I love experimenting with my Instant Pot in the kitchen, and one of my favorite creations is the Instant Pot Hot Pot . It’s a clever recipe that I’ve come up with, and it’s perfect for cooking a delicious Chinese hot pot meal right at home.

Compared to Vietnamese hot pot, Chinese hot pot is much simpler to prepare since there are many instant hot pot broths available at Asian supermarkets.

🙋‍♀️ Can the Instant Pot be used for hot pot?

Absolutely! While the Instant Pot may be deeper than a standard hot pot, it is still a fantastic option for boiling broth, particularly for smaller dinner gatherings.

As a student who loves hot pots and prefers to keep my kitchen streamlined, the Instant Pot is an ideal solution. It performs exceptionally well, fulfilling my hot pot cravings without the need for any extra kitchen appliances.

More Asian recipes with Instant Pot:

Bowl of Hu Tieu Bo Kho: A delicious Vietnamese beef stew served with Hu Tieu noodles, carrots, and onions. — Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) (Instant Pot and Stovetop)

Delicious and aromatic Instant Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice, served with juicy chicken, fluffy rice, and delectable sauces. — Instant Pot Hainanese Chicken Rice

Mini flan recipe: A Single Serve Flan on a plate with caramel sauce on top. — Single Serve Mini Flan With Instant Pot
(No Molds & Easy)

Delicious Vietnamese Xoi Man - A delectable plate of Vietnamese savory sticky rice adorned with flavorful toppings, a delightful treat from Vietnamese cuisine. — Xôi Mặn (Vietnamese Savory Sticky Rice)
(Instant Pot and Stovetop)

🙋‍♀️ What is Hot Pot?

Hot Pot is a special type of meal enjoyed by many people in East and Southeast Asia. It involves a pot filled with simmering broth, which is kept hot by a heat source underneath.

Around the pot, there are various food items that each diner can cook in the broth. After cooking, the food is typically dipped in sauces to enhance the flavors.

Hot Pot has different names in different countries. In China, it is known as “Huo Guo” (火锅) or “Fire Pot”. In Korea, it is called “Jeongol” (전골). In Japan, it is referred to as “Nabe” (鍋) (it’s worth noting that Shabu Shabu is a specific type of hot pot and not a general term for hot pot). And in my home country of Vietnam, we call it “Lẩu”.

In my opinion, hot pot is not just about the food; it also represents the communal culture of Asian countries. It brings people together as they participate in cooking their own food while enjoying the company of others. It’s a wonderful way to bond and share a delicious meal.

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

Communal and Enjoyable: Hot Pot is not just about the food; it’s an experience that brings people together. It’s a fantastic way to bond with family and friends over a flavorful and interactive meal.

Easy and Stress-free: Unlike the misconception that Hot Pot is a fancy and complicated meal, this recipe proves otherwise. Simply gather the raw ingredients and let the electric pot or Instant pot do the work of cooking the broth.

Cheaper price: Compared to dining at hot pot restaurants, preparing Hot Pot at home saves you money.

Convenience of the Instant Pot: If you don’t have access to an electric pot specifically designed for hot pot, don’t worry! The Instant Pot serves as a fantastic alternative.

Notes: This recipe features the Chinese instant hot pot broth, which can be easily found in any Asian market. Vietnamese instant hot pot broth is not as common, most Vietnamese prefer making the broth from scratch.

🫕 Equipments

An Instant Pot (or any specialized Electric Pot designed for Hot Pot): This will serve as the main cooking vessel for your hot pot.
Chopsticks: Essential utensils for picking up food items in the hot pot (I’ve experienced eating hot pot without chopsticks and it’s a nightmare lol ). I recommend to use wooden chopsticks as they are heat-resistant, unlike plastic chopsticks, and they do not conduct heat like metal chopsticks.
Bowls: You will need bowls and plates to hold the cooked food items and dipping sauces.

Ladles: If you plan to have noodles in your hot pot, having ladles will come in handy for scooping the broth and serving it alongside the noodles.

🍲 Ingredients for a Chinese Hot Pot:

I. Broth:

To save time, you can use store-bought soup bases. I recommend trying various instant hot pot soup bases available at Asian markets. My favorite brand is Haidilao, and I also brought some from Vietnam.

For a spicy broth, choose Sichuan spicy hot pot. If you prefer a milder flavor, go for tomato broth, mushroom broth, or tom yum broth.

II. Food items:

When preparing a Chinese hot pot, you can select ingredients from three categories (choose at least 3 from the protein and vegetable categories and 1 from the noodles and dumplings category):

Protein (choose based on your dietary preferences):

Meat: thinly sliced beef, lamb, and pork specifically for hot pot.
Seafood: sliced fish fillets, shrimp, cuttlefish, beef balls, pork balls, fish balls, fish tofu, fish cake
Tofu and soy products: tofu puffs, frozen tofu, dried bean curd rolls, fresh or dried tofu skin (Yuba).

Vegetables:

Leafy greens: napa cabbage, bok choy, baby bok choy…
Mushrooms: oyster mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, wood ears, button mushrooms.
High-carb vegetables: sweet corn, lotus root, potatoes, sweet potatoes.

Noodles and Dumplings:

Noodles: sweet potato glass noodles, wheat noodles, egg noodles, rice noodles.
Dumplings: homemade or store-bought dumplings or wontons.

III. Dipping Sauce:

Create a personalized dipping sauce using the following ingredients:

Soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar
Chinese sesame paste, Peanut butter
Chinese chili oil, Sesame oil
Minced garlic, Chopped scallions, Chopped cilantro

-> My simplified version for dipping sauce: 2 tbsp Japanese sesame sauce (Goma Dare), 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ ttbsp Chinese black vinegar, and 1tsp Lao Gan Ma chili oil.

📝 Instructions

Wash and cut all the food items: Clean and prepare the ingredients for your hot pot. Arrange the items from each category on separate plates for easy serving.

Prepare dipping sauces: In individual bowls, mix your preferred ingredients to create flavorful dipping sauces. Customize them according to your taste preferences.

Add hot pot soup base and water: Place the hot pot soup base and water in your Instant Pot. Use the “Saute” mode on high heat to bring the broth to a boil.

Begin cooking: Once the broth is boiling, start adding the prepared food items to the pot. As you eat, the water in the broth will evaporate. Ensure you have extra hot water on hand to top up the broth when needed.

Adjust the temperature: If the broth is boiling too vigorously, reduce the temperature to low heat. This will maintain a gentle simmer and prevent the broth from boiling too rapidly.

🌟 Helpful Tips

Add food items when the broth starts boiling: Wait for the broth to reach a boil before adding your food items. This ensures that they cook properly and maintain their desired texture.

Avoid overcrowding the pot: Do not put too much food into the pot at once, as it can drastically reduce the broth’s temperature. Add ingredients in small batches to keep optimal cooking temperature.

Cook ingredients for the appropriate time: Different ingredients require different cooking times.

Delicate items (meat, fish, seafood…): should only be cooked for a short period to avoid becoming tough or chewy.
Starchy ingredients (sweet corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet potato glass noodles…): take take longer to cook fully.

Maintain hygiene with your chopsticks: To ensure hygiene, briefly dip the tips of your chopsticks into the boiling broth for a few seconds after handling raw food. This helps kill any bacteria and keep your hot pot experience safe.

Lazy single hot pot: Sometimes, when I feel like enjoying hot pot alone and don’t want to go through the hassle of setting up a full hot pot table, I create a hot pot-inspired noodle soup. All I need is the hot pot base and a few ingredients from my fridge.

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