Clear Soup with Water Spinach: The Ultimate Comfort Bowl

Clear Soup with Water Spinach might sound simple, but in many Asian kitchens, simplicity carries the deepest flavors. When I first created this recipe for my family, it wasn’t just about cooking it was about reconnecting with traditions that go back generations.

On the About page of Just Thai Recipes, I often share how my journey into Thai cooking began in my grandmother’s small kitchen, where soups simmered slowly and vegetables were chosen fresh from the morning market. The smell of garlic sizzling in oil was always a sign that something nourishing was on the way.

This delicious Clear Soup with Water Spinach is one of those recipes that proves less really is more. With just a handful of ingredients—garlic, broth, soy sauce, and fresh water spinach—you can create a dish that is both comforting and energizing. This post will guide you through everything you need to know: the authentic cooking method, ingredient swaps, cultural background, nutritional insights, variations like chicken clear soup, and even how to prepare a clear soup recipe for colonoscopy in case you need something extremely light.

By the end, you’ll not only know how to make Clear Soup with Water Spinach but also understand why this humble dish continues to be a cornerstone in Thai households and a favorite across Asia.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy and healthy Clear Soup with Water Spinach:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil – olive or sunflower oil also works.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced – fresh garlic adds depth to the broth.
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth – use chicken broth if you want more richness.
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce – balances the flavors.
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional) – for an authentic umami note.
• 1 pinch salt – to taste.
• 1 pinch sugar – helps round out the flavors.
• 1 bunch water spinach (about 2 cups) – washed, trimmed, and cut into 3-inch pieces.
• 1 small carrot, sliced thin (optional) – for extra sweetness and color.
• 1 spring onion, chopped (for garnish) – adds freshness.
• 1 dash white pepper (optional) – for a subtle kick.

Tip: If you can’t find water spinach, regular spinach or even bok choy can be used.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the broth: In a medium pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. This creates the base aroma of the soup.
2. Simmer the soup: Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Add soy sauce, fish sauce (if using), salt, and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning—your soup should be light yet flavorful.
3. Add vegetables: Toss in the sliced carrot and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly tender. Then add the water spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until just wilted but still vibrant green.
4. Finish and serve: Remove from heat immediately to preserve freshness. Garnish with spring onion and a dash of white pepper. Serve hot.

This Clear Soup with Water Spinach is best enjoyed fresh, but don’t worry—I’ll show you later how to store and reheat it without losing flavor.

Tips & Tricks

Cooking Clear Soup with Water Spinach doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some kitchen-tested tips to make it foolproof:

• Use homemade broth – Making your own vegetable or chicken broth adds depth and ensures no unnecessary preservatives. See our guide on homemade broth ideas here for inspiration.
• Don’t overcook the water spinach – It should remain crisp and bright green. Overcooking will make it dull and mushy.
• Add protein – Toss in soft tofu, shrimp, or shredded chicken to make the soup heartier.
• Make it spicy – A few slices of Thai chili will transform it into a spicy clear soup variation.

Variations of Clear Soup with Water Spinach

This soup is flexible, and there are endless ways to adapt it. Here are some creative spins, along with resources from trusted cooking sites:

1. Easy Clear Soup with Water Spinach – Skip the fish sauce and keep it vegan.
2. Healthy Clear Soup with Water Spinach – Use low-sodium broth and add more vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini.
3. Chicken Clear Soup – Replace vegetable broth with chicken broth and add shredded chicken for protein.
4. Creamy Clear Soup with Water Spinach – Add a splash of coconut milk for a richer Thai twist.
5. Clear Soup Recipe for Colonoscopy – Strain the broth, omit vegetables, and use it as a gentle preparation food.

For more inspiration, check out Indian Healthy Recipes’ clear soup guide and this Indonesian take on sayur bening spinach soup. Both showcase how versatile and global clear soups can be.

Nutrition & Health Benefits

From here onward, as you requested, I will make sure Clear Soup with Water Spinach appears more than 10 times in each section.

Clear Soup with Water Spinach is not only comforting but also a powerhouse of nutrition. Each bowl provides hydration, vitamins, and minerals with very few calories. Water spinach itself is loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and dietary fiber. Combined with garlic and broth, it supports digestion, boosts immunity, and keeps you feeling light yet satisfied.

Eating Clear Soup with Water Spinach regularly can support heart health because it is naturally low in fat and cholesterol-free. It’s also a great way to include leafy greens in your diet, especially if you struggle with salads. If you choose the chicken broth version, Clear Soup with Water Spinach will also give you protein while keeping calories in check.

Athletes often turn to Clear Soup with Water Spinach as a recovery meal since it provides hydration and minerals lost during exercise. Meanwhile, people looking for gentle meals during illness often choose Clear Soup with Water Spinach because it soothes the stomach while delivering nutrients.

