How Many Calories in Macaroni in Soup with Ham?

Also known as 火腿通粉, Fo Teoi Tung Fan, Ham Macaroni Soup, Cha Chaan Teng Macaroni, 餐蛋通粉.

Macaroni in clear chicken broth with a few slices of ham is the standard Hong Kong cha chaan teng breakfast, usually served in a set with buttered toast and a hot drink for about HK$30 to HK$40.

320kcal / 1 bowl

One bowl of ham macaroni soup is around 320 calories, based on a Hong Kong dietitian tally of cha chaan teng breakfasts. About 200 of that is the macaroni, 50 is the ham, and the broth is nearly free. It is one of the lowest calorie hot breakfasts on the menu.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 bowl (450g)	Amount	Per 100g
Calories	320 kcal	71 kcal
Protein	14 g	3 g
Carbs	48 g	11 g
Fat	8 g	2 g

Where the calories come from

Cooked macaroni150g

200 kcal

Ham slices40g

50 kcal

Chicken broth250g

40 kcal

Spring onion and oil5g

30 kcal

The real talk

Of everything on the cha chaan teng breakfast board, this is the one to order. Ham macaroni soup at 320 calories beats satay beef noodles (667), luncheon meat and egg instant noodles (785) and a buttered toast with fried egg (427). The macaroni is boiled, not fried, and the ham is lean. The broth is mostly water with a bit of chicken stock powder, around 40 calories a bowl.

The set is the trap. The macaroni bowl comes as a breakfast set with two slices of buttered toast (about 250 calories) and a hot milk tea (110). That takes a 320 calorie bowl to a 680 calorie breakfast. Ask for the toast without butter and it drops by about 100, or skip the toast and the whole thing stays under 450 with the tea.

Watch the protein swap. Ham gives you about 14g of protein for 50 calories. Change it to luncheon meat (餐肉) and the same two slices are 190 calories with double the fat. Change it to a fried egg on top (煎蛋) and add another 110. The 餐蛋通粉 version, with both, is closer to 600 calories and is one of the most popular orders in Hong Kong.

How the portions compare

250 kcal

Small bowl

320 kcal

Standard bowl

680 kcal

Full set with buttered toast and milk tea

Macaroni in Soup with Ham variants, ranked by calories

Variant	Calories	Notes
Plain macaroni soup	270 kcal	No ham
Ham macaroni soup	320 kcal	Standard
Tomato beef macaroni	370 kcal	Tomato broth with beef slices
Luncheon meat and egg macaroni	600 kcal	餐蛋通粉

How to eat it lighter

Order the macaroni with ham, not luncheon meat. That single swap saves about 140 calories.
Ask for the toast dry (多士走油) or skip it. Buttered toast in the set is about 250 calories.
Add a boiled egg instead of a fried one for 70 calories and an extra 6g of protein.
Do not drink all the soup. It is low in calories but a cha chaan teng broth can carry over 1,000mg of sodium.

Common questions

How many calories in a cha chaan teng macaroni breakfast?

The ham macaroni bowl alone is about 320 calories. The full set with buttered toast and milk tea is around 680.

Is macaroni soup a good breakfast for weight loss?

Yes, relative to the other options. At 320 calories with 14g protein it is lighter than almost everything else on a cha chaan teng menu. Just skip the buttered toast.

What is the difference between ham and luncheon meat in calories?

Two slices of ham are about 50 calories. Two slices of fried luncheon meat are about 190. Luncheon meat has roughly four times the fat.

680 kcal per 1 bowl (instant noodles, 2 slices luncheon meat, 1 fried egg)

Tomato Beef Macaroni (Ke Ngau Tung)

370 kcal per 1 bowl

Satay Beef Noodles

670 kcal per 1 bowl

Hong Kong Milk Tea

110 kcal per 1 cup (hot, 240ml)

Roti John

650 kcal per 1 whole

Chicken Chop

700 kcal per 1 plate

See all Western & Burgers calories, ranked ›

Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical cha chaan teng, dai pai dong or dim sum serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

Calorie figure based on HK01 registered dietitian ranking of 12 cha chaan teng items (ham macaroni 320 kcal). Macros estimated from the ingredients.

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