Warm up your soul with this aromatic, savory, comforting Ginger Meatball and Vegetable Soup. With savory, tender meatballs floating in an irresistible broth, you will fall in love with all of the layers of flavor.
Is there anything more comforting than pillowy meatballs? Whether it’s an appetizer like Ceasar Chicken Meatballs, or this ginger pork meatball soup, they’re always quick to get devoured. Unlike some recipes that call for baking or browning the meatballs prior, these tasty nuggets are cooked directly in the hot broth, infusing even more flavor into the soup and making for less dishes.
If you’re looking for something a little different to serve up for Sunday dinner, or an easy recipe to use for meal prep, this is it. It’s hearty, yet light, and has that all day cooked flavor without cooking all day. You can easily customize it to the vegetables you have on hand as well as your favorite ground meat. Serve it with vermicelli rice noodles, or on its own.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender, juicy meatballs. The ginger pork meatballs are cooked directly in the broth resulting in pillowy, tender, moist meatballs bursting with flavor.
- Easy process. There’s nothing complicated about making this ginger meatball soup. The most labor intensive part is simply chopping your vegetables and rolling the mini meatballs.
- Meal prep. Soup is one of those things that is even better the next day. Make this on the weekend and enjoy it for an easy weekday lunch or dinner. You can also freeze this for future meals.
Ingredients
- Ground meat – I used ground pork for this meatball soup recipe, but you can easily use either ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Egg
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Aromatics – Fresh ginger is the heart of this soup and the meatballs. You’ll also need fresh garlic.
- Broth
- Vegetables – Onions, celery, and carrots make up the base of the meatball and vegetable soup. Bok choy and shiitake mushrooms are added at the end.
- Flavor Accents – Soy sauce and rice wine vinegar add salty umami and tang. You’ll use these in both the meatballs as well as the soup. Toasted sesame oil adds nuttiness to the meatballs as well.
- Rice Noodles – This is completely optional, but adds
- Seasonings – Crushed red pepper flakes and white pepper add a little heat.
Variations and Substitutions
- Instead of ground pork, use ground chicken or ground turkey.
- For more heat add a fresh chili pepper.
- Swap out the cilantro for Thai basil.
- Feel free to use baby bok choy or even Napa cabbage in place of the bok choy. You can also use spinach wilted in.
- Instead of rice noodles you can serve this with another type of noodle such as soba, or even rice.
- If you don’t have shiitake mushrooms, feel free to use baby Bella mushrooms, or white mushrooms.
- Take the help of the grocery store and use matchstick carrots. You will need a cup. Add them in halfway through simmering the soup as they cook quickly.
- Add any of your favorite vegetables such as bell pepper slices, snow peas, or broccoli.
How to Make Ginger Meatball and Vegetable Soup
- Mix together the meatball ingredients. Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs to a bowl and gently mix until just combined.
- Cook a test patty. This is your chance to add any additional seasoning to your meatball mixture. Heat a small skillet over medium heat with a little oil. Pinch off a piece of the meat mixture and form it into a little patty. Allow both sides to brown and cook through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Allow the meatballs to chill. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the mixture and roll into mini meatballs. Place them on a baking sheet and allow them to refrigerate until ready to cook. This will allow them to firm up as the mixture is a little wet.
- Sauté the mirepoix. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat with oil. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and sauté them until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 60 more seconds.
- Simmer until tender. Pour in the broth and soy sauce and allow the soup to come to a simmer. Cover and cook until the veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Cook the meatballs. While the soup is simmering, gently drop a few meatballs at a time into the hot broth until they’ve all been added.
- Add the shiitake mushrooms and bok choy. Stir gently.
- Let the soup cook for 10 minutes.
- Add the finishing touches. When the meatballs are cooked through and the bok choy wilted, add the cilantro and rice wine vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve with rice noodles and garnish with your favorite toppings.
Topping Ideas for Ginger Meatball and Vegetable Soup
- Jalapeno slices
- Scallions
- Cilantro
- Thai basil
- Bean sprouts
- Lime wedges
- Sriracha
- Chili crisp
- Onion slices
Storage
This soup is perfect for meal prep! It will last up to five days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this soup. Allow it to cool completely and then transfer it to freezer safe bags, letting as much air as possible out. Place the bags flat on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen you can stack them how ever you like. They will last up to three months in the freezer.
For the best texture and results, store the rice noodles separately from the soup. They will absorb the broth and break apart.
Tips From the Beach
- Always take the time to cook a small portion of the meatball mixture so you can taste and adjust seasoning if needed. This is also a great tip when making meatloaf as well.
- The meatball mixture for these mini ginger meatballs is on the wetter side. For best results allow them to refrigerate while you make the rest of the soup prior to cooking.
- For the best texture and results, cook your rice noodles separately. They are delicate and will become soggy and fall apart of left in the soup. This also makes for easy storage of leftovers.
- Have fun customizing both the vegetables in this soup, as well as the toppings! Use what you like and what you have on hand.
- Soup is one of those things that is totally personal. If you like a brothier soup add more broth. If you want it more meatball and vegetable forward cut back on the broth. Totally make it your own!
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of ground meat works best for ginger meatballs?
More mild flavored meat like pork, chicken, or turkey are ideal for this. The more neutral flavor allows the ginger and aromatics to shine.
Do I need to brown the meatballs prior to making the soup?
No. The meatballs are cooked directly in the hot broth. This gives them a tender texture. Plus, less dishes and work!
Ginger Meatball and Vegetable Soup
Warm up your soul with this aromatic, savory, comforting Ginger Meatball and Vegetable Soup. With savory, tender meatballs floating in an irresistible broth, you will fall in love with all of the layers of flavor.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Asian-American
Ingredients
Ginger Meatballs
- 1 pound ground pork, turkey, or chicken
- 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 1/2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper (can substitute with black pepper)
Ginger Meatball and Vegetable Soup
- 8–10 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 carrots, cut on a diagonal
- 2 stalks celery, cut on a diagonal
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
- 1 head bok choy, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 package vermicelli rice noodles prepared according to package directions, optional
Instructions
Ginger Meatballs
- Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs to a bowl. Gently mix to just combine.
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat with a little oil. Pinch off a piece of the meatball mixture and slightly flatten. Brown both sides and allow the meat to cook through. Taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Use a teaspoon to scoop out the meatball mixture and roll into mini meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.
- Allow the meatballs to refrigerate while you prepare the soup so they can firm up.
Ginger Meatball and Vegetable Soup
- Heat a large Dutch oven on medium heat with 1 Tbsp. oil. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Let cook for 3-5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the soy sauce, and broth. Stir to combine. Let the soup come to a simmer and cover.
- Allow the soup to cook until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
- With the soup simmering, gently drop a few meatballs at a time into the soup until they’ve all been added. Carefully stir.
- Add the shiitake mushrooms and bok choy. Cover and let the soup cook for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the bok choy is wilted.
- Stir in the rice wine vinegar and cilantro. Taste and add any additional seasoning.
- To serve, add the rice noodles to the bottom of a bowl if using. Top with the soup.
Notes
- The meatball mixture will be on the wet side. Allow them to refrigerate to firm up prior to cooking.
- Ground pork, chicken, or turkey will all work for this recipe.