Make-Ahead and Storage Guide for Soup with Water Spinach

One of the great things about Clear Soup with Water Spinach is its convenience. If you love meal prepping, you’ll appreciate how easy it is to prepare Clear Soup with Water Spinach ahead of time. The broth for Clear Soup with Water Spinach can be made in large batches, stored in the fridge, and then reheated whenever you need a quick and healthy meal.

When storing Clear Soup with Water Spinach, it’s best to keep the broth and vegetables separate. The broth of Clear Soup with Water Spinach lasts up to three days in the refrigerator, while freshly blanched water spinach should be added just before serving. This keeps Clear Soup with Water Spinach vibrant and fresh instead of mushy. If you want to freeze Clear Soup with Water Spinach, always freeze only the broth portion. Fresh greens do not freeze well and should be added later when reheating.

Reheating Clear Soup with Water Spinach requires gentle heat. Avoid boiling, as this will cloud the broth and overcook the greens. The ideal way to warm Clear Soup with Water Spinach is on low to medium heat until it reaches serving temperature. If you plan to serve Clear Soup with Water Spinach to guests, always add the spinach just a few minutes before bringing it to the table for the freshest presentation.

With these strategies, Clear Soup with Water Spinach becomes one of the most practical soups for everyday life, perfect for busy families, college students, or anyone seeking easy, wholesome meals.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Soup with Water Spinach

Even though Soup with Water Spinach is simple, beginners sometimes make mistakes that affect the flavor and texture. One of the most frequent errors is overcooking the greens. The beauty of Clear Soup with Water Spinach lies in its bright green color and tender-crisp bite. Cooking Clear Soup with Water Spinach for too long turns it soggy and dull.

Another common mistake is using too much seasoning. Clear Soup with Water Spinach is meant to be mild, not salty or overpowering. Adding too much soy sauce or fish sauce masks the delicate flavor of Clear Soup with Water Spinach. A good rule is to season Clear Soup with Water Spinach gradually and taste often.

Some people also boil the broth too vigorously. Clear Soup with Water Spinach should be simmered, not boiled, to maintain its clarity and delicate balance. If you boil Clear Soup with Water Spinach, you risk clouding the liquid and losing the subtle fragrance.

Finally, a mistake to avoid is skipping fresh garlic. The aromatic base of Clear Soup with Water Spinach comes from garlic sautéed in oil. Powdered garlic does not deliver the same depth. For authentic flavor, always use fresh cloves when preparing Clear Soup with Water Spinach.

By avoiding these errors, you’ll consistently prepare Clear Soup with Water Spinach that tastes fresh, balanced, and restaurant-quality.

Cultural Importance of Soup with Water Spinach in Thai Cuisine

Soup with Water Spinach has deep cultural roots in Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand, where meals are designed around balance and harmony. Families often prepare Soup with Water Spinach as part of a larger spread, pairing it with curries, stir-fries, and rice. Clear Soup with Water Spinach provides a gentle contrast to spicier dishes, allowing the palate to reset.

In Thai households, Soup with Water Spinach is considered comfort food. Children grow up enjoying Clear Soup with Water Spinach alongside bowls of steamed rice, while elders favor it for its lightness and digestibility. Street vendors in Thailand often sell Clear Soup with Water Spinach as a quick and affordable option for busy workers, proving its popularity across generations.

Beyond Thailand, versions of Soup with Water Spinach appear in Indonesia, Vietnam, and even southern China. In Indonesia, Clear Soup with Water Spinach resembles sayur bening, while in Vietnam, the concept is similar to soups made with morning glory greens. These variations highlight how Clear Soup with Water Spinach is both traditional and adaptable.

There’s also a medicinal aspect to Soup with Water Spinach. In traditional Asian medicine, Clear Soup with Water Spinach is believed to cool the body, cleanse the blood, and support digestion. For these reasons, families often serve Clear Soup with Water Spinach to loved ones recovering from illness or fatigue.

Today, Soup with Water Spinach continues to be a symbol of nourishment, comfort, and tradition. Its enduring role in Thai and Southeast Asian cooking proves why Soup with Water Spinach remains beloved both at home and abroad.

Serving Suggestions

While this dish is satisfying on its own, there are many ways to elevate it or pair it with complementary foods.

• With rice: In Thailand, it’s common to serve a mild broth alongside steamed jasmine rice. The rice soaks up the liquid, turning every bite into comfort food.
• As a starter: For formal dinners or gatherings, a clear broth soup makes a refined appetizer, opening the meal without being heavy.
• With noodles: Adding rice noodles or glass noodles turns it into a light yet filling one-bowl meal.
• With protein sides: Grilled chicken, fish, or tofu pair beautifully with this delicate dish, offering contrasting textures.
• As a detox meal: Many people enjoy this type of broth as part of a cleansing diet, especially after heavy holiday meals.

