Mushroom Hot Pot

Serves 6
Time: 1 hour || Active time: 30 minutes

This vegan mushroom hot pot will make your kitchen smell so good you’ll never want to leave. Lemongrass, star anise, ginger, dried shiitakes, lime. It’s a broth built entirely on aromatics and some creamy coconut milk.

I first had hot pot at a Vietnamese restaurant many moons ago and was immediately enamored. The concept is similar to fondue: a simmering vessel of rich broth surrounded by things you mix and match in your own bowl. Hot pot is a great communal dinner, but it also makes total sense to just curl up with your own giant bowl on a rainy night.

This recipe has been on PPK since 2011 and is one of the most loved soups on the site. One reader described it as a bowl that gives you “a big hug and a kiss on the forehead.” That makes sense. Here’s everything you need to know.

The Dried Shiitakes

I use dried shiitakes because they have a concentrated, meaty depth that fresh mushrooms can’t match. As they rehydrate in the simmering broth, they release a savory richness that becomes the backbone of the whole soup. Don’t swap them out.

The Lemongrass

Lemongrass is one of my favorite ingredients to cook with for the aroma alone. It adds a sultry, citrusy perfume to everything it touches. You only use the inner core of the bulb at the very bottom of the stalk, peel away the tough outer leaves until you get to the smooth, cool core, then mince it fine. You’ll need about 3 stalks. Don’t throw the rest away. Toss the outer stalks in your freezer scrap bag for the next time you make vegetable broth.

If you don’t want to go the stalky route, jarred lemongrass paste works well here and saves some prep time. Start with about 2 tablespoons and adjust from there.

Some Brothy Stuff

The tablespoon of cornstarch mixed into the broth might seem optional, but it’s what gives this vegan hot pot recipe its body. It’s not meant to make it thick like a gravy — it just gives the broth enough silkiness to coat your noodles and keep the aromatics from feeling thin.

The original recipe calls for lite coconut milk, but you can use full-fat for a richer, creamier experience.

The Hot Pot Method

You don’t need a fondue pot or a portable burner. Just place the pot on a trivet in the middle of the table. Just make sure the pot isn’t going to burn anyone.

Who Is Everyone Else?

So the recipe calls for everything you need, and then you can add from there. Here are my suggestions.

The base: Jasmine rice is the gold standard for soaking up the broth. Rice vermicelli is wonderful too.

The protein: Grilled tofu seasoned simply with sesame oil and salt is the classic. Tempeh or seitan work great too, or cooked aduki beans are easy and wonderful if you want to keep it simple.

The greens: Baby bok choy or kale are both great. You can wilt them in 5 minutes before it’s done cooking.

Heartier veg: Steamed broccoli or cauliflower are great choices. I never turned away a roasted Brussel sprout. And I love roasted baby potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes in here.

The herbs: Fresh cilantro and basil (Thai basil if you can find it) have to be there. They make everything pop.

The heat: A spoonful of chili crisp on top is definitely necessary.

More Aromatic Soups To Try:

Porcini Ramen With Runny Cashew Egg

a broody, umami-rich ramen with dried mushrooms and a cashew egg that actually runs.

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Red Curry Soup with Rice & Purple Kale

creamy coconut broth with red curry paste, sweet potato, and kale

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Coconut Roasted Root Vegetable Stew

rich, warming, and exactly what you want when the weather turns.

Recipe

Mushroom Hot Pot

A rich, aromatic vegan mushroom hot pot with lemongrass, star anise, dried shiitakes, and coconut milk. Serve fondue-style in the center of the table or curl up on the couch with a big bowl.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 minute min

Course Main Course, Soup, Stew

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon organic cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• Big pinch salt
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons lemongrass minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
• 2 star anise
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 oz dried shiitakes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari to make it gluten free)
• 1 large tomato roughly chopped
• Fresh black pepper
• 15 oz can coconut milk (lite or regular)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Fresh basil (thai basil if you can find it)
• Fresh cilantro
• Cooked rice noodles or jasmine rice for serving
• Extra wedges of fresh lime

Additional (just pick and choose, these are just suggestions):

• Grilled tofu (seasoned simply with sesame oil, black pepper and salt)
• Roasted cashews
• Cooked aduki beans
• Thinly sliced sauteed seitan
• Steamed broccoli or cauliflower
• Finely sliced bok choy

Instructions

 

• Preheat a 4 quart pot over medium heat. Mix the cornstarch into the broth and set aside (this is easiest if you just mix it into about a cup of broth, then pour the rest of the broth in.)
• Saute onion and pepper in the oil with a big pinch of salt, until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add garlic, lemongrass, ginger and red pepper flakes and mix in. Cook until fragrant, about a minute, then stream in the broth/cornstarch mixture and add most of the other ingredients: star anise, cinnamon,  shiitakes, soy sauce, tomatoes and fresh black pepper.
• Stir often for the first 10 minutes or so, until the cornstarch has thickened the broth a bit. Now cover pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to simmer and cook covered for a good half hour, until mushrooms are completely softened.
• Add coconut milk and lime, and taste for salt. Heat through and serve with fresh herbs and other accoutrement.

Keyword vegan hot pot, mushroom hot pot recipe, vegan hot pot recipe, vegan mushroom soup, lemongrass soup, Asian mushroom soup, vegan hot pot broth

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