Comforting macaroni noodles in a warm bowl of seasoned broth with vegetables, ham and a runny fried egg. This quick and easy Hong Kong Style Macaroni Soup is ready in 15 minutes with simple ingredients. A great meal idea for lunch or breakfast.
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This Hong Kong Style Macaroni Soup features tender macaroni or elbow pasta noodles swimming in warm seasoned chicken broth with peas, carrots, sliced pork ham and fried egg.
The soup is seasoned with a Chinese seasoning ingredients and they always over boil macaroni pasta past al-dente. But to anyone's surprise, the softer noodles taste better chewy ones for this dish.
It's a delicious and popular noodle soup dish served at many Hong Kong Cafés (aka "cha chang tengs" in Cantonese).
These HK-style cafés are known to serve Western dishes influenced by Chinese cooking methods as Hong Kong was once colonized by Britain.
They are known to serve dishes like Hong Kong style french toast, ham and egg sandwiches, baked pork chop on rice and more.
There are also two versions of this dish: this version and the tomato version, where the broth contains tomato paste. Both are equally delicious in their own right.
This macaroni soup is perfect for a cold day to warm the body up! It's my husband's favorite item to order at these cafés but the best part is that you can easily make it at home.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to recipe card below for full measurements.
- Macaroni Pasta (aka Elbow Pasta): or substitute with any short pasta of your choice like small seashell pasta or farfalle pasta and cook according to package directions.
- Frozen Mixed Vegetables: containing a variety of carrots, green peas, green beans and/or corn niblets. Or substitute with the fresh version of the mentioned vegetables.
- Chicken Stock: ideally low-sodium stock. Or substitute with vegetable stock or mushroom stock.
- Oyster sauce: this is a thick brown sauce made of oysters that adds a lot of umami flavor. Or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. Or substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Sesame Oil: or substitute with sesame seeds. If you're allergic to sesame, omit it.
- Chicken Bouillon Powder: this is also known as chicken stock powder to add depth. Or substitute with msg.
- White Granulated Sugar
- Eggs: if you're allergic to eggs, omit them.
- Ham: ideally pre-sliced ham. Or substitute with sliced roast beef, turkey, chicken, pan-fried spam, cooked bacon, or cooked mini cocktail sausages.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
- Salt: to season pasta water.
Expert Tips
- Get pre-sliced ham to make preparation easier and quicker!
- For authentic Hong Kong style macaroni soup, over cook the pasta just a bit more so the pasta is soft and tender. For some reason, this tastes better than chewy al-dente pasta.
- Prepare the ingredients in advance because the cooking process is fast.
- Fry the eggs sunny side up with a runny yolk for an authentic taste and look. But if you're not a fan of sunny side up, cook them any way you prefer.
- Keep the broth hot by covering it as you cook the eggs last.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Hong Kong style macaroni soup:
- In a medium size pot filled with 7 cups or 1.65 liters water, add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and add macaroni pasta. Boil pasta according to package directions, about 11 minutes on high heat for Al dente or 13 minutes for slightly overcooked (like in authentic HK style macaroni soup).
- Strain the cooked pasta in a colander and divide between two large serving bowls. Set aside.
- In a medium size pot, add chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sesame oil, and sugar. Stir and bring to a boil on high heat.
- Add frozen mixed vegetables and boil for 30 seconds or until vegetables float to the top. Once boiled, remove the pot off heat and cover to keep hot.
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Fry eggs sunny side up until edges are crispy brown and the egg whites are set. Or feel free fry them easy-over or scramble them. Transfer a cooked egg on top of the macaroni pasta per bowl.
- Place 2-3 slices of ham on top of pasta per bowl. Then pour the hot broth over each bowl. Enjoy!
Storage
- This is best consumed fresh or within 12 hours.
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend storing the macaroni, fried eggs and ham separate from the soup. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pot on medium heat.
- Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing Hong Kong style macaroni soup because the eggs will turn rubbery.
Pairing Suggestions
Hong Kong style macaroni soup serves well with:
- Satay Beef Sandwich
- Satay Beef Vermicelli Soup
- Cantonese Soy Sauce Chow Mein
- Hong Kong Fish Fillet Cream Sauce Pasta
- rice dishes like fried rice or Macau Baked Portuguese Chicken Rice
- soup noodles
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves
- protein dishes like Soy Sauce Chicken, Oven-Roasted Char Siu or Air Fryer Char Siu, or Chinese Roasted Pork Belly
FAQ
This can be made up to 4 days in advance and I recommend storing the different component into separate airtight containers in the fridge. I also recommend frying the eggs the same day as serving. To reheat, microwave or in a pot on the stovetop on medium heat.
📖 Recipe
Easy 15-min. Hong Kong Style Macaroni Soup
Ingredients
- 8 oz macaroni pasta or sea shell/farfalle pasta
- 4 cups chicken stock low-sodium, or vegetable stock
- 4-6 slices ham or sliced roast beef/turkey/chicken/cooked spam
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables containing carrots, peas, green beans, and/or corn niblets
- 1 tbsp salt for seasoning pasta water
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (aka chicken stock powder)
- ½ teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Instructions
- In a medium size pot filled with 7 cups or 1.65 liters water, add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and add macaroni pasta. Boil pasta according to package directions, about 11 minutes on high heat for Al dente or 13 minutes for slightly overcooked (like in authentic HK style macaroni soup).
- Strain the cooked pasta in a colander and divide between two large serving bowls. Set aside.
- In a medium size pot, add chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sesame oil, and sugar. Stir and bring to a boil on high heat.
- Add frozen mixed vegetables and boil for 30 seconds or until vegetables float to the top. Once boiled, remove the pot off heat and cover to keep hot.
- Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Fry eggs sunny side up until edges are crispy brown and the egg whites are set. Or feel free fry them easy-over or scramble them. Transfer a cooked egg on top of the macaroni pasta per bowl.
- Place 2-3 slices of ham on top of pasta per bowl. Then pour the hot broth over each bowl. Enjoy!
Lucy Suen
Made this. Super quick AND DELICIOUS!!!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe Lucy!!
Jackie
Simple, quick, and mostly important - delicious! Thank you so much for sharing a recipe that brings me back to sitting in a booth of a Hong Kong cafe.
christieathome
I am so happy to read that this brings you back to your memories of sitting in a HK cafe! This is music to my ears. Thank you for making my recipe Jackie!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Looks delicious, Christie!! Perfect for a chillier day!! 🙂
Josiah - DIY Thrill
This Macaroni Soup looks incredible!