9 Best Hot Pot Broths of 2025

If you’re chasing the electric tingle of authentic Sichuan mala, this soup base delivers with unapologetic intensity. The bold fusion of numbing Sichuan peppercorns and fiery red chilies creates a layered heat that builds with each spoonful, making it a standout for spice lovers who crave complexity over blunt burn. Unlike watered-down versions, this vegan-friendly concentrate packs serious aromatic depth—perfect for transforming weeknight meals into fiery feasts without the hours of prep.

In real-world use, a single pouch easily scales to feed four to six in a hot pot setup, and it shines beyond just dipping. We used it as a base for spicy ramen, Malatang-style skewer pots, and even braised tofu, and it held up beautifully—retaining its signature mala kick and rich red hue. It dissolves cleanly in water with no oily separation, and the flavor blooms when simmered with mushrooms, beef, or fish balls. That said, the heat level can overwhelm delicate ingredients like shrimp or soft tofu if not balanced with milder add-ins.

Compared to Haorenjia’s Sichuan base, Lee Kum Kee offers more consistent texture and better-balanced spice, though it lacks some of the herbal complexity found in artisanal blends. It’s ideal for beginners and experienced hot pot hosts alike, especially those who want reliable, restaurant-style heat without sourcing a dozen spices. For vegan diners craving boldness, it outperforms many meat-based broths in depth and satisfaction—delivering more flavor firepower per ounce than Haidilao’s Red Chili variant.

For those seeking umami elegance over fire and fury, Chaganju Dashi is a revelation—a whisper of depth in a world of shouting spice. Each tea-bag-style sachet unleashes a clean, rounded broth built on eight premium Japanese ingredients, including kelp, dried bonito, and shiitake mushrooms, delivering that savory backbone essential to miso soup, ramen, and shabu shabu. It’s the antidote to artificial-tasting instant broths, offering a refined, almost oceanic savoriness that feels both light and deeply satisfying.

We tested it in multiple applications: as a base for udon soup, miso ramen, and even a delicate hot pot with thin-sliced beef and bok choy, and it consistently delivered a crisp, umami-rich foundation without greasiness or aftertaste. The green tea infusion—especially gyokuro and hojicha—adds a subtle aromatic lift that distinguishes it from standard dashi powders. However, it’s not designed for bold, spicy profiles; pairing it with chili oils or Sichuan bases requires care to avoid flavor imbalance.

When stacked against Terraland’s mushroom broth, Chaganju offers lighter body but superior authenticity for traditional Japanese dishes. It’s perfect for purists and health-conscious cooks who value clean ingredients and pantry simplicity. While it lacks the visual drama of a red chili broth, it provides more foundational versatility than Haidilao’s tomato base, excelling in dishes where subtlety and balance are paramount.

Wang Bulgogi brings the warm embrace of Korean comfort food straight to your pot, with a broth that sings of caramelized sweetness and savory depth reminiscent of grilled bulgogi dripping in soy and pear. This is not a fiery punch but a melodic blend—perfect for those who want rich, rounded flavor without the burn. The 3-minute prep time makes it a weeknight hero, especially for families craving a taste of Korea without marinating meat for hours.

In testing, the broth held up beautifully with tofu, mushrooms, and glass noodles, enhancing rather than overpowering. We even used it as a braising liquid for short ribs, and it developed a glossy, restaurant-quality glaze. The flavor is noticeably sweet—closer to Korean BBQ sauce than a neutral broth—so it’s best balanced with bitter greens or kimchi. While it lacks the complexity of homemade tteokbokki sauce, it outshines generic sweet-savory bases in authenticity.

Compared to Lee Kum Kee’s Sichuan base, Wang’s broth is the yin to its yang—calm, sweet, and approachable versus aggressive and numbing. It’s ideal for Korean cuisine newcomers or kids’ meals, and far better for fusion dishes like bulgogi ramen or kimchi stew than Haidilao’s tomato variant. While less adventurous than spicy options, it delivers more cultural specificity than generic mushroom broths.

Haidilao’s Tomato Soup Base is a sun-ripened burst of tangy sweetness that transforms a hot pot into something unexpectedly comforting—like homemade tomato soup kissed with umami depth. It’s rare to find a non-spicy base this flavorful, and this one delivers with a smooth, slightly thickened broth that clings to ingredients, pulling flavor from beef, mushrooms, and tofu alike. For those avoiding heat but craving complexity, it’s a game-changer in the world of mild broths.

We used it for a family-style hot pot with dumplings, spinach, and enoki mushrooms, and it created a cohesive, aromatic stew that felt nourishing, not bland. The tomato flavor is bright but not acidic, with a hint of garlic and herb undertones that suggest slow cooking. It also doubles as a base for noodle soups or even a quick ramen upgrade. However, it can become overly sweet with prolonged simmering, so timing matters.

