Winter Melon Soup (冬瓜汤 (dōng guā tāng)

Welcome, I’m cozying up to one of my favorite simple soups, winter melon soup, and I want to walk you through it the way my family taught me: gently, patiently, and full of small comforts.

This soup is mild, hydrating, and quietly nourishing — the kind you make in a big pot and sip for days. It’s perfect for summer’s sticky heat or for the slow, softer days of fall.

Cuisine: Chinese
Prep time: ~20 minutes
Cook time: ~1.5–2 hours
Servings: about 6 bowls

Why I Love Winter Melon Soup

Winter melon (dong gua) is mild and almost blank-canvas-ish in flavor, which is why it’s brilliant in soups — it soaks up savory broth and becomes silky and tender.

In my Cantonese home, we often paired it with pork bones and small dried ingredients like scallops, pearl barley, or fox nuts so the soup ends up light, cooling, and quietly rich.

It’s one of those family staples that feels like medicine and comfort at the same time: hydrating, gentle on digestion, and somehow calming.

Ingredients

Equipment You Will Need

• Large soup pot
• Small bowls for soaking dried ingredients
• Spoon for scraping seeds
• Strainer or sieve
• Ladle and skimming spoon
• Knife and cutting board

A Few Notes on Ingredients

Winter melon’s flesh is delicate and mild; it’s the broth that brings it to life. I sometimes leave the skin partly on because it helps the chunks hold together while simmering.

Dried scallops add a briny perfume — use them sparingly if you can get them; dried shrimp is a good budget-friendly alternative.

Dried mandarin peel adds a subtle citrus warmth once you soak and remove the bitter pith.

How I Make My Winter Melon Soup

Step 1: Soak the dried ingredients. Rinse the dried scallops, pearl barley, fox nuts, and the mandarin peel.

Place each into its own small bowl with cold water for about 15–30 minutes. Save the scallop soaking liquid — it’s a quiet flavor booster.

Step 2: Prep the winter melon. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and any stringy bits. Wash the outside well.

I usually cut it into 1–1.5-inch chunks; you can peel it fully or leave a thin layer of skin on — my mom liked leaving the skin to help the pieces survive the simmer.

Step 3: Parboil the bones. Put the pork bones into a pot large enough to cover them with water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes until impurities rise to the surface.

Drain and rinse the bones to remove the scum — this step keeps the broth clear and clean tasting.

Step 4: Build the soup base. In a clean large soup pot, add the blanched pork bones, sliced ginger, drained dried scallops (and their soaking liquid), pearl barley, fox nuts, mandarin peel, and 8 cups of fresh water.

Bring the pot up to a boil, then skim off any scum that surfaces so your broth stays clear.

Step 5: Add the winter melon. When the broth is at a gentle boil and mostly skimmed, add the melon chunks.

Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and let it bubble quietly for at least 1.5 hours — longer if you want even more depth.

Step 6: Finish and season. After the simmer, taste the broth and season with salt and a pinch of white pepper.

I like to add salt slowly so the melon absorbs flavor without becoming too salty. If you used dried scallops, you’ll notice a soft seafood sweetness that rounds everything out.

Step 7: Serve and enjoy. We usually eat the melon flesh and discard the tougher skins, but if the skin is boiled long enough, it becomes soft enough to eat.

I sometimes serve the pork with a little soy sauce for dipping — it feels homey and indulgent.

Variations I Often Make

• Meatball version: swap the ribs for pork meatballs; add noodles or glass noodles toward the end for a heartier soup.
• Chicken base: Use a roasted chicken carcass for a cleaner, slightly sweeter broth.
• Simple and sweet: add red dates and goji berries for a sweeter, nourishing twist (common in Malaysian and Cantonese variations).

Winter Melon Soup

A light, comforting Chinese soup made with winter melon, pork bones, ginger, and a few classic dried ingredients. It’s soothing, hydrating, and gently savory — the kind of soup I grew up sipping on hot summer days and quiet cooler evenings.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Servings: 4 People

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Chinese

Calories: 90

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 | lb | Winter melon | Seeds removed; skin optional
• 1.25 | lb | Pork bones | Neck bones butt bones, or ribs
• 8 | cups | Water | Enough to cover everything
• 1 | knob | Ginger | Sliced
• 0.5 | piece | Dried mandarin peel | Soak + scrape pith
• 1 | small handful | Dried scallops | Optional but adds umami
• 2 | tbsp | Chinese pearl barley | Soaked
• 2 | tbsp | Dried fox nuts | Soaked
• 1.5 | tsp | Salt | Adjust to taste at end
• 1 | dash | White pepper | Optional

Equipment

• 1 Large soup pot For simmering the broth
• 1 Small bowls For soaking dried ingredients
• 1 Strainer  For rinsing bones and skimming foam
• 1 Knife & Cutting Board For prepping melon and ginger
• 1 Soup ladle For serving

Method

 

Step 1 — Soak the dried ingredients

1. Rinse the dried scallops, mandarin peel, pearl barley, and fox nuts. Soak each in separate small bowls of cold water for 15–30 minutes. Save the scallop soaking water for the soup.

Step 2 — Prepare the winter melon

1. Remove seeds and fibers using a spoon. Wash well and cut into 1–1.5 inch chunks. Leave some skin on if you want the pieces to keep their shape while cooking.

Step 3 — Parboil the pork bones

1. Place bones in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil for a few minutes until impurities rise. Drain and rinse well so the final broth stays clear.

Step 4 — Build the soup base

1. In a clean large pot, add the blanched bones, ginger slices, soaked dried ingredients, scallop soaking liquid, and 8 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam.

Step 5 — Add winter melon

1. Once the broth is mostly skimmed, add the melon chunks. Reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook for at least 1.5 hours.

Step 6 — Season and finish

1. Add salt and a dash of white pepper. Taste and adjust. Serve hot. The melon flesh is eaten; skins can be discarded if still firm.

Notes

If you prefer a deeper flavor, use pork ribs or add dried shrimp. For a lighter version, use a chicken carcass instead of pork bones. Always salt the soup at the end to avoid over-seasoning while it simmers.

Little Tips That Matter

• Always blanch bones first so your final broth is clear.
• Keep winter melon chunk sizes uniform so they cook evenly.
• If using dried mandarin peel, soak and scrape the pith away — it removes bitterness.
• Taste and salt at the end — the dried ingredients can concentrate flavor during simmering.
• If you’re in a rush, an instant pot can do the job: pressure cook bones 25–30 minutes, release, then simmer with winter melon another 10–15 minutes.

Storage

Cool the soup quickly and refrigerate it in an airtight container. It keeps well for 2–3 days; reheat by gently bringing it back to a simmer. I avoid leaving it at room temperature for long — the melon can ferment if the room is warm.

FAQs:-

Conclusion

I always feel a little calmer when a pot of winter melon soup is on the stove. It’s simple, cooling, and strangely tender — like a quiet hug. I hope you simmer a pot soon and make it your own, with little changes that remind you of home. Thanks for sharing this moment with me.

Read More:- Stir Fry Chinese Cauliflower Recipe