Lamb Offal Soup — A Traditional Beijing Winter Street Food
Lamb Offal Soup, a beloved winter warmer for locals. One bowl chases the cold away from your stomach to your fingertips — the gentle kick of white pepper and the fresh fragrance of cilantro make it the ultimate weapon against the northern chill!
1. Origin and History
Lamb Offal Soup has its roots in the dietary culture of Hui Muslims during the Yuan Dynasty, over 700 years ago. It began as a clever way for nomadic people to use every part of the lamb without waste. By the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it had become the go-to breakfast for laborers like cart drivers and porters in Beijing, and today it stands as one of the city’s most iconic street foods.
2. Cultural Significance
For old Beijingers, Lamb Offal Soup is more than food — it’s a cherished winter ritual. Drinking a steaming bowl of it on a snowy day reflects the local spirit of “eating well and living steadily.” It also represents the harmonious blend of Hui and Han culinary traditions in Beijing.
3. Ingredient Highlights
The best versions use free-range lamb from the Inner Mongolian grasslands, including five types of offal: heart, liver, tripe, lung, and intestines. The key to flavor lies in the lamb bone broth — made from meaty lamb spine bones simmered with premium white pepper from Henan, green onions from Shandong, and old ginger from Hebei. The cilantro must be the delicate, aromatic variety grown on the outskirts of Beijing.
4. Preparation Process
The offal is scrubbed three times with baking soda, then simmered gently for two hours until tender. The lamb bones are boiled for over six hours until the broth turns milky white. Just before serving, the offal is sliced into strips, placed in a bowl, topped with boiling hot lamb broth, sprinkled with white pepper and chopped cilantro, and finished with a few drops of sesame oil — the whole process takes less than three minutes.
5. Flavor and Texture
The lamb tripe is crisp and springy, the liver soft and creamy, and the heart firm yet tender. The star, though, is the milky white broth: rich lamb fat hits first, followed by the warm spice of white pepper, and ending with a gentle sweetness from the bone marrow. The bright aroma of cilantro perfectly balances any gamy notes from the lamb.
6. How to Eat It
The authentic way is to pair it with freshly baked Sesame Shaobing (Sesame Flatbread). Hold the shaobing in one hand and a spoon in the other — take a bite of bread, then a sip of soup. Spice lovers can add a spoonful of chili oil to let the rich lamb broth and fragrant chili dance together. Old Beijingers also enjoy it with sweet pickled garlic, creating a playful contrast of sweet and spicy flavors.
7. Recommended Places
Some of the most authentic spots for Lamb Offal Soup in Beijing include Huguosi Snacks (Halal-style), Zi Guang Yuan (rich broth with generous fillings), Lao Feng Lamb Soup (open 24 hours), and Hong Ji Snack Shop (perfect with shaobing). A small bowl costs about 15–20 RMB, while a large one is 25–30 RMB. To sound like a local, just say: “One bowl of lamb offal soup, extra cilantro please.”
8. Travel Tips
In English, it’s called “Lamb Offal Soup.” The best time to try it is in the early morning (6:00–10:00) or on cold winter evenings. Travelers who don’t eat organ meats can order Lamb Meat Soup instead. Halal versions are available for Muslim visitors, and the broth contains no pork ingredients. Refills of the broth are usually free, making it a great-value choice.
When you cradle this milky white soup in your hands and feel the warmth of white pepper spreading from your tongue through your whole body, you’ll know you’ve just experienced the warmest embrace of a Beijing winter.
