Low Carb Vietnamese Pork Meatball Napa Cabbage Soup

Low Carb Vietnamese Pork Meatball Napa Cabbage Soup is a great go-to Vietnamese comfort meal that is simple to put together. The recipe makes a large batch of soup, so it is great for meal prepping. The soup is made by hydrating dried shiitake mushrooms, chopping them, and mixing them into ground turkey meat. The meat is seasoned with crushed white pepper and fish sauce and chopped kelp noodles to help moisten the meatballs. The texture is quite exciting! The meatballs are simmered in a chicken bone broth and then joined along with fresh napa cabbage, more shiitake mushrooms, and kelp noodles. The kelp noodles make a great low-carb substitute for bean thread noodles.

Do I have to use dried shiitake mushrooms?

Yes, they have a robust flavor from the drying process that fresh shiitake mushrooms do not have. They can be found at your local Asian grocery store or online.

Do I have to use ground pork?

This dish is traditionally made using ground pork, which you can substitute with ground turkey. However, choose a higher fat percentage ground turkey to keep it Keto or serve the dish with a high-fat side or snack.

Serving suggestions

Feel free to serve this dish with a Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie https://www.carbmanager.com/recipe/low-carb-vietnamese-avocado-smoothie to add some healthy fats to your meal.

Net Carbs

8.1 g
Fiber

5.5 g
Total Carbs

13.6 g
Protein

39.3 g
Fats

30.6 g

485 cals

Quantity

Serving Size

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Napa cabbage

1.5 lb
Mushrooms Shiitake Dried

15 mushroom
Ground pork

2.25 lb
Chicken broth

1 qt
Water

2 qt
Salt, sea salt

1.25 tsp
White pepper, ground

1 tsp
Fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)

1 tbsp
Avocado oil

1 tbsp
Kelp Noodles

24 oz
Fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)

1 tbsp

Step 1

To start, add water to a small saucepan and add the dried mushrooms to it. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook the mushrooms until they are softened. Drain them and rinse them under cold water to be able to handle them. Slice the stems out of the mushrooms and place 5 of them into a food processor. Cut the rest of them into quarters and set them aside.
Step 2

Add the quartered mushrooms to an extra-large stockpot with the chicken bone broth and two quarts of water. You will need the extra space in the pot to add the napa cabbage, which starts voluminous but shrinks significantly once cooked. Bring the broth mixture to a boil.
Step 3

In the meantime, prepare the meatballs. Process the shiitakes in the food processor lightly and then add the ground pork, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 ¼ tsp sea salt, 1 tsp ground white pepper.
Step 4

Pulse the mixture until well blended but still slightly coarse. You may have to remove the processor’s lid and move the mixture around and pulse again to incorporate everything well. Chop about 3 oz of the kelp noodles into ½” pieces and fold them into the meatball mixture.
Step 5

Take two large spoons and make quenelles by moving a portion of the meatball mixture between the two spoons. Alternatively, you can use a 1 oz cookie scoop. Drop the meatballs into the boiling liquid and allow them to cook while you wash the napa cabbage.
Step 6

Cut the napa cabbage into 1 ½” cubes. Cutting the cabbage is best done by slicing the napa in half lengthwise and then cutting each half lengthwise into quarters. Remove the stem and then cut each quarter in half lengthwise again. Then chop the napa the other direction to make 1 ½” pieces. Add the napa cabbage to the soup and use a spoon to push the vegetable down in the broth.
Step 7

Next, add the kelp noodles to the soup. They are hard to overcook so that they can go directly into the soup. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the noodles are tender. Make sure the meatballs are cooked through as well before serving. Serve the soup piping hot with a side of fish sauce with chopped Thai chilies.