to Make Hot Pot Like a Pro

Hot pot, also known as huo guo (火鍋), is a beloved culinary tradition in China. It's more than just a meal; it's a fun and interactive dining experience perfect for sharing with friends and family.

Imagine this: a simmering pot of flavorful broth bubbling away in the center of the table. Around it, a vibrant array of thinly sliced meats, fresh vegetables, and bite-sized goodies like shrimp balls and fish cakes await their delicious destiny. Everyone gathers around, dips their chosen ingredients into the hot broth to cook them, and then enjoys them with a variety of dipping sauces. It's a social eating experience that's full of laughter, delicious bites, and good company.

Mushroom broth and Sichuan broth in a Chinese hot pot with assorted ingredients.

While hot pot restaurants offer a fantastic experience, recreating the magic at home is surprisingly easy. Here's what you'll need:

The Pot: You can use any large pot or even a Dutch oven for your hot pot broth. A stainless-steel pot works well on a stovetop, but we have found the best to be an electric hot pot for added convenience, so the pot can be placed in the middle of the table for the ultimate home hot pot experience. Our favorite is an electric pot with two sides. A divided pot allows you to have two different broths simmering at once, perfect for those who want a spicy and a mild option. This works our perfectly when making hot pot at home so the kids can have a side with a mild broth and the adults can enjoy a spicier hot pot soup base.
The Broth: This is the heart of your hot pot. You can find pre-made hot pot broths at most Asian grocery stores. Some of the most popular brands of hot pot soup base included Little Sheep and Lee Kum Kee. The soup bases range from mild mushroom broths to spicy and numbing Sichuan style broth. Half of the fun is experimenting with different types of broth and finding your favorite.
- You can whip up your own homemade broth using chicken stock as a base and adding your favorite aromatics like ginger, garlic, scallions, and star anise. For a spicy kick, consider adding chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, or store-bought chili paste.
- Follow the instructions on the package to reconstitute the broth, but typically you will add about 4-6 cups of water or broth to the flavoring depending on the size of your pots. We typically use chicken broth for mushroom or mild broths and beef broths or stock for spicy red hot pot broths.
Chopsticks or a strainer ladle are used to retrieve the pieces of food from the hot pot as they cook. While not traditional, fondue forks also work well and the color coding helps our family keep track of which food belongs to who as it cooks.

What Do You Serve with Chinese Hot Pot?

When it comes to what to serve with your homemade Chinese hot pot the options are endless, and it can seem a little bit overwhelming. The good news is, however, that almost any of your favorite meats and veggies can be cooked up. Below we have a guide of some of the most frequent items that you might find as part of a Chinese Hot Pot meal.

Variety of hot pot ingredients on a platter.

Here's where things get fun! The beauty of hot pot is its endless customization. Typically, a mix of meats, veggies, seafood, mushrooms, and starches are presented as options for dipping in the hot broth.

Common meats to serve with Chinese Hot Pot

Your hot pot spread can include thinly sliced meats like beef, lamb, or pork belly. A variety of seafood options like shrimp, fish balls, or fish fillets are also common. Below is a list of some of our favorite meat options for serving with your hot pot.

Beef and chicken Chinese meatballs for hot pot.

Red Meat Options:

Thinly sliced meats for making Chinese hot pot at home.

Sliced Ribeye
Sliced Beef Short Rib
Sirloin
Beef Tongue
Tenderloin
Beef Balls

White Meat Options:

Sliced Chicken
Pork Belly
Sliced Pork Shoulder

Seafood Options:

Shrimp
Fish Balls
Scallops

Meatballs, sliced chicken, sliced steak and mushrooms on a cutting board.

Common veggies to serve with hot pot

You are likely to encounter any number of vegetables as part of a hot pot. An assortment of leafy greens like bok choy and napa cabbage or root vegetables like potatoes and carrots are perfect for Chinese hot pot at home.

Mushrooms and cabbage at a hot pot restaurant.

Baby Bok Choy
Mustard Greens
Lotus Roots
Napa Cabbage
Chrysanthemum leaves (tongho)
Daikon Roots

Chrysanthemum leaves at a Chines hot pot restaurant.

Other ingredients to serve with homemade Chinese Hot Pot

Some of the more exotic options may include things like tripe, coagulated pork blood, quail eggs, stomach, or heart. We love the fact that our entire family enjoys eating hot pot so we typically forgo many of these traditional ingredients when we are making hot pot at home, but most can be found at local Asian markets for those more adventurous eaters.

Noodles, dumplings, and potatoes are also fair game. We do recommend cooking these items toward the end of the meal as the starch in these items can cause the broth to thicken. If you find this occurring, you can thin the broth with a little additional broth or water.

You are also likely to find a variety of tofu options, as well as assorted mushrooms. Enoki, oyster, and shitake mushrooms are all commonly used.

Dipping Sauces to Serve with Homemade Hot Pot

No hot pot meal is complete without a selection of dipping sauces. Get creative! A simple sesame sauce made with soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a touch of sugar is a crowd-pleaser. You can also offer a chili garlic sauce, a peanut sauce, or a citrusy ponzu sauce.

Light and spicy broths in a Chinese hot pot at home.

Hot Pot Party Tips:

Plan your protein selection: Base it on the number of guests and their preferences. Thinly sliced meats are ideal for quick cooking in the hot broth.
Prep is key: Wash and chop your vegetables, slice your meats, and have your dipping sauces ready beforehand. This will ensure a smooth and enjoyable dining experience. Typically, the raw meats and veggies are placed on small plates around the simmering pot of soup on the dinner table.
Cook in small batches: This prevents overcrowding the pot and ensures even cooking.
Don't overfill the pot: Typically filling the pot about 75% full works well and will prevent the simmering broth from overflowing. If the liquid level gets too low, you can add more broth or water to the pot.
Don't overcook: Most hot pot ingredients cook very quickly in the simmering broth. A few seconds to a minute is typically all it takes for them to be perfectly cooked through. If using frozen meatballs, these can take longer to cook through.

VAriety of meats and vegetables being cooked in 2 styles of Chinese hot pot broth.

Be sure to try more of our favorite Asian inspired recipes:

Embrace the Fun!

Making Chinese hot pot at home is a delicious and interactive meal that's perfect for any occasion. So gather your loved ones, set up your hot pot station, and get ready to create memories around the table. After all, the best part of hot pot is the experience of sharing a delicious meal with good company!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find ingredients for making hot pot at home?

Most Asian markets will have everything that you need to make a successful hot pot dinner at home.

Numbing Sichuan broth hot pot in an electric hot pot at home.

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