It's fall, y'all! I'm a soup lover year-round, but it's even better slurping from a bowl with the crisp air hitting your face as the fall breeze rolls through. Halloween's right around the corner and it always gets me into the mood for this Vietnamese Squash & Meatball Soup, or Canh Bi Do Nau Moc. While pumpkin may have you thinking pumpkin spice, this seasonal soup we grew up on is far from the overly sweet treats you may be familiar with.
After Halloween, we would have many pumpkins left over from the jack-o'-lanterns and decorations around the house. My dad would break them down to make this Vietnamese Squash & Meatball Soup for us using chunks of hearty pumpkin and savory pork meatballs. This recipe is naturally FODMAP- and allergy-friendly, so it's great to eat after a full night of trick-or-treating!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground pork
- ¼ cup chopped chives, plus more for garnish
- 1 diced chile (any spicy variety)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (use soy sauce if you are allergic to fish)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 2 cups diced winter squash (pumpkin, kabocha, butternut all work well)
Directions:
- Mix together ground pork, chives, chile, ginger, fish sauce and pepper in a large bowl.
- Roll out meatballs into 2-inch balls.
- Bring broth to a simmer in a large stock pot over medium heat.
- Gently drop meatballs into the soup and simmer until they float to the top and are cooked through. This takes about 10 minutes.
- Add the squash and cook for 10 minutes more.
- Serve soup hot, garnished with additional chives.
Note: All ingredients can be customized to accommodate your tolerance of FODMAPs and for food allergies. This soup freezes and reheats really well. Make a batch or two and freeze in portioned containers.
Get the play-by play-details on how to make my Vietnamese Squash & Meatball Soup over on my YouTube channel here. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and check in for my regular posts over on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
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