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Pork Meatball Soup

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Pork meatball soup is the perfect comfort food soup recipe for cool weather. Juicy, flavorful meatballs in a delicious broth that’s easy to make. All you need is 30 minutes and you got yourself the perfect meal.

close up of pork meatball soup

I don’t know about you, but I love me some soup. Everything from Portuguese bean soup to ozoni soup and everything in between.

I mean what’s better than a bowl of heart warming, comfort food that you can snuggle up with and enjoy?

Best thing about this pork soup is the ability to adjust it and make it your own. Add a little more of this, a little less of that. Totally up to you.

This pork ball soup recipe is amazing because it’s

  • Quick and easy, which is always a win in my books.
  • Adaptable. Interchange ingredients as you wish. 
  • Packed with flavor
  • Perfect comfort food for cold nights
top down view of pork meatball soup in a white bowl

Ingredients for pork meatball soup

(Full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post)

For the soup

  • Onion. I like to use sweet Maui onions. A more mild flavor. If you can’t find that you can use white, yellow, or red onions as well.
  • Garlic. Using a garlic press will give you finely minced pieces and one of my favorite kitchen gadgets.
  • Cooking oil of choice
  • Chicken broth. You can opt to use beef or vegetable broth as well.
  • Water. This will help give you more broth and decrease the saltiness.
  • Bok choy. This is a type of Chinese cabbage. It has a flavor similar to that of spinach with a slight peppery undertone.
  • Watercress. This is also another type of cabbage plant and popular in Hawai’i dishes.

For the pork meatballs

  • Ground pork. You can use beef, chicken, turkey, or even tofu here if you’d like.
  • Egg. This will help bind the meatballs together.
  • Panko. This is a Japanese style bread crumb that can be found in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores and also helps bind the meatballs.
  • Garlic
  • Green onion
  • Onion. Be sure to dice finely so no one bites into a large chunk of onions.
  • Shoyu. Or Japanese style soy sauce. This also can be found in the Asian aisle at most grocery stores.
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Cooking oil of choice
pork meatball soup ingredients

How to make pork meatball soup?

  1. For the soup: In a large pot, add cooking oil of choice, onion, and garlic. Cook until fragrant and the onions just become translucent. 

2. To the pot add chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

3. While the soup is heating up, begin the meatballs. 

4. For the meatballs: To a large bowl add ground pork, egg, panko, garlic, green onion, onion, shoyu, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.

meat mix for pork meatball soup

5. Using a small scoop, scoop a heaping tablespoon of the pork mixture and roll into a ball. Set aside and roll the rest of the pork mix.

pork meatballs for pork meatball soup

6. Set a large skillet over medium high heat. Add your cooking oil of choice. Place the meatballs in the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. The meatballs do not need to be cooked all the way through as it will finish cooking in the soup.

pork meatballs in a frying pan

7. Remove the meatballs from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

8. Add the meatballs, bok choy, and watercress to the soup. Return to a boil and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the pork has cooked through and the vegetables have softened.

pork meatball soup in a pot

9. Cool slightly and ENJOY!

Tips for delicious pork meatball soup

  • Don’t over mix the meatballs. This can make the meat tough. Mix just enough to combine all the ingredients.
  • Use a cookie scoop to scoop the meatballs and ensure uniform size.
  • Brown the meatballs on medium high to high. This will create a nice browning on the outside and give the meatballs an extra layer of flavor and texture. 
  • You do not need to cook the meatballs all the way through before adding it to the soup. The meatballs will finish cooking in the soup.
close up of pork meatball soup

FAQ

  • How do you keep meatballs from falling apart in the soup?
  • Precooking the meatballs in a frying pan prior to adding it to the soup will give it a crust layer that will help hold it together. This along with adding egg and panko to the mix, which act as binders.
  • What to use in meatballs instead of bread crumbs?
  • You can use nuts, crackers, pretzels, or even crushed cereal.
  • What do eggs do in meatballs?
  • Eggs act as a binder to hold the meatballs together.
  • Can I bake my meatballs instead of frying?
  • You bet. Baking will sear the outside. Be sure to use a heavy duty cookie sheet when baking.
  • What broth goes best with pork?
  • I like to use chicken. But as mentioned previously you can use beef or vegetable as well.
  • Other great pork recipes

    close up of pork meatball soup

    Pork Meatball Soup

    Relle Lum
    Pork meatball soup is the perfect comfort food soup recipe for cool weather. Juicy, flavorful meatballs in a delicious broth that’s easy to make. All you need is 30 minutes and you got yourself the perfect meal.
    4.78 from 9 votes
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Asian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 327 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the soup

    • ½ small onion finely minced
    • 4 garlic cloves finely minced
    • Cooking oil of choice
    • 6 cups chicken broth
    • 3 cups water
    • 1 cups bok choy chopped
    • 1 cups watercress chopped

    For the pork meatballs

    • 1 pound ground pork
    • 1 egg
    • ¼ cup panko
    • 4 garlic cloves finely minced
    • 2 stalks green onion finely sliced
    • ½ small onion finely diced
    • 1 tablespoon shoyu
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • Cooking oil of choice

    Instructions
     

    • For the soup: In a large pot, add cooking oil of choice, onion, and garlic. Cook until fragrant and the onions just become translucent. 
    • To the pot add chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
    • While the soup is heating up, begin the meatballs. 
    • For the meatballs: To a large bowl add ground pork, egg, panko, garlic, green onion, onion, shoyu, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
    • Using a small scoop, scoop a heaping tablespoon of the pork mixture and roll into a ball. Set aside and roll the rest of the pork mix.
    • Set a large skillet over medium high heat. Add your cooking oil of choice. Place the meatballs in the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. The meatballs do not need to be cooked all the way through as it will finish cooking in the soup.
    • Remove the meatballs from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
    • Add the meatballs, bok choy, and watercress to the soup. Return to a boil and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the pork has cooked through and the vegetables have softened.
    • Cool slightly and ENJOY!

    Notes

  • Don’t over mix the meatballs. This can make the meat tough. Mix just enough to combine all the ingredients.
  • Use a cookie scoop to scoop the meatballs and ensure uniform size.
  • Brown the meatballs on medium high to high. This will create a nice browning on the outside and give the meatballs an extra layer of flavor and texture. 
  • You do not need to cook the meatballs all the way through before adding it to the soup. The meatballs will finish cooking in the soup.
  • Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 327kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 24gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 1395mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
    Keyword comfort food, keeping it relle, meatball soup, pork meatball soup, pork soup, soup, soup season
    Did you make this recipe?Share a photo and tag @keeping.it.relle on Instagram so I can see all your delicious creations and Let me know how it was!

    © Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!

    Tried this recipe? Tag me on social. I’d love to see and share it. Instagram
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    By on December 16th, 2021

    About Relle

    Aloha, my name is Relle and welcome to my little home on the internet where I like to share all my favorite Hawaiian recipes (and local ones too).

    I am a wife, mom of two, and nurse practitioner here in the beautiful state of Hawai’i. I was born and raised in Hawai’i and I am of native Hawaiian descent. In my spare time I love to cook and bake and I have compiled many of my favorite recipes here for you to enjoy.

    More posts by this author.

    4 thoughts on “Pork Meatball Soup”

    1. 5 stars
      Meatballs are always perfect in hearty soups and this recipe did not disappoint. It is filling and flavorful. Comfort food in a bowl. DELISH!

      Reply

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