Vegetables and Pork Meatball Soup
Some soups are heavy and rich. This one is different. It is a clear, everyday Khmer Krom soup built on water, ground pork, and whatever vegetables are in the kitchen—here, green papaya, carrot, potato, and celery. The meatballs are small and soft, seasoned with fish sauce and black pepper, and they give the broth a gentle savoriness without making it heavy. It is the kind of soup that feels light enough for a hot day but still satisfying enough to count as a meal.
What makes it work is the balance: sweet vegetables, salty fish sauce, a touch of sugar, and the fresh bite of green onion at the end. You can serve it with steamed rice, or tear off a piece of crusty bread and dip it into the broth. Either way, it is simple, warming, and easy to put together on a weeknight. It belongs to the same family of clear Cambodian soups as our pumpkin and pork meatballs soup, where tender meatballs and vegetables do most of the work.
What You Need
The ingredient list is short and ordinary. Ground pork, fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and onion go into the meatballs. The broth gets its body from water, a chicken bouillon cube, and the vegetables: carrot, white potato, green papaya, and celery. Green onion goes on top at the end. If you have made a Cambodian soup before, you probably have most of these already. If not, they are all easy to find at a regular supermarket or Asian grocery.
A note on green papaya: use the firm, unripe kind. It holds its shape in the soup and adds a mild, almost melon-like sweetness. Ripe papaya would turn soft and too sweet for this broth.
Equipment
Soup pot: To boil the water and simmer the meatballs and vegetables until tender.
Chef’s knife: To cut the carrot, potato, green papaya, celery, and green onion into even chunks.
Cutting board: To safely prepare all the vegetables and mince the onion.
Vegetable peeler: To peel the potato and green papaya before cutting them.
Measuring cups: To measure the water for the broth.
Measuring spoons: To measure the fish sauce, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
Mixing bowl: To combine the ground pork with the seasonings and form the meatballs.
Wooden spoon: To stir the soup gently without breaking the meatballs.
Ladle: To transfer the hot soup and broth into serving bowls.
Soup bowls: To serve the finished soup while it is hot.
How to Make Vegetables and Pork Meatball Soup
Step 1: Mix and shape the meatballs
Put the ground pork in a mixing bowl. Add the fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and minced yellow onion. Use your hands or a spoon to mix everything until it is evenly combined. Roll the mixture into small meatballs—about the size of a walnut—and set them aside on a plate. Small meatballs cook quickly and stay tender in the broth.
Step 2: Bring the water to a boil
Pour 5 cups of water into a large soup pot. Place it over high heat and let it come to a rolling boil. A wide pot works well here because it gives the vegetables room to simmer evenly.
Step 3: Add the meatballs and vegetables
Carefully drop the meatballs into the boiling water. Add the carrot, potato, green papaya, celery, and chicken bouillon cube. Lower the heat so the water is at a gentle simmer—small bubbles, not a hard boil. Let everything cook until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir once or twice, but gently.
Step 4: Season the broth
Taste the broth. Add fish sauce, a little sugar, salt, and black pepper to your liking. The soup should taste savory first, with a faint sweetness from the vegetables and a mild warmth from the pepper. Stir and let it simmer for another minute or two so the flavors settle.
Step 5: Finish and serve
Turn off the heat. Scatter the chopped green onion over the top. Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each bowl gets a few meatballs and a good mix of vegetables. Serve hot.
Cooking Tips
- Keep the meatballs small. Large meatballs take longer to cook and can become firm. Small ones stay soft and absorb the broth.
- Do not skip the simmering time. The vegetables need those 20–25 minutes to become tender and to flavor the broth.
- Taste before serving. Fish sauce and bouillon are both salty, so adjust the final seasoning carefully. Add a little fish sauce or salt, stir, and taste again.
- Cook the meatballs through. Ground pork should reach 160°F (71°C) on a food thermometer. The FDA provides a clear guide to safe cooking temperatures for ground meat, and the USDA FSIS also recommends 160°F for ground pork mixtures.
