Plant-Based Chinese Hot Pot is more than a meal—it’s a shared ritual of warmth, nourishment, and connection. At the centre of the table sits a simmering pot of fragrant vegetable stock, infused with ginger, spring onions, garlic chives, and goji berries. Around it, a colourful spread of fresh vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and tempeh invites everyone to cook their own selections, creating a fun, interactive dining experience that celebrates community and whole food living.
✨ The Experience
- Guests choose from crisp bok choy, tender Chinese cabbage, earthy shiitake mushrooms, sweet corn cobs, or hearty lotus root.
- Ingredients are added raw and gently simmered, allowing each person to craft their own bowl of flavour.
- The broth deepens with every addition, becoming richer and more nourishing as the meal progresses.
💪 Health Benefits
- Immune support: Garlic chives, ginger, and goji berries provide antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that strengthen immunity.
- Digestive health: Cabbage, daikon radish, and sprouts are rich in fibre, supporting gut health and aiding digestion.
- Bone strength: Tofu and tempeh deliver plant-based calcium and protein, while mushrooms add vitamin D precursors.
- Heart health: The naturally oil-free broth and fibre-rich vegetables help lower cholesterol and support cardiovascular wellness.
- Energy balance: Potatoes, pumpkin, and corn provide complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, while green beans and gai lan add iron and folate for vitality.
- Detoxifying properties: Lotus root, bok choy, and radishes are known for their cleansing effects, helping the body eliminate toxins gently.
🌱 Why It’s Special
This hot pot is entirely plant-based, gluten-free, and free from added oils, making it a nourishing choice for all dietary needs. It’s a meal that glows with colour, texture, and flavour—perfect for gatherings where food is both medicine and celebration.
Plant-Based Chinese Hot Pot
A vibrant, interactive way to share a meal with friends. Fresh vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and tempeh are laid out raw and gently simmered at the table in a fragrant vegetable stock infused with ginger, spring onions, garlic chives, and warming herbs. Each guest cooks their own selection—whether crisp bok choy, tender lotus root, earthy shiitake, or sweet corn cobs—creating a nourishing, flavour-packed experience that celebrates community and whole food goodness.
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS – BROTH
- 10 cups vegetable stock (broth)
- 4 slices ginger sliced thinly
- 2 spring onions diced
- 1 tbsp goji berries
- 1 tbsp garlic chives diced
SUGGESTED RAW INGREDIENTS
- bok choy
- chinese cabbage
- gai lan (chinese broccoli
- broccoli
- daikon radish thinly sliced
- oyster mushroom
- shiitake mushroom
- wood ear mushroom** dehydrated – see tips below
- enoki mushroom
- lotus root
- green beans
- mung bean sprouts
- firm tofu and / or tempeh cut to manageable pieces
- potatoes, pumpkin
- corn cobs
SUGGESTED DIPPING SAUCE
- 4 tbsp reduced salt soya sauce / tamari
- 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
Instructions
- Place all of the broth ingredient into a large dutch oven over a medium heat and bring to boil.
- Cover and simmer for around 30 minutes
- While stock is simmering, dice raw ingredients down to a managable size, place into separate plates or small bowls.
- Mix together the ingredients for the dipping sauce.
- Once the broth is ready, place pot onto a portable gas stove and place all the small bowls of raw vegetables / tofu / tempeh and dipping sauce around it.
- Each person can put their own ingredients into the hot pot. Just make sure not to overload it. There is potential for the pot to boil over.
- Also watch the temperature of the pot, if you add too much it can stop boiling and you will need to increase the temperature.
Notes
TIPS:
° First cook in the pot ingredients that can take longer to cook, eg. potatoes, corn, radish, pumpkin
° Have strainers available to hunt out lost vegetables, easier than hunting around with chopsticks.
° Use bamboo or wooden chopsticks rather than plastic or metal
° Mix n Match with other sauces like: Peanut Sauce, Hoisin Sauce
** Wood ear or Pigs ear Mushroom is found at Asian grocers, usually they are dried. To hydrate, place a handful in boiling water until soft. They expand, so it might not seem like a lot at first.
° Have strainers available to hunt out lost vegetables, easier than hunting around with chopsticks.
° Use bamboo or wooden chopsticks rather than plastic or metal
° Mix n Match with other sauces like: Peanut Sauce, Hoisin Sauce
** Wood ear or Pigs ear Mushroom is found at Asian grocers, usually they are dried. To hydrate, place a handful in boiling water until soft. They expand, so it might not seem like a lot at first.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
