This Asian inspired Pork Ramen Noodle Soup has caramelized pork meatballs and ramen noodles in a rich broth flavored with soy sauce and warm ginger. This soup is easy to make and ready in only 30 minutes with a flavor that tastes as you slaved over it all day.
The last time I made Wonton soup, I have to admit, my Wontons did not maintain their composure and the filling fell out of the wrappers and the meat floated around in the broth. The soup was good regardless of the sloppy in presentation, but making the Wontons is a tedious task. It was pretty heartbreaking to see them come apart like that. I always make a large batch and freeze them to have on hand. Perhaps I cooked them too long…
As I sat there eating the soup digging my spoon into the discombobulated Wontons, I remembered the time I made this soup and had more pork mixture than I did Wonton wrappers. Not wanting to waste the meat, I decided to roll up the extra meat mixture into a few meatballs and brown them and drop the meatballs into my soup. I started thinking how good the browned meatballs were. To me, pork is so much better when it is browned. I brown up my country breakfast sausage until it is crusty and on the verge of turning black. There is so much more flavor that way.
Then, I started thinking about the work it takes to make the Wontons and I started to get pretty aggravated looking at the noodles floating around in my bowl with nothing inside. Wait a minute! Noodles. Browned pork. Meatballs.
I have always loved the noodles used in those Ramen Noodle packages, but I will be bluntly honest, I would burp that seasoning packet for the rest of the day. What is in that powder?!?!!?
That’s when it hit me, I would use the same ingredients to make this soup, but instead of using Wonton wrappers, I would use Ramen noodles and brown up the meatballs to go into the rich broth. There would be very little work and I would still get the same rich hearty soup I craved. This Pork Ramen Noodle Soup was born!
Let’s make some!
How To Make Pork Ramen Noodle Soup
First, combine the pork, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the grated ginger, scallion whites, rice wine, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a medium bowl and mix gently by hand, like you would a meatloaf.
Make sure to squeeze all the ingredients together and combine well. Spoon about two tablespoons of the mixture into your hands and roll it up into a ball. Set aside and repeat until there is no more pork mixture (about 14 meatballs).
Next, in a 4-quart saucepan, bring the chicken broth, water, bouillon cubes, remaining 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and sliced ginger to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let ginger steep for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a separate large pot over medium-high flame, add the meatballs and cook until nicely browned; about 10 minutes. Set aside in a warm place, while preparing the noodles.
Remove the ginger from the broth with a slotted spoon or small sieve. ~ I had a few brown bits and scallions from the meatballs floating around too yum!
Raise the heat to a lively simmer, add both packages of Ramen Noodles. Cook for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, carefully drop the meatballs into the broth. Simmer on low for 2 more minutes.
Divide the meatballs and noodles among serving bowls, then ladle some broth in as well.
Divide the cabbage and mushroom slices among the bowls. Sprinkle with the scallion greens and an optional dabble of Sriracha.
Serve hot.
I realize that Wonton Soup is Chinese and Ramen Noodles are Japanese. However, this recipe is a mixture of both worlds. I can have my flavorful pork meatballs with Ramen noodles and eat them too!
I hope you will like this Pork Ramen Noodle Soup as much as we did!
Pork Ramen Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 large scallions trimmed and thinly sliced (green and white parts kept separate)
- ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 1 quart water
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce divided
- fresh ginger 1 inch finely grated + ½-inch thinly sliced
- 2 packages Ramen Noodles (seasoning packets discarded)
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
- 2 large Savoy cabbage leaves very thinly sliced crosswise
- Sriracha for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the pork, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the grated ginger, scallion whites, rice wine, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a medium bowl and mix gently by hand, like you would a meatloaf. Make sure to squeeze all the ingredients together and combine well. Spoon about two tablespoons of the mixture into your hands and roll it up into a ball. Set aside and repeat until there is no more pork mixture (about 14 meatballs).
- In a 4-quart saucepan, bring the chicken broth, water, bouillon cubes, remaining 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce and sliced ginger to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and let ginger steep for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a separate large pot over medium-high flame, add the meatballs and cook until nicely browned; about 10 minutes. Set aside in a warm place, while preparing the noodles.
- Remove the ginger from the broth with a slotted spoon or small sieve (I had a few brown bits and scallions from the meatballs floating around too).
- Raise the heat to a lively simmer, add both packages of Ramen noodles (I like them long, but feel free to break them up.) Cook for 2 minutes.
- After 2 minutes, carefully drop the meatballs into the broth. Simmer on low for 2 more minutes.
- Divide the meatballs and noodles among serving bowls, then ladle some broth in as well.
- Divide the cabbage and mushroom slices among the bowls. Sprinkle with the scallion greens and an optional dabble of Sriracha. Serve hot.
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says
What is in those ramen noodle packets??? In college I was known to eat a few?! Yuck now to them…Deb, try baking on high temp. the pork balls to brown they do not fall apart that way and brown to your hearts desire. Japanese/Chinese whichever…It works for you!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks for the tip Cheryl! 🙂
dogear6 says
I think that looks much, much better than struggling with wontons and wrappers and all that stuff. It’s much better than just ramen noodles!
Nancy
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks, Nancy! I loved it. Something about those long curly noodles… 😉
Anna Buckley says
Yum Debbie, a good steaming bowl of broth is just what you need at the moment.
The Mountain Kitchen says
I am feeling a lot better, Anna. You don’t have to be under to enjoy this for sure! 🙂
Sarah says
I adore ramen soup! Love the meatballs 🙂
The Mountain Kitchen says
Give this one a try, Sarah! Sooooo good! 🙂
Julie is HostessAtHeart says
Can you hear me slurping from there? This recipe looks amazing, and I love that you used the noodles. I think those packets are 90% salt. 🙁 Your dish is much better I am sure!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks, Julie. This is pure comfort food to me. It is so good. Having high bp David and I are always watching our sodium.