Asian Soup with Cabbage and Meatballs

A bowl of asian soup with meatballs with a spoon and noodles in it.

Asian Soup with Cabbage and Meatballs

This Asian Soup with Cabbage and Meatballs is packed with tender pork and shrimp meatballs, hearty napa cabbage, and a deeply savory broth that comes together in just over an hour.

Course Appetizer, Entree, Main, Soup

Cuisine Asian, Easy, Pork, Shrimp, Soup

Diet Low Lactose

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 227kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

For the pork meatballs:

½ pound ground pork
¼ pound minced shrimp 4 to 6 large shrimp
¼ cup water chestnuts finely diced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 pinch ground white pepper
1 ½ Tablespoon cornstarch

For the soup:

10 cups Basic Chinese Chicken Stock page 25 of The Healthy Wok Chinese Cookbook, or store bought chicken stock
2 cups napa cabbage cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup carrot sliced or shredded
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Instructions

To make the meatballs:

In a bowl, mix the ground pork, shrimp, water chestnuts, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and cornstarch.
Set aside to marinate for about 15 minutes.

To make the soup:

In a wok or dutch oven over high heat, bring the chicken stock to a boil.
Add the cabbage and carrot, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Roll about heaping tablespoons of pork mixture into a ball and continue until all the pork mixture is used.
Carefully drop the meatballs into the boiling soup one at a time. Avoid stirring.
As the meatballs cook, they will rise to the top. They will take about 3 minutes to cook through.
Add the salt, sesame oil, and soy sauce just before turning off the heat. Serve immediately over vermacelli.

Notes

Don't skip the marinating time. Letting the meatball mixture rest for 15 minutes makes a big difference in flavor and texture.
Drop meatballs in gently. Keep them intact by adding them one at a time, then avoid stirring as they cook.
Watch for the float. The meatballs will rise to the surface when they're cooked through. That's your cue that they're done!
Add sesame oil at the end. Stirring it in just before serving preserves that nutty, aromatic flavor.
Ingredients to prep ahead- You can mix and refrigerate the meatball mixture up to a day in advance. The vegetables can also be prepped and stored in the fridge.
Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat.

Nutrition