Daikon Burdock Root Soup — This is a light, soothing soup that’s often enjoyed in Chinese households, and it’s known for its antioxidant properties.
This soup was something my dad used to make a lot, usually without meat. For this recipe, though, I’ve added pork bones for extra depth and flavour. The result is a broth that has mild sweetness from the vegetables and and subtle umami flavour from the pork bones.
Also, this soup is simple to make. All you need is 15 minutes of prep work, then place everything in a pot and let it simmer until done.
Watch the full tutorial on how to make Daikon Burdock Root Soup here:
If you love this Daikon Burdock Root Soup recipe, you might also like my Chinese Seaweed Soup with Minced Pork recipe.
Daikon & Burdock Root
Burdock root: Long and slender looking root vegetable. It’s valued in Chinese cooking and traditional medicine for its cleansing and antioxidant properties. In Japan, it is known as Gobo. Together with daikon, it makes the soup naturally sweet and soothing.
Daikon/Radish: A mild white radish that turns naturally sweet after cooking. In soups, it becomes soft and slightly translucent, adding freshness to the broth.
Ingredients
- 1 radish 300 grams 1 根萝卜 300 克
- 1 Burdock root 400 grams 1 根牛蒡根 400 克
- 1 carrot 150 grams 1 根胡萝卜 150 克
- 600 grams pork bones 600 克猪骨
- 2500 ml water 2500 毫升水
- salt to taste 适量盐
Method
- Clean the pork bones: Rinse thoroughly a few times until the water runs clear. This helps remove any impurities.
- Blanch the bones: Place bones in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Then remove the bones, rinse, and set aside.
- Prepare vegetables:
- Peel and cut daikon into angled chunks. Wash and chop the leaves if you have them.
- Lightly scrape burdock skin with a knife (don’t peel fully — much of the nutrients are in the skin). Cut into smaller chunks.
- Peel and cut carrots into chunks.
- Assemble the soup: Place pork bones, daikon, burdock root, and carrots into a pot (claypot or stainless steel). Add water.
- Simmer gently: Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat. Simmer for about 2 hours.
- Season: Add salt to taste.
- Serve: The soup is ready when the pork is tender and falls off the bone, and the daikon turns slightly translucent.
Cooking Tips:
- Blanching is key: Don’t skip this step — it keeps the broth clear.
- Keep daikon leaves: They’re rich in vitamins and can be added for extra nutrition.
- Handle burdock with care: Don’t peel too much skin off — just scrape lightly to keep the nutrients.
- Check doneness: Daikon should look translucent, and pork should fall off the bone. That’s when you know the soup is ready.
- Nutrients found in the broth: In Chinese soups, we usually drink the broth without the ingredients since that’s where most of the nutrients are. But of course, feel free to eat the ingredients too if you prefer.
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Print Recipe for Daikon Burdock Root Soup:
Daikon Burdock Root Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 radish (300 grams) 1 根萝卜 300 克
- 1 Burdock root (400 grams) 1 根牛蒡根 400 克
- 1 carrot (150 grams) 1 根胡萝卜 150 克
- 600 grams pork bones 600 克猪骨
- 2500 ml water 2500 毫升水
- salt to taste 适量盐
Instructions
Clean the pork bones:
- Rinse thoroughly a few times until the water runs clear. This helps remove any impurities.
- Place bones in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Then remove the bones, rinse, and set aside.
Prepare vegetables:
- Peel and cut daikon into angled chunks. Wash and chop the leaves if you have them. Set aside.
- Lightly scrape burdock skin with a knife (don’t peel fully — much of the nutrients are in the skin). Cut into smaller chunks.
- Peel and cut carrots into chunks.
Assemble and cook the soup:
- Place pork bones, daikon, burdock root, and carrots into a pot (claypot or stainless steel). Add water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat. Simmer for about 2 hours.
- Add salt to taste.
Serve:
- The soup is ready when the pork is tender and falls off the bone, and the daikon turns slightly translucent.
Notes
- Blanching is key: Don’t skip this step — it keeps the broth clear and sweet.
- Keep daikon leaves: They’re rich in vitamins and can be added for extra nutrition.
- Handle burdock with care: Don’t peel too much skin off — just scrape lightly to keep the nutrients.
- Check doneness: Daikon should look translucent, and pork should fall off the bone. That’s when you know the soup is ready.
- Nutrients found in the broth: In Chinese soups, we usually drink the broth without the ingredients since that’s where most of the nutrients are. But of course, feel free to eat the ingredients too if you prefer.