Soto Bandung

I grew up eating Indo food every single day, but I never actually tried Soto Bandung until now. I’ve been so busy lately, and honestly, this is exactly what my schedule needed. It’s simple, it’s light, and it’s basically a warm hug in a bowl. ❤️

Recipe Overview

  • Yield: 3–4 portions

  • Prep time: 15 minutes

  • Cook time: 1–1.5 hours

  • Storage: Best fresh, but keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days!

What is Soto Bandung anyway?

If you’re used to the yellow, creamy Sotos, this is a totally different vibe. It’s a specialty from West Java (Bandung) known for its crystal-clear beef broth. There’s no coconut milk or heavy spices here. Instead, you get this amazing sweetness from daikon radish and a hit of crunch from fried soybeans. It’s "clean" comfort food at its best—perfect for when you want something savory but not too heavy.

What You’ll Need:

The Base (The Aromatics)

  • 2 big shallots

  • 4 small garlic cloves

  • 1 stalk lemongrass (crush it!)

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 2 lime leaves

  • 1 thumb-sized chunk of galangal (crushed)

  • 1 tbsp oil

The Main Event

  • 500g beef chuck (cubed)

  • 1 small radish (daikon)

  • Water (enough to cover the beef)

  • Salt, white pepper, and mushroom powder (to taste)

  • Lime wedges

The Toppings (Don’t skip these!)

  • Spring onions & fried shallots

  • Fried soybeans—the original way! (But I used crispy chickpeas because that’s what I had, and it totally works.)

  • Hot steamed rice

Cooking Instructions

  1. THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP: Blanch your beef for 1 minute in boiling water, then throw that water away. Seriously, don't repeat my past mistakes! This is the only way to get a soup that looks clear and tastes "clean" instead of murky.

  2. Sauté: Blend your shallots and garlic into a paste. Toss them in a pan with some oil, galangal, lemongrass, bay leaves, and lime leaves. Fry it up for about 3 minutes until your kitchen smells incredible.

  3. Simmer: Add fresh water and bring it to a boil. Drop in your beef and that sautéed spice mix. Let it simmer for 30 minutes.

  4. The Radish Trick: Cut your radish into 1cm slices. (I like mine thick because I love that sweet, juicy bite!)

    • Pro-tip: If your radish smells a bit bitter, toss the slices in salt for 5 mins. The "bitter water" will come out; just rinse it off before throwing them in the pot.

  5. Finish it off: Add the radish to the soup and simmer for another 30 minutes. Once the beef is tender, season it with salt, white pepper, and mushroom powder.

Why I Love This?

Serve it up with plenty of spring onions, fried shallots, a big squeeze of lime, and your crunchy chickpeas or soybeans.

SLURPPPPPP AHHHHHHHH! Seriously, so comforting. It’s light enough that you don’t feel like you need a nap afterward, but savory enough to make you want seconds.