Hong Kong Macaroni Soup (午餐肉通粉) – a delightful fast food recipe

Every time you walk into a Hong Kong-style café (cha chaan teng/ 茶餐厅), there’s a high chance you’ll find the unique Hong Kong macaroni soup, a classic dish of Hong Kong cafes. It might seem strange to some to have macaroni in a clear soup, but this reflects the classic way Chinese cooking incorporates Western dishes and adapts them into a unique culinary style.

This noodle soup is simple, comforting, and easy to make. The ingredients are quite common, yet the concept of making it is extraordinary. All you need to do is cook the macaroni until al dente. Then, prepare a soup base using chicken broth, and optionally, add some tomatoes, vegetables, and luncheon meat. In no time, you’ll have a steaming bowl of comforting soup noodles to fill your stomach and warm your heart.

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Ingredients required for the Hong Kong macaroni soup

This recipe is designed to be simple, using readily available ingredients and straightforward cooking steps.

• Macaroni: The most common pasta used in Hong Kong-style soup is macaroni. However, seashell pasta can also be used as an alternative that works equally well. 
• Chicken Broth: I recommend using store-bought chicken soup for this recipe, as it saves much time compared to making stock from scratch. (I do not make it from scratch because this should be fast food, so I adhere to the same concept.)
• Tomato Puree/Fresh Tomato: While adding tomato is optional, I find it enhances the flavor. Today, I’ll be using fresh tomatoes. Alternatively, you can use tomato paste or add some ketchup. 
• Luncheon Meat/Spam: I use Chinese-style luncheon meat to replicate the macaroni soup served in Hong Kong-style cafes, as most cafes do not include fresh meat. You can substitute this with sausage or ham slices if you prefer.
• Mixed Frozen Vegetables: The choice of vegetables can vary based on personal preference. I’m using a mix of frozen vegetables, which include green peas, sweet corn, and diced carrots. If you have fresh vegetables on hand, feel free to use those. You can add greens like broccoli or bok choy, although it isn’t common in most Hong Kong-style cafes.
• Seasonings: Since I’m using store-bought chicken broth, I don’t need to add much seasoning. A little salt and ground white pepper are sufficient. You can add a few drops of light soy sauce or oyster sauce to enhance the flavor.
• Fried Egg: A nicely fried sunny-side-up or over-easy egg is essential to complete the meal. 

Steps to prepare the Hong Kong macaroni soup

1. Start by bringing a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add some salt, then plunge the macaroni into the water and cook it until al dente. Please follow the package instructions for the exact timing required. Drain the macaroni in a colander and set aside.

2. Chop the tomatoes and add them to the boiling water. Let them cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until they begin to disintegrate. Strain the tomato mixture through a wire mesh strainer to obtain a clear broth.

3. Defrost the frozen mixed vegetables, rinse them with water, and drain them in a colander. Cut the luncheon meat into 1 cm cubes.

4. Place the luncheon meat cubes in a nonstick pan with some oil and pan-fry them until they are slightly crispy outside.

5. Add chicken broth to the clear tomato soup and bring it to a boil.  Season with salt and ground white pepper.

Add the mixed vegetables, the cubes of luncheon meat, and the cooked pasta to the hot soup. Once it returns to a boil, transfer it to a bowl.

6. Use a nonstick pan to cook a fried egg, either sunny-side up or over-easy. Finally, place the fried egg on top of the noodles to serve. Enjoy your Hong Kong macaroni soup!

 Tips to make the best Hong Kong macaroni soup

1. Most Chinese prefer their noodles to be cooked slightly softer rather than too hard. As a result, many Hong Kong cafés tend to cook macaroni just beyond al dente. 
2. If you want a more intense tomato flavor, consider adding some tomato purée.
3. Pan-frying luncheon meat until slightly crispy is an optional step I added. If you are short of time and want to make it simple, you can put the diced luncheon meat straight into the broth along with the macaroni.

How to store the macaroni soup

You can prepare the soup stock and cook the macaroni in advance, then store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. The soup stock can be frozen and kept for several weeks. On the other hand, cooked macaroni can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days without any significant change in texture and flavor. 

It’s not advisable to keep the ready-to-serve macaroni soup, as the macaroni will absorb the soup, causing it to soften and become soggy over time.

Other related recipes

• Macaroni Soup (from scratch): If you have more time and want to make Hong Kong-style macaroni soup using chicken bones, here is another recipe I published earlier.
• Pineapple Bun (Polo Bun): Ironically, this bun does not contain any pineapple. It is called Pineapple Bun because the shape resembles the appearance of a pineapple. It is one of the most popular items at Hong Kong-style cafes, alongside macaroni soup.
• Baked Pork Chop Rice: Another recommendation from the Hong Kong-style café menu is Baked Pork Chop Rice. This dish features pork chops baked on a bed of golden fried rice, topped with a luscious tomato sauce, and covered with melted cheese.