Napa Cabbage Soup
白菜スープ · Hakusai Soup
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
This is one of the simplest soups on our preschool lunch menu: just napa cabbage and a little bacon simmered in a light chicken stock until the cabbage turns soft and sweet. The bacon gives the broth a gentle savory depth without needing much salt, so it suits even the youngest children. Slow simmering makes the cabbage tender enough for toddlers to manage easily, and the mild flavor pairs well with rice dishes or a Chinese-style main.
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 30 gnapa cabbage
- 6 gbacon
Seasonings
- 150 gwater
- 0.6 gchicken stock powder (Chinese-style)Japanese granulated chicken bone soup base used for Chinese-style soups and stir-fries. Substitute: Chicken bouillon granules or powder.
- 0.3 gsalt
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- chicken stock powder (Chinese-style) (鶏ガラスープの素)
- Japanese granulated chicken bone soup base used for Chinese-style soups and stir-fries. Substitute: Chicken bouillon granules or powder.
Directions
- 1
Cut the napa cabbage and bacon into 1 cm wide strips.
- 2
Put the water and chicken stock powder in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the cabbage and bacon from step 1, then simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
- 3
Add the salt and adjust the seasoning.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 19.5 kcal | 39 kcal | 19.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1.2 g | 2.4 g | 1.2 g |
| Fat | 1.2 g | 2.4 g | 1.2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1 g | 2.1 g | 1 g |
| Fiber | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Calcium | 13.5 mg | 27 mg | 13.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Potassium | 79.5 mg | 159 mg | 79.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 19.5 kcal | 1.2 g | 1.2 g | 1 g | 0.5 g | 0.5 g | 13.5 mg | 0.2 mg | 79.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 39 kcal | 2.4 g | 2.4 g | 2.1 g | 0.9 g | 0.9 g | 27 mg | 0.3 mg | 159 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.





