Shrimp Soup with Cabbage

Sometimes the simplest soups hit the hardest.

Shredded napa cabbage simmers with celery in salted water until just tender but still crunchy. That’s your broth and your vegetable in one step. Ladle it into bowls, scatter chopped scallions over the top, and drop in halved cooked shrimp.

It’s light, clean, and deeply satisfying in the way that only stripped-down cooking can be. No cream, no stock cubes, no fuss. Just honest ingredients doing honest work.

Variations

• Ginger kick: Add a few slices of fresh ginger to the pot while the cabbage simmers for a warming, aromatic twist.
• Sesame finish: Drizzle a few drops of toasted sesame oil into each bowl before serving.
• Noodle bowl: Add cooked rice noodles or thin egg noodles to turn this into a more filling meal.

Kitchen Tips

• Keep the cabbage tender-crisp. Ten minutes is the sweet spot. Overcooked napa cabbage turns mushy and loses its gentle sweetness.
• Use cooked shrimp and just warm them in the hot broth. There’s no need to cook them further.
• This soup doesn’t reheat especially well because the cabbage softens. Make it fresh and eat it right away.