Hot Pot at Home: Easy Chinese Hot Pot Recipe and Setup Guide for Beginners
A bubbling split pot of mild and spicy broth, platters of thin beef, lamb, chicken, seafood, tofu and greens, and a sauce bar. Dinner and a party at the same time.
- Serves 4
- Mild + spicy broth
- 30-minute setup
- Beginner friendly
Hot pot at home is the easiest dinner party there is: one bubbling pot, a table full of raw ingredients, and everyone cooks their own.
Quick answer
To make hot pot at home, simmer chicken broth with ginger, garlic, scallions and shiitake for 20 minutes, add a spicy Sichuan side, and set the pot on a portable burner at the table. Surround it with thin-sliced beef or lamb, seafood, tofu, mushrooms, greens, noodles and dipping sauces; cook bites in the broth as you eat.
Hot pot at home: a split pot of spicy and mild broth with everything to cook at the table.
What Is Chinese Hot Pot?
Chinese hot pot (huǒguō, “fire pot”) is a simmering pot of broth set in the middle of the table. Everyone cooks thin slices of meat, seafood, tofu, mushrooms, vegetables and noodles in the broth, then dips each bite in sauce. It is equal parts meal and event.
Everyone cooks
Each person cooks exactly what they want, as done as they like it.
Little prep
Most of the work is slicing and arranging; no plating, no timing.
Easy to scale
Add a platter for each extra guest.
Something for everyone
Mild and spicy broths, meat, seafood and plenty of vegetables.
Choose Your Hot Pot Broth
| Broth | Flavor | Made with |
|---|---|---|
| BrothChicken and mushroom (mild) | FlavorClean, savory, gentle | Made withChicken broth, ginger, garlic, shiitake, scallion |
| BrothSpicy Sichuan (mala) | FlavorHot, numbing, bold | Made withChilies, Sichuan peppercorns, chili bean paste, chili oil |
| BrothTomato | FlavorTangy, sweet, kid friendly | Made withFresh tomatoes and tomato paste simmered in broth |
| BrothHerbal | FlavorLight, sweet, aromatic | Made withRed dates, goji berries, ginger, dried mushrooms |
| BrothBone broth | FlavorRich, milky | Made withLong-simmered beef or chicken bones |
A divided “yin-yang” pot lets you serve two at once; mild and spicy is the classic pair.
Easy Hot Pot Recipe: The Broth
The card makes broth for 4 people. Tap 2, 6 or 8 and every amount updates.
Mild on one side, spicy on the other.
Easy Hot Pot Broth (Mild and Spicy)
A ginger, garlic and shiitake chicken broth for the mild side, plus a quick Sichuan chili side for a split pot. Tap the number of people and every amount updates.
People
Ingredients
Mild chicken and mushroom broth- 4 cups8 cups12 cups16 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1 cup2 cups3 cups4 cups water
- 3 slices6 slices9 slices12 slices fresh ginger, sliced
- 36912 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2468 scallions, cut in 3-inch pieces
- 36912 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2468 dried red dates (jujubes), optional
- 1 tsp1 tbsp1½ tbsp2 tbsp goji berries, optional
- to taste salt
- 1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp¼ cup neutral oil
- 1½ tsp1 tbsp1½ tbsp2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 5101520 dried red chilies
- 1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp¼ cup chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
- 1½ tbsp3 tbsp¼ cup + 1 tbsp6 tbsp chili oil
Keep extra hot broth nearby. The pot reduces as you cook; topping up keeps it from turning salty.
Instructions
Simmer the mild broth
Bring the broth, water, ginger, garlic, scallions, shiitake, dates and goji berries to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
Make the spicy side (optional)
Warm the oil in a small pan, fry the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies 30 seconds, then stir in the chili bean paste for 1 minute. Add half the mild broth and the chili oil and simmer 10 minutes.
Fill the pot
Pour the mild broth into one side of a divided hot pot and the spicy broth into the other. Set it on a portable burner in the center of the table.
Set the table
Arrange the meat, seafood, tofu, mushrooms, greens and noodles on platters, with a sauce bar, small bowls, chopsticks and mesh ladles.
Cook as you eat
Keep the broth at a lively simmer. Swish thin meat slices 15 to 30 seconds, cook everything else to the times in the chart, dip and eat.
