Some of the best Vietnamese food almost never makes it onto a restaurant menu, and chances are, you’ll likely never find this soup at your local pho spot or Vietnamese bistro. Canh Cai Ngot Ca Hoi is a staple of com gia dinh, which translates to family meals; the everyday Vietnamese home cooking that keeps families fed, connected, and nourished. At a traditional Vietnamese dinner table, canh (soup) is not a starter or an afterthought, yet it’s the heart of the meal. Soups like this one do the quiet, essential work of a Vietnamese family meal. They deliver deep, savory flavor from humble, affordable ingredients. And they pack serious nutrition, especially with dark leafy greens like cai ngot (yu choy) simmering in that gorgeous broth. Without canh, the table and meal just feel incomplete.
Growing up, my mom made this soup almost exclusively with shrimp. Her version was simple and perfect, and I loved it every single time she put it on the table. But recently, my older brother Timmy told me I absolutely had to try making it with salmon instead. I was skeptical because salmon felt like a departure from what I knew. But Timmy was right, and I’m here to tell you the results are incredible. The salmon gives this broth a richness and body that shrimp simply cannot match, and paired with the dried shrimp for depth, you get a soup that tastes like it simmered all day, even though it comes together in about 30 minutes. This is my new go-to canh, I think it might just become yours too!
Canh Cai Ngot is a Vietnamese clear broth soup made with cai ngot, also known as yu choy or choy sum. It is a common and beloved soup in Vietnamese home cooking because it requires minimal ingredients, cooks quickly, and delivers a clean, satisfying broth. The word “cai ngot” literally means “sweet vegetable,” and it earns that name with its mild, slightly sweet flavor and tender stems.
The classic version of this soup features dried shrimp as the primary flavoring agent for the broth. In this recipe, we build on that foundation by adding a fresh salmon fillet, transforming the soup from simple and light to genuinely special and savory. The combination of dried shrimp and fresh salmon creates a layered seafood broth that is absolutely perfect.
Rehydrate dried shrimp in room-temperature water for 10 minutes. Drain the liquid, then grind the shrimp in a mortar and pestle until it almost turns into a powder.
Trim off the ends of the yu choy, then cut it into about 3-inch pieces. Wash the yu choy thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris. Then finely dice up a small shallot, and chop up green onions.
Pat the salmon fillet dry, and remove its skin. Cut the salmon into 1-inch cubes. Set everything aside
Heat up oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the minced shallot and saute for about 1 to 2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Then add the rehydrated dried shrimp directly to the pot and stir, letting them toast in the oil with the shallot for another minute. This step unlocks the full flavor potential of the dried shrimp and creates the aromatic foundation for your broth.
Pour in the water and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Skim off any impurities, and then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and let the soup come together for 5 minutes. Add in the cubed salmon and yu choy. Season with MSG, sugar, and Dear Mam fish sauce. Stir to combine. This cooking process should only take 2-3 minutes total. You want the stems tender and the leaves just wilted. Don’t overcook the greens as they’ll turn mushy. Give the broth one final taste. Add more fish sauce for saltiness and umami, more sugar to soften any sharpness, or more MSG to amplify the overall flavor.
Serve the soup directly in a bowl with rice or with rice on the side. Ladle the soup into a bowl, making sure to get a little bit of everything. Garnish with green onions and black pepper. Enjoy!
Every ingredient in this recipe pulls its weight, and the sum of its parts creates a beautiful soup.
Dried shrimp are the unsung hero of Vietnamese soups. They dissolve their umami directly into the broth, creating a savory depth that you simply cannot replicate with any shortcut. Don’t skip it! (I get mine from Kho Market, and you can use my code “FEEDTHEPUDGE” for 10% off your next order!)
Yu choy (cai ngot) cooks down to silky, tender perfection and absorbs the broth beautifully. It provides iron, vitamins A and C, and calcium, making this soup both nutritious and delicious.
Fresh salmon fillet adds richness, body, and a beautiful fattiness to the broth, making each sip feel luxurious. Diced salmon is the perfect protein for this soup.
MSG and Dear Mam fish sauce work together as a seasoning duo that Vietnamese cooks have trusted for generations. MSG amplifies the natural flavors already present in the broth. Fish sauce adds salt, umami, and that distinctive Vietnamese depth of flavor. Together, they make this soup taste complete.
What is cai ngot? Cai ngot is the Vietnamese name for yu choy or choy sum, a leafy green vegetable common in Vietnamese and Chinese cooking. It has tender stems, small yellow flowers, and a mildly sweet flavor. You can find it at most Asian grocery stores.
Can I use another fish instead of salmon? Yes. Halibut, tilapia, and cod all work well in this soup. Salmon is particularly excellent here because of its fat content, which gives the broth a richness that leaner fish cannot achieve.
Can I make this soup without MSG? You can, but the soup will taste noticeably less full and complex. If you prefer to skip MSG, increase your fish sauce slightly and consider adding a small amount of chicken bouillon to compensate.
Is this soup gluten-free? Yes, as written, this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
How do I store leftovers? Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The yu choy will soften further as it sits, so for the best texture, eat this soup fresh.
If you love this Canh Cai Ngot Ca Hoi, these recipes belong on your table next:
Canh Rau Day My favorite Vietnamese at home soup growing up
Can Rau Den is a great Vietnamese soup featuring beautiful red amaranth
Canh Suon Heo is hearty and endlessly customizable
This post is part of a collaboration with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). All opinions…
We are officially in the thick of soup season y'all. The Seattle sky has turned…
It was my first trip to Hawaii, and Giovanni's was the place. Their Garlic Shrimp…
Over the last few months, this has become one of my go-to breakfast meals. Recently,…
This post is sponsored by Alaska Airlines, which hosted my Business Class flight to Seoul.…
Vietnamese rice plates rank among my favorite dishes in the world, and they come in…