For drinks, a hot jasmine tea or iced green tea makes a lovely companion, keeping the meal fresh and balanced.

When readers look up simple broth-based recipes, they often want to compare variations. Here’s how those common searches naturally fit into this context:

• Easy clear soup with water spinach – The recipe shared here is already straightforward, requiring minimal effort and basic pantry ingredients.
• Healthy clear soup with water spinach – It’s naturally low in calories and high in nutrients, making it a smart choice for healthy eating.
• List of clear soups – Examples include miso soup, consommé, chicken broth, vegetable stock, and Thai-style spinach broth.
• 5 examples of clear soup – Beyond this recipe, consider Japanese miso, Chinese egg drop, Italian brodo, French bouillon, and Vietnamese pho.
• Soup recipe for colonoscopy – Strained broth versions, without vegetables, are often recommended before medical procedures.
• Creamy clear soup with water spinach – Though “creamy” and “clear” sound opposite, a splash of coconut milk can add richness while keeping it light.
• Chicken clear soup – A popular variant where chicken broth replaces vegetable broth, with shredded chicken added for protein.
• Thai vegetable soup clear broth – A category that includes multiple recipes similar to this one, featuring seasonal greens in a gentle broth.

The Nutritional Power of Soup with Water Spinach

Soup with Water Spinach is much more than a comforting dish it’s a nutritional powerhouse. Every bowl contains the essential elements of a balanced meal without the heaviness that comes with cream-based soups or fried foods. Because Clear Soup with Water Spinach is broth-based, it hydrates the body while supplying vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

The star of Soup with Water Spinach is, of course, the water spinach. This leafy green is rich in vitamin A for healthy vision, vitamin C for immunity, and iron for better blood health. When paired with garlic in Clear Soup with Water Spinach, you get natural antibacterial properties that promote gut health. The light broth in Soup with Water Spinach also makes it easy to digest, making it ideal for children, the elderly, and anyone recovering from illness.

Another reason Soup with Water Spinach stands out is its versatility. It can be made with chicken broth for added protein or kept vegetarian with vegetable broth. Because Clear Soup with Water Spinach is naturally low in calories, it supports weight management while providing satiety. Many athletes turn to Clear Soup with Water Spinach for recovery meals, while those on detox diets enjoy it as a cleansing option.

The best part about Clear Soup with Water Spinach is that it’s accessible and affordable. With just a handful of ingredients, you can create a dish that nourishes the body while also satisfying the soul.

Conclusion

Cooking a light vegetable broth at home is about more than just feeding yourself or your family—it’s about embracing a rhythm of cooking that is gentle, nourishing, and deeply connected to tradition. Every spoonful carries with it a sense of calm and balance, reminding us that good food does not need to be complicated or filled with heavy sauces to be satisfying.

One of the beautiful aspects of a simple broth-based dish is how it adapts to any season or occasion. On chilly evenings, it warms you from the inside out. During hot summer months, its refreshing clarity provides relief without weighing you down. It’s a dish that transcends boundaries, enjoyed in modest rural kitchens as much as it is in bustling city households.

What also makes this type of soup special is its versatility. You can tailor it to suit your needs—whether you want something purely plant-based, a protein-packed version for energy, or a light meal for recovery. It can serve as a main dish when paired with rice or noodles, or it can be presented as part of a larger feast where each element on the table plays its role in harmony.

Beyond practicality, there’s a cultural and emotional value that should not be overlooked. Recipes like this are often handed down through generations, not written in cookbooks but remembered through the act of cooking together. Many of us can recall memories of family members carefully simmering broth, tasting as they went, adjusting with just a pinch of seasoning until it felt “right.” That process is a form of care, and it is exactly what gives such dishes their soul.

On the health side, there’s a timeless wisdom in turning to clear soups when the body feels tired or out of balance. Modern nutrition confirms what tradition has long known—that light broths hydrate, restore, and provide essential nutrients without burdening the digestive system. This makes them not just food, but a kind of remedy, a natural way of supporting wellness in everyday life.

But perhaps the greatest gift of a humble bowl of broth is the sense of comfort it delivers. There is something universal in sitting down to a steaming bowl, the aroma rising up, the first sip warming your chest. It is simple, yes, but simplicity is often where true satisfaction lies. In a world filled with fast food and overwhelming flavors, dishes like this remind us to slow down, to appreciate the basics, and to savor the quiet pleasure of a meal that is both wholesome and deeply familiar.

So the next time you find yourself looking for a dish that is light yet fulfilling, practical yet deeply rooted in culture, consider making a clear vegetable broth like this one. It’s a recipe that doesn’t just feed the body—it nourishes the spirit, connects us with tradition, and reminds us of the beauty that lies in simplicity.

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