How to Serve
This soup is traditionally served with steamed jasmine rice. Spoon the broth over the rice, or keep the rice on the side and take a spoonful of soup between bites. It is also good with crusty bread—French or Italian-style—for dipping. On a warm day, a bowl of this soup with rice is a light but complete meal. On a cool evening, it is quietly comforting. Soup is the anchor of a Cambodian family meal, and you can read more about that everyday rhythm in our guide to Cambodian soup family meals.
Recipe Notes
If you want to make the meatballs ahead, mix and roll them, then refrigerate them for up to a day before cooking. Bring them to room temperature for a few minutes before dropping them into the boiling water so they cook evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different vegetable instead of green papaya?
Yes. The recipe is flexible. Chayote, zucchini, or winter melon can stand in for green papaya if you want a similar firm texture. Adjust the cooking time slightly—tender vegetables may need less time.
How should I store leftovers?
Let the soup cool, then store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it gently on the stove, bringing it to a simmer. The vegetables may soften further after reheating.
Is this soup gluten-free?
It can be, but it depends on the fish sauce and bouillon cube. Some brands add wheat or barley. Check the labels on both products before serving this to someone who needs a gluten-free diet.
What does this soup taste like?
The broth is light and savory, with a mild sweetness from the carrot, potato, and green papaya. The meatballs are soft and seasoned with fish sauce and black pepper. It is not spicy, and the flavors are gentle rather than strong.
Final Thoughts
This is a soup that does not ask for much: a pot, water, ground pork, and a few vegetables. But the result is a balanced, nourishing bowl with soft meatballs, tender vegetables, and a broth that tastes clean and savory. It is a good recipe to keep in rotation when you want something simple that still feels like a real meal. If you enjoy this style of clear pork soup, our white yam with pork soup is another gentle, beginner-friendly option. Serve it with rice or bread, and let the quiet flavors do the work.
Vegetables & Pork Meatball Soup
4
servings15
minutes30
minutes272
kcal45
minutesThis everyday Cambodian soup balances soft pork meatballs with chunky vegetables. The broth is gentle and slightly sweet, seasoned with fish sauce and black pepper. Serve it with steamed rice or crusty bread for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
½ lb (255 g) ground pork
1 tbsp fish sauce
½ tbsp sugar
¼ tsp black pepper
½ yellow onion, minced
5 cups water
1 carrot, cut into chunks
2 white potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
½ medium green papaya, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 Maggi chicken bouillon cube
¼ tsp salt
2 stalks green onion, chopped
Directions
- In a small bowl, mix the ground pork with fish sauce, sugar, black pepper, and minced yellow onion. Roll into small meatballs and set aside.
- Pour the water into a large soup pot and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Add the meatballs, carrot, potato, green papaya, celery, and chicken bouillon cube to the boiling water. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, about 20–25 minutes.
- Season with fish sauce, sugar, salt, and black pepper to taste.
- Top with chopped green onion and serve hot with rice or crusty bread.
Equipment
Large Soup PotCheck product details
Mixing BowlsCheck product details
Cutting boardCheck product details
Measuring Spoons & CupsCheck product details
Recipe Video
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 272kcal
- Fat: 13.8g
- Saturated Fat: 5.1g
- Cholesterol: 46mg
- Sodium: 578mg
- Potassium: 736mg
- Carbohydrates: 24.2g
- Net Carbs: 20.7g
- Fiber: 3.5g
- Sugar: 6.9g
- Protein: 13.4g
- Vitamin A: 151.1mcg
- Vitamin C: 43.7mg
- Calcium: 55mg
- Iron: 2mg
- Vitamin E: 0.3mg
- Vitamin K: 20.2mcg
- Thiamin: 0.6mg
- Riboflavin: 0.2mg
- Niacin: 4.1mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.6mg
- Vitamin B12: 0.5mcg
- Folate: 46.1mcg
- Pantothenic Acid: 0.8mg
- Phosphorus: 178mg
- Magnesium: 56mg
- Zinc: 2mg
- Selenium: 16.8mcg
- Copper: 0.2mg
- Manganese: 0.2mg
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