Chinese Rice Noodle Soup with Pork Meatballs Recipe
A cozy, homestyle soup with delicate pork meatballs and thin rice noodles. In China, soups like this are a quick lunch or dinner – something between clear broth and instant noodles, only much tastier and more homemade. Aromatic broth, tender meatballs, and springy noodles come together in a bowl that warms you better than a blanket.
This soup combines the comfort of homemade broth with the speed and simplicity of a one-pot noodle dish. Tender meatballs, aromatic ginger and garlic, and light rice noodles make it filling yet not heavy, perfect for a quick but satisfying meal.
Chef's tips
Knead the meat mixture a bit longer than you think you need to – this helps the meatballs hold together and stay juicy. Don’t let the broth boil vigorously once the meatballs are in; a gentle simmer keeps them tender. Taste the broth after adding soy sauce before adding more salt, as it’s easy to oversalt.
How to serve
Serve in deep bowls with plenty of hot broth, a generous handful of chopped chives or spring onion, and a drizzle of sesame oil. You can also put chili paste, extra soy sauce, and rice vinegar on the table so everyone can adjust the flavor to their liking.
Ingredients
- ground pork preferably from pork shoulder - 400 g
- rice noodles - 150 g
- chicken or vegetable broth homemade or from a good-quality stock cube - 1.2 l
- Chinese cabbage a few leaves - 200 g
- carrot medium - 1 piece
- garlic - 3 cloves
- fresh ginger piece about 3 cm - 15 g
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- sesame oil you can replace with rapeseed oil, but the flavor will be milder - 1 tablespoon
- ground white pepper you can replace with black pepper - 0.5 teaspoons
- chives or spring onion chopped, for serving - 3 tablespoons
- egg for the meatballs - 1 piece
- potato or corn starch for the meatballs - 1.5 tablespoons
- salt to taste, carefully, because soy sauce is salty
Preparation
- Pour hot water over the rice noodles in a large bowl and set aside for 10–15 minutes, until they soften. Then drain and set aside.
- Peel the garlic. Finely chop two cloves and reserve one for the broth. Peel the ginger with a teaspoon. Finely chop half and slice the other half into thin slices for the broth.
- Place the ground pork in a bowl, add the egg, chopped garlic (2 cloves), chopped ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the starch, a pinch of salt, and white pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon). Knead with your hand for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture becomes sticky and uniform.
- With wet hands, form small meatballs from the meat mixture, about the size of a walnut, moistening your hands with water so the meat doesn’t stick. Arrange them on a plate.
- Peel the carrot and cut into thin half-slices. Cut the Chinese cabbage into strips about 1–2 cm wide.
- Pour the broth into a pot, add the ginger slices and 1 lightly crushed clove of garlic. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the broth just gently simmers. Cook for 5 minutes to develop the aroma.
- Gently lower the meatballs into the gently simmering broth. Cook over low heat for 8–10 minutes, until they float to the surface and are completely cooked through (a cut meatball should not be pink inside).
- Add the carrot and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until slightly softened. Then add the Chinese cabbage and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the leaves soften but do not fall apart.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and the sesame oil. Season with white pepper and, if needed, a little salt. Remove the ginger slices and garlic clove from the broth if you see them.
- Place a portion of the soaked rice noodles into bowls. Ladle over the hot broth with meatballs and vegetables. Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve immediately.
Storage
Przechowuj zupę bez makaronu, bo makaron w bulionie pęcznieje. Makaron trzymaj osobno, przelany zimną wodą. Podgrzewaj zupę w garnku na małym ogniu.