Compared to Wang Bulgogi, it’s less sweet and more savory, making it a better neutral base for mixed pots. It’s ideal for kids, elderly diners, or spice-sensitive palates, and offers more depth than plain water or dashi. While not as rich as Terraland’s mushroom broth, it outshines most tomato pastes in authenticity and balance, especially at its price point.

Terraland doesn’t just make a broth—it bottles the essence of a slow-simmered forest harvest, delivering a five-times concentrated mushroom essence so rich it feels like luxury in a pouch. The dual-pack design—separate broth and whole mushrooms—is a masterstroke, preserving texture and freshness while allowing full control over final consistency. This is gourmet-level depth without the labor, perfect for hot pots, risottos, or even umami-boosting sauces.

In testing, the broth built an instant foundation of earthy savoriness, deepening beautifully with added ingredients like chicken, tofu, or udon. The included 120g of real vacuum-sealed mushrooms added meaty texture, a rare touch in instant bases. Simmered for 10 minutes with greens and noodles, it became a restaurant-worthy soup with zero prep. The no-MSG, no-preservatives formula also makes it a top pick for clean eaters.

Against Chaganju Dashi, Terraland offers more body and visual appeal, though less traditional Japanese purity. It’s the best all-rounder for health-focused cooks and flavor chasers, outperforming Haidilao’s tomato and Wang’s bulgogi in nutritional value and depth. While pricier than most, it delivers more substance per serving than any other base here, making it the true best overall.

Haorenjia’s Sichuan Hot Pot Base is raw, unfiltered tradition in a bag—a spice bomb forged from dozens of natural ingredients, including Pixian doubanjiang and Sichuan peppercorns, delivering deep, herbal heat with cultural soul. It’s not just a flavor; it’s a culinary heirloom, designed to replicate the complex, layered burn of Chengdu street-side pots. For authenticity seekers, this is as close as you’ll get outside Sichuan province.

When simmered, the oil blooms into a rich, crimson broth with a slow-building numbness and aromatic warmth—perfect for dipping beef, lotus root, and tofu. We appreciated the herbal complexity missing in cheaper bases, with notes of star anise, cassia, and fermented beans. However, it requires careful oil management—the fat layer is substantial and may need skimming for lighter eaters.

Compared to Lee Kum Kee, Haorenjia is more authentic but less user-friendly, with a rougher texture and longer bloom time. It’s ideal for hardcore spice fans and traditionalists, outperforming NINEWAY in depth but falling short in convenience. While less polished than Haidilao, it offers greater cultural fidelity than any other spicy base here.

NINEWAY’s Maocai base is spicy, bold, and built for budget warriors who still want that signature Sichuan mala punch without breaking the bank. Packed with Pixian broad-bean paste and a blend of natural spices, it delivers a thick, full-bodied broth with a lingering heat and pleasant numbness that holds up well in group hot pots. For under $7 for two packs, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to host a fiery feast.

We used it for a weeknight Maocai pot with vegetables, meatballs, and noodles, and it created a robust, oily broth that clung to ingredients and deepened with simmering. The spice level is aggressive but not punishing, making it accessible to most heat lovers. That said, the flavor lacks the herbal nuance of Haorenjia or Lee Kum Kee, leaning more on chili than complexity.

Compared to Haidilao’s Red Chili, NINEWAY offers more volume and better heat distribution, though less refinement. It’s perfect for college students, large families, or casual get-togethers where quantity and kick matter more than subtlety. While not the most sophisticated option, it delivers more bang for the buck than any other spicy base.

Haidilao’s Red Chili Soup Base is pure, unrelenting heat in a brick-red block—a chili-forward powerhouse that melts into a clean, oily broth with minimal sediment, making it ideal for those who want maximum spice with minimum cleanup. It’s deceptively potent: a small cube builds into a fiery, aromatic pot that numbs the lips and warms the chest, perfect for hardcore chili heads.

In testing, it dissolved evenly and held heat consistently, even after hours of simmering. We paired it with fish balls, beef slices, and bok choy, and the broth stayed vibrant and spicy without turning bitter. Unlike some greasy bases, it separates cleanly when cooled, making leftovers easier to manage. However, the flavor is one-dimensional—spicy but not deeply layered, lacking the herbal complexity of Sichuan purists’ favorites.

Versus NINEWAY, Haidilao offers cleaner texture and better heat control, though less volume. It’s ideal for small groups or spice-focused diners, and more refined than budget mala bases. While not as nuanced as Haorenjia, it delivers a smoother, more consistent burn than most competitors, making it the top pick for pure spicy heat.