Lotus Root Recipe

Tips on how to buy and prepare this bulbous rhizome, plus an adaptable stir-fry and a simple soup to showcase its wonderfully crisp texture.

By
Chichi Wang
Chichi Wang: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Chichi Wang

Chichi Wang wrote a variety of columns for Serious Eats including The Butcher's Cuts, in addition to other stories. Born in Shanghai and raised in New Mexico, Chichi took her degree in philosophy but decided that writing about food would be more fun than writing about Plato.

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Updated October 12, 2023
Slices of lotus root shingled on a wooden cutting board.

Serious Eats / Chichi Wang

Why It Works

  • Stir-frying the lotus root with other vegetables that are ideal when cooked until crisp-tender results in a stir-fry with a unified texture.
  • A savory combination of soy, oyster, and fish sauces—as well as Shaoxing wine—compensates for the mild flavor of the lotus root.

Having grown up eating lotus root, I never paused to appreciated the food from a biological and culinary standpoint. Sunk into the mud of a pond or river bottom, lotus root is actually the stem of the plant. Growing as long as four feet, the stems rise out of the water and end in the elegant flowers that are so revered in Buddhist and Hindu cultures. Even in harsh temperatures, lotus flowers maintain a fairly precise temperature range, which is perhaps why the Chinese call lotus root a "cooling" food, consumed to restore balance to the body.

Lotus root powder, which the Chinese also eat for its medicinal effects, is simply lotus root that's been dried and finely ground. Boiling water is added to make a gelatinous, soup-like paste. As a child I was fed a lot of lotus root powder when I was ill, which was often because I was a sickly, scrawny kid. Though I can't vouch for its healing qualities, the texture of the reconstituted lotus root powder was always pleasing and soothing to the stomach.

"Whether it's stir-fried, boiled, braised, steamed, or deep-fried, lotus root remains crisp yet tender."

The plant is an endlessly forgiving ingredient with which to experiment, culinarily speaking. Whether it's stir-fried, boiled, braised, steamed, or deep-fried, lotus root remains crisp yet tender, with a creamy and starchy texture that's similar to taro root. Lotus seeds can be boiled and added to dessert soups or ground to make lotus seed paste, a common ingredient in sweets like mooncakes and daifuku. Though not as widely available, even the petals and leaves of the lotus plant are edible.

Buying and Preparation Tips

Lotus root is in season in the fall, yet it is available at other times of the year in whole or packaged form. Look for lotus root that is heavy and firm, with no soft spots or bruising. Once the stem has been peeled, soak it in vinegar to preserve its pale-colored flesh. Packages of cut and sliced lotus root, which often come in a solution of water and salt, can be used in the same way as fresh lotus root. Lotus seeds are usually sold in dried form at Chinese stores and resemble chickpeas in color and shape.

A classic preparation for lotus root is stir-frying, which highlights the crunchy yet tender texture of the stem. When stir-frying lotus root, pair it with other vegetables that are also tender and crisp, such as sugar snap peas, snow peas, asparagus, and celery. I typically stir-fry lotus root with plenty of wine and oyster sauce, which adds much needed depth to the mild taste of the stem. Like so many other tubers and stems, lotus root is a welcome addition to soups and stews, absorbing whatever flavors are in the simmering liquid.

We've only begun to scratch the surface with lotus root enjoyment: How do you cook it?

Close up of lotus root that has been stir fried with pea pods.

Serious Eats / Chichi Wang

June 2010

Recipe Details

Lotus Root Recipe

Prep 20 mins
Cook 30 mins
Total 50 mins

Ingredients

  • For Lotus Root Stir-Fry:
  • A few tablespoons of oil or lard
  • 1 large section lotus root, about 5 to 7 ounces
  • 20 sugar snap peas or snow peas, strings removed, or 5 stalks asparagus, cut into 1-inch segments
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices on the diagonal
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • For the Stir-Fry Sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or sake
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • For Lotus Root-Daikon Miso Soup:
  • 1 large section lotus root, about 5 to 7 ounces
  • 1 small daikon, about 10 ounces, cut into 1-inch segments
  • 6 cups dashi
  • 1/4 miso paste (white, red, brown, or a combination)
  • Wakame seaweed and thinly sliced green onions, to garnish

Directions

  1. To Prepare Lotus Root Stir-Fry: Peel the lotus root, rinse under cold water, and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Rinse again, then set in a bowl with cold water and splash of vinegar to prevent discoloration.

  2. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce except the cornstarch in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons water. Set aside.

  3. Add the sauce to the wok and stir-fry for thirty seconds, allowing the vegetables to absorb about half the liquid. Turn down the heat to medium low and add the cornstarch slurry, mixing constantly to prevent clumping. Let the sauce thicken for 20 or so seconds. Plate and serve immediately.

  4. To Prepare Lotus Root and Daikon Miso Soup: peel, then rinse under cold water. Slice the lotus root into 1/4-inch rounds. Rinse again, then set in a bowl with cold water and splash of vinegar to prevent discoloration.

  5. Bring the dashi to a simmer in a soup pot. Add the daikon and lotus root the pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until both the daikon and lotus root are tender.

  6. Add the miso paste to the pot and press it against the pot to evenly distribute the paste. Simmer for another 2 minutes, tasting for saltiness. Add more paste if needed. Garnish with wakame seaweed and thinly sliced green onions. Serve immediately.

Special Equipment

Wok (optional)

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