Hello my dear friends, how are you doing? Hope you have a great week ahead.
Do you like pumpkin? Personally, I love it so much! Pumpkin isn’t just delicious, it’s also packed with goodness: it’s rich in fiber to support digestion, and loaded with vitamins A, C, and E to keep our bodies strong and glowing. And the best