Low Carb Spiced Bok Choy and Broccoli Soup

⏲ ~15 min total · prep 13 · cook 2 · 4 servings

By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor

Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, divided
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 lb baby bok choy, sliced crosswise 1 inch thick, whites and greens kept separate
• 3 cups small broccoli florets
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium; add the ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes and stir 45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
2. Add the bok choy whites and stir-fry 2 minutes until their edges turn translucent.
3. Add the broccoli, broth, and tamari, raise the heat, and bring to a boil.
4. Drop to a lively simmer and cook 5 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and a floret stem yields to a paring knife with slight resistance.
5. Stir in the bok choy greens and simmer 1-2 minutes just until wilted but still deep green.
6. Kill the heat, stir in the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and the salt, taste, and adjust the salt if needed.
7. Ladle into bowls and scatter the scallions over each serving.

Why this recipe works

• Two-stage bok choy Whites go in first for 2 minutes, greens in for the last 1 or 2. One-stage cooking gives you either raw stems or gray leaves; staged, you get both cooked right.
• Sesame oil split in two Half the oil toasts the aromatics at the start, and the rest goes in off the heat. The finishing tablespoon keeps the raw, nutty perfume that simmering boils away.
• 21 minutes, one pot From grating the ginger to ladling out, the whole soup fits inside 21 minutes in a single 4-quart saucepan. Cleanup is one pot and a knife.

Tips for making this recipe well

Fragrant, never browned

Forty-five seconds is all these aromatics need. Browned ginger turns bitter. That bitterness spreads through the broth.

Test a broccoli stem

A paring knife should meet slight resistance at 5 minutes, not slide through. Mushy broccoli means the pot went past it; the color tells the same story.

Tamari is the salt

Between tamari and the half teaspoon of salt, the broth usually lands where it should. Taste before reaching for the box, since greens vary in size.

Cut bok choy crosswise, 1 inch

One-inch slices keep the whites and greens in distinguishable bands, which makes staging them simple. Shredded too fine, they cook as one soft mass.

Serve it immediately

The greens are at their greenest the minute the heat goes off. Held long, they fade; the soup stays good but looks tired.

Serving suggestions

The night this pot earns its keep is the one where you walk in cold and hungry at the same time. Twenty-one minutes from cutting board to bowl. One saucepan to wash. At 3.9 net carbs it qualifies as a light main, and a fried egg laid on top turns it into a full dinner. Ladle deep and scatter the scallions over each bowl. Eat it while the greens are still bright green; that color is the clock.

Storage and meal prep

Refrigerate covered for 3 to 4 days. The broth holds its character, while the bok choy greens dull to olive and soften; the soup stays worth eating though the fresh-picked color fades. The base freezes better than the finished soup: after 2 months in the freezer the broccoli and greens turn soft. If freezing is the plan, cook the pot without the greens, freeze that, then stir fresh greens into the reheated base.

Variations worth trying

• Vegetarian pot Vegetable broth replaces the chicken broth one for one. Expect a slightly sweeter, rounder base.
• Shredded chicken A cup of shredded cooked chicken stirred in with the greens makes the soup a fuller meal. It warms through in the last 2 minutes.
• Creamy version Half a cup of coconut milk swirled in at the end turns the broth silky. Add it with the finishing sesame oil.
• Mushroom add Sliced cremini mushrooms dropped in with the broccoli bring chew and depth. They need the full 5 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use full-size bok choy?

Yes. Cut it the same 1 inch crosswise and give the whites an extra minute before the broth goes in. The thick center ribs are tougher than baby bok choy's.

No tamari on hand?

Soy sauce substitutes one for one; the difference is that tamari is usually wheat-free. Coconut aminos also work but taste sweeter, so start with less and taste.

Can I make the broth ahead?

The base up through the broccoli keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. Hold the greens back and stir them into the reheated pot for the last minute.

How spicy is it?

Half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes warms the broth without burning. Leave them out for a mild pot or double them for a cold snap.

Why did my broccoli turn dull?

It cooked past bright green, usually by 2 or 3 extra minutes. The flavor stays fine, but the color is the honest signal; start testing at the 4 minute mark next time.

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