Spinach Soup with Salted Duck Eggs

Ingredients

• 2salted duck eggs
• 7.5 ml (½ tablespoon)Shaoxing wine or sake
• 710 ml (3 cups)low-sodium vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 298 g (10.5 oz)mature spinach, cut into 5–7.5 cm (2–3 inch) pieces
• 1 tablespoongoji berries, rinsed

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the eggs

   Separate the yolks from the whites. Keep one egg white and discard the other. Cut each yolk into 3–4 pieces, then drizzle the Shaoxing wine or sake over them.

2. 2

   Heat the stock

   Bring the vegetable or chicken stock to a boil. Add the reserved egg white and yolk pieces, and cook for up to 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Cook the spinach

   Add the spinach and bring the soup back to a boil. Cook quickly for about 2 minutes, just until the spinach is tender but still has a pleasant bite.

4. 4

   Finish and serve

   Add the goji berries, then turn off the heat. Transfer the soup to serving bowls and serve straight away.

What is spinach soup with salted duck eggs?

This Chinese-style soup combines leafy greens with salted duck eggs, whose yolks and white add savoury depth to a simple stock. It is a straightforward home-cooking dish built around a few ingredients rather than a long list of seasonings.

Here, mature spinach gives the broth substance, while goji berries bring a gentle fruity note. The quick cooking keeps the greens lively and makes the soup easy to prepare just before serving.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 132 calories, 8g protein, 14g carbs, 6g fat.

The spinach and goji berries provide most of the carbohydrates, while the salted eggs contribute both fat and protein. The stock adds volume and flavour, with the specific nutrition depending on whether you choose vegetable or chicken stock. To make a more balanced plate, serve a bowl alongside rice and a protein-rich main dish.

Why use salted duck eggs?

Salted duck eggs bring saltiness and richness, especially through their yolks. Cutting the yolks into pieces lets them mingle with the hot broth without needing to blend the soup.

Using just one of the whites keeps the soup from becoming too heavily seasoned. The stock choice also matters: a low-sodium stock leaves more room for the eggs to flavour the broth.

The role of the wine

Shaoxing wine is drizzled over the yolk pieces before they go into the stock. Sake is offered as an alternative, so use whichever the recipe calls for or you have available.

Keep the amount modest, as the wine is there to accompany the salted eggs rather than dominate the soup. The method adds it to the yolks, not directly to the stock.

How to keep spinach tender

Mature spinach is cut into short pieces so it is easier to eat in a spoonful. Once it goes into the boiling stock, cook it for about 2 minutes and watch for the leaves to soften while retaining a little bite.

Avoid simmering it for longer than needed. The recipe's quick cooking is key to keeping the greens from turning limp.

Add the goji berries last

The rinsed goji berries go in after the spinach has cooked. Turning off the heat immediately afterwards gives them a brief moment in the hot soup without extending the cooking time.

This order also makes it easier to serve the soup promptly, while the spinach is still tender and the broth is hot.

Serving the soup

Serve the soup as soon as it is transferred to bowls. It works as a light first course or alongside a meal with rice and other Chinese-style dishes.

Because the salted eggs season the broth, taste a spoonful before adding any extra seasoning at the table. The recipe does not call for additional salt.

Recipe notes & tips

• Rinse the goji berries before adding them to the soup.
• Cut the yolks into even pieces so they warm through in the brief cooking time.
• Use low-sodium stock to keep the salted eggs from making the broth overly salty.
• Have the spinach ready before the stock boils so you can add it promptly.
• Serve immediately for the best spinach texture.

Variations

• Choose chicken stock: use it instead of vegetable stock for a fuller savoury broth.
• Use sake: substitute it for Shaoxing wine as listed in the recipe.
• Add rice: serve the soup with cooked rice for a more substantial meal.
• Try tender greens: replace the spinach with another leafy green that cooks quickly.
• Adjust the goji berries: use fewer for a subtler fruity note.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the spinach: it can become limp, so stop once it is tender with a little bite.
• Using very salty stock: choose low-sodium stock so the salted eggs can season the broth.
• Adding goji berries too early: put them in at the end, then turn off the heat.
• Leaving the soup to stand: serve it promptly to preserve the spinach texture.
• Cutting the yolks too large: make 3–4 pieces from each yolk so they heat through quickly.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days. Reheat gently until hot; the spinach will soften further after storage and reheating.

Frequently asked questions