Top up and finish
Add hot broth or water as it reduces. End the meal by cooking noodles in the rich broth.
Gear for Hot Pot at Home
A divided pot (or a burner and a wide pot) is the essential. These help with the rest.
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Dezin Divided Electric Hot Pot
Mild and spicy broth side by side, no separate burner needed.
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Hot Pot Mesh Skimmer Ladles (6)
One per guest to fish out thin slices and fish balls.
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What to Put in Hot Pot
Arrange everything on platters before the pot comes to the table.
| Category | Good choices | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| CategoryMeat | Good choicesPaper-thin beef and lamb, thin chicken slices, beef meatballs | Per person⅓ lb |
| CategorySeafood | Good choicesShrimp, fish fillet slices, fish balls, squid | Per person3 to 4 oz |
| CategoryTofu | Good choicesFirm tofu, fried tofu puffs, tofu skin | Per person4 oz |
| CategoryMushrooms | Good choicesEnoki, shiitake, oyster, wood ear | Per person1 cup |
| CategoryGreens | Good choicesBok choy, napa cabbage, spinach, watercress | Per person2 cups |
| CategoryOther vegetables | Good choicesCorn on the cob pieces, lotus root, potato and daikon slices | Per person1 cup |
| CategoryNoodles and dumplings | Good choicesFresh wheat noodles, glass noodles, frozen dumplings | Per person1 portion |
Hot Pot Cooking Times
| Ingredient | Cook time | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| IngredientPaper-thin beef or lamb | Cook time15 to 30 seconds | Done whenNo longer pink |
| IngredientThin chicken slices | Cook time3 to 4 minutes | Done whenWhite all the way through |
| IngredientShrimp | Cook time2 to 3 minutes | Done whenPink and curled |
| IngredientFish slices | Cook time1 to 2 minutes | Done whenOpaque and flaky |
| IngredientFish or beef balls | Cook time4 to 5 minutes | Done whenThey float and are hot inside |
| IngredientTofu | Cook time2 to 3 minutes | Done whenHot through |
| IngredientLeafy greens | Cook time30 to 60 seconds | Done whenJust wilted |
| IngredientMushrooms | Cook time2 to 4 minutes | Done whenTender |
| IngredientRoot vegetables and corn | Cook time6 to 10 minutes | Done whenFork tender |
| IngredientFresh noodles | Cook time1 to 3 minutes | Done whenTender, at the end of the meal |
Hot Pot Dipping Sauces
A sauce bar lets everyone mix their own.
| Sauce | Mix | Best with |
|---|---|---|
| SauceSesame peanut | Mix2 tbsp sesame paste, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp warm water, crushed peanuts | Best withBeef and lamb |
| SauceSoy garlic vinegar | Mix2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp black vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, minced garlic, scallion | Best withSeafood and greens |
| SauceSpicy chili | Mix1 tbsp chili oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, garlic, cilantro, a pinch of sugar | Best withEverything |
Set out soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame paste, chili oil, sesame oil, minced garlic, cilantro, scallions, sesame seeds and crushed peanuts, and let guests build their own.
How to Set Up Hot Pot at Home
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| Step1. The burner | What to doSet a portable burner on a heat-safe trivet in the center of the table, away from the edge |
| Step2. The pot | What to doA wide, shallow pot (divided if serving two broths), filled two-thirds full |
| Step3. Platters | What to doRaw ingredients on platters around the pot, meat kept cold until serving |
| Step4. Each place | What to doA small bowl, a sauce bowl, chopsticks and a mesh ladle |
| Step5. Raw tongs | What to doSeparate chopsticks or tongs for raw meat |
| Step6. Extra broth | What to doA kettle of hot broth or water to top up the pot |
No hot pot? Use what you have
| Equipment | How to use it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| EquipmentDutch oven + portable burner | How to use itFill two-thirds with broth and set on the burner | Good to knowHeavy and steady; one broth only |
| EquipmentElectric skillet | How to use itSet to high, then lower to keep a simmer | Good to knowWide and shallow, easy to reach into |
| EquipmentMulticooker or electric pot | How to use itUse the sauté or soup setting with the lid off | Good to knowPlugs in at the table, no flame |
| EquipmentTwo saucepans | How to use itOne mild, one spicy, each on its own burner | Good to knowA good way to try a split pot first |
Whatever you use, keep it wide and shallow enough to see what is cooking, and keep the cord or flame away from the table edge.
Hot Pot Shopping List for 4 to 6
| Section | What to buy |
|---|---|
| SectionMeat and seafood | What to buy1½ lb thin-sliced beef or lamb, 1 lb shrimp, 1 pack fish or beef balls |
| SectionTofu | What to buy1 block firm tofu, 1 pack fried tofu puffs |
| SectionProduce | What to buyBok choy, napa cabbage, spinach, enoki and shiitake mushrooms, 1 lotus root or daikon, 2 ears of corn, scallions, cilantro, ginger, garlic |
| SectionNoodles | What to buy2 packs fresh noodles or a bag of frozen dumplings |
| SectionPantry | What to buyChicken broth, soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame paste, chili oil, sesame oil, dried shiitake, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, chili bean paste |
Hot Pot Tips for Beginners
Cook in small batches
A few pieces at a time keeps the broth bubbling.
Use mesh ladles
Thin slices and fish balls are easy to lose in the pot.
Skim as you go
Lift off foam for a clearer, cleaner-tasting broth.
Noodles last
By the end the broth is rich from everything cooked in it.
Freeze for thin slicing
Partly frozen beef slices paper-thin.
Watch the salt
Broth concentrates as it simmers; top up with water.
Leftover broth makes a great noodle soup the next day; strain it and refrigerate up to 3 days.
Hot Pot at Home: FAQs
How do you make hot pot at home?
Simmer a flavorful broth, set it in a pot on a portable burner at the table, arrange thin-sliced meat, seafood, tofu, mushrooms, greens and noodles around it, and let everyone cook and dip their own.
What do I need for hot pot at home?
A wide pot (a divided one is ideal), a portable burner, broth, raw ingredients sliced thin, dipping sauces, small bowls, chopsticks and mesh ladles.
Can I make hot pot without a hot pot?
Yes. Use a wide Dutch oven or pot on a portable burner, or an electric skillet or multicooker on the table.
What is the best broth for hot pot?
A mild chicken and mushroom broth is the easiest start. Pair it with a spicy Sichuan-style broth for a split pot.
How much meat per person for hot pot?
About ⅓ to ½ lb of meat and seafood per person, plus plenty of vegetables, tofu and noodles.
Where do I get thin-sliced meat?
Asian markets sell frozen paper-thin beef and lamb for hot pot. At home, freeze a beef roast 1 to 2 hours and slice it as thin as possible.
How long do you cook meat in hot pot?
Paper-thin beef or lamb takes 15 to 30 seconds, until no longer pink. Chicken slices need 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through.
What dipping sauce goes with hot pot?
A sesame paste sauce, a soy garlic vinegar sauce and chili oil cover most tastes. Let everyone mix their own at a sauce bar.
Is hot pot good for beginners?
Yes. There is no plating and no timing a whole meal; everyone cooks small bites in the pot.
What goes in hot pot first?
Flavor builders like mushrooms, corn and root vegetables go in early. Thin meat and leafy greens go in last, a few pieces at a time.
Can I use store-bought hot pot base?
Yes, if you check the label; many spicy bases are made with animal fat. A homemade spicy side takes 10 minutes.
How do I keep raw and cooked food separate?
Use separate chopsticks or tongs for raw meat, and mesh ladles to lift cooked food out.
Can kids eat hot pot?
Yes, from the mild side. Supervise near the burner and cut food into small pieces.
What do I do with leftover broth?
Strain it, refrigerate up to 3 days and use it as a noodle soup base.
Is hot pot the same as shabu shabu?
They are cousins. Shabu shabu is the Japanese version with a lighter broth and ponzu or sesame sauce.
What is the difference between hot pot and fondue?
Both are cooked at the table, but hot pot uses broth, not oil or cheese, and covers a whole meal.
More Broths and Noodles
Ramen, miso and quick stir-fries.
A good broth, thin-sliced everything, a sauce bar and a table full of people.
Pin this hot pot at home guide so the broth, cooking times and sauces are ready for your next hot pot night.
