Malabar Spinach Soup with Pork

5.0 from 1 vote

Some days, I don’t want fancy food. I don’t want anything crispy, baked, or beautifully plated. I want a pot of soup quietly simmering on the stove, filling the kitchen with a soft, familiar smell. This Malabar Spinach Soup with Pork is exactly that kind of food. It’s simple, humble, and deeply comforting in a way only home cooking can be.

In Khmer countryside homes, soups like this are not written down. They are remembered by hands and taste. You learn them by watching an older person cook while you wash vegetables or stir the pot. This soup has followed me since childhood, and every time I make it, it brings me back to those slow, warm afternoons.

Malabar Spinach Soup with Pork is light but nourishing, simple but satisfying. It’s the kind of soup you make when vegetables are fresh, pork is affordable, and everyone is hungry.

Why You’ll Love This Soup

This soup is gentle on the stomach and easy on the heart. The broth is clear but slightly thickened by the Malabar spinach, which gives it a soft, silky texture without needing cream or starch.

You’ll love how simple it is. No complicated steps. No special tools. Just honest ingredients cooked slowly and carefully.

It’s also very forgiving. Even if you’re new to cooking, this soup will turn out well. It doesn’t rush you, and it doesn’t punish small mistakes.

Most of all, it tastes like home. Warm, slightly sweet from the sweet potato, savory from the pork, and fresh from the greens.

My Personal Experience with This Dish

I remember my grandmother making this soup in a blackened aluminum pot over a charcoal stove. The sound of boiling water, the gentle tapping of a spoon on the pot, the smell of greens hitting hot broth—it all felt calm and steady.

When money was tight, this soup appeared often. A little pork went a long way, especially when mixed with vegetables from the garden. Malabar spinach grew wild and strong, even in the heat. Sweet potatoes were always nearby.

Now, when I cook this in my own kitchen, I still move slowly. I still taste the broth the same way. I still add the fish sauce little by little, listening to my instincts more than a measuring spoon.

Easy-to-Find Ingredients

One reason this soup survived generations is because the ingredients are easy to find. In Cambodia, Malabar spinach grows everywhere. Outside Cambodia, it’s often sold in Asian markets under names like Ceylon spinach or thick-leaf spinach.

Ground pork is affordable and cooks quickly. Sweet potato adds natural sweetness and makes the soup more filling.

Nothing here is fancy. Everything has a purpose.

Ingredients List

1/2 lb (225 g) ground pork
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 stalk green onion, minced
4 cups water
2 cups sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
2 lbs (900 g) Malabar spinach leaves, washed and chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 stalks green onion, chopped

Why These Ingredients Are Used

Ground pork – Adds richness and protein while keeping the soup light
Fish sauce – Brings depth and umami to the broth
Sugar – Balances the savory flavors gently
Black pepper – Adds warmth without overpowering
Green onion – Gives freshness and aroma
Sweet potato – Adds natural sweetness and soft texture
Malabar spinach – Thickens the soup slightly and adds nutrients

Cooking Equipment Needed

Soup pot – Large enough for boiling and stirring comfortably
Mixing bowl – For seasoning the pork
Spoon – For shaping and dropping pork into the soup
Knife and cutting board – For vegetables

Cooking Instructions

Start by seasoning the pork. This step matters because it flavors the soup from the inside out. Once the water boils, the kitchen begins to smell alive.

Dropping the pork into boiling water is a quiet moment. The meat cooks gently, forming soft pieces instead of hard lumps.

The sweet potato cooks next, slowly releasing sweetness into the broth. Finally, the Malabar spinach goes in, wilting and softening almost immediately.

The soup finishes quickly but feels like it took all day.

Step-by-Step Directions

In a bowl, mix ground pork with 1 teaspoon fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and minced green onion. Set aside.
Bring 4 cups of water to a gentle boil in a soup pot.
Using a spoon, scoop small portions of pork and drop them into the boiling water.
Cook until the pork is tender and cooked through.
Add sweet potato cubes and cook until soft.
Add chopped Malabar spinach and stir gently.
Once the soup returns to a boil, season with 1 tablespoon fish sauce and salt.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Sprinkle chopped green onion on top.
Serve hot with rice.

Tips for Best Flavor

Don’t overcook the spinach; it softens quickly
Season gradually and taste often
Use fresh Malabar spinach for the best texture
Keep the broth gentle, not aggressively boiling

Serving Suggestions

Serve with warm jasmine rice
Add a small plate of fresh chilies on the side
Enjoy as part of a shared family meal
Pair with simple grilled fish

Final Thoughts

This soup may look plain, but it carries generations of care. It’s food that listens to you. It doesn’t rush. It doesn’t demand attention. It simply nourishes.

I still make this when I feel tired, when the weather turns warm, or when I miss home. It reminds me that good food doesn’t need to be complicated to be meaningful.

If you enjoy gentle soups like this, you might also like Bamboo Shoots Soup with Pork or Winter Melon Soup with Pork on this blog. Both are recipes I return to often.

For learning more about Malabar spinach and its nutrition, I recommend reading Malabar Spinach Benefits and Uses.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I use regular spinach instead?

A: You can, but the texture will be thinner and less silky.

Q: Is this soup spicy?

A: No, it’s very mild. You can add chili if you like.

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Yes, but it’s best enjoyed fresh.

Q: What protein can replace pork?

A: Ground chicken or fish works well.

Malabar Spinach Soup with Pork

Recipe by Cambodia Recipe

5.0 from 1 vote

Course: SoupCuisine: CambodianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

220

kcal

Total time

minutes

Malabar Spinach Soup with Pork is a simple Khmer countryside soup made with seasoned ground pork, sweet potato, and thick leafy greens in a light, comforting broth.

Ingredients

Metric US

1/2 lb 1/2 (225 gram) of grounded pork
1 teaspoon 1 fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 sugar
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 black pepper
1 1 Stalk green onion, minced
4 cups 4 water
2 cups 2 cubes sweet potato(already peeled and cut to bite sizes)
2 lbs 2 (900 gram) of Mabalar spinach, pick out leaves, washed and chopped an inch in length
1 tablespoon 1 fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon 1/4 salt
2 2 Stalks green onion, chopped

Directions

In a small bowl, mix grounded pork with fish sauce, sugar, black pepper and onion, set a side.
Put water in a soup pot, cook till water bubbling.
Take a spoon to scoops some prepared grounded pork, drop meat in boiling water, continue to meat gone, cook till meat tender.
Add sweet potato, cook till sweet potato tender.
Add spinach thick leaf, stirs, cook till water bubbling again.
Seasoning with fish sauce and salt.
Top with green onion.