Three Flavors Soup

Sometimes the best cooking means knowing when to stop adding things.

This Chinese soup is built on restraint. Clear chicken broth, fresh shrimp, sliced water chestnuts, and minced green onions. That’s it. Five ingredients, three distinct flavors, and a bowl that tastes like pure clarity.

The water chestnuts bring a sweet crunch that plays against the tender shrimp, while green onions add a sharp, fresh bite that cuts through the richness of the broth.

It’s the kind of soup you crave when you want something light but deeply satisfying.

Chef Tips

• Use the best broth you can get. With so few ingredients, there’s nowhere to hide. A rich, clear homemade chicken stock makes this soup shine. Low-sodium store-bought works if you reduce it slightly first.
• Don’t overcook the shrimp. They go into the boiling broth and need only a minute or two. Pull the pot off the heat as soon as they curl and turn pink.
• Slice water chestnuts thin. Thin circles give you more crunch per spoonful and distribute evenly through the bowl.
• Serve immediately. This soup is at its best the moment it’s done. The shrimp toughen and the green onions lose their bite as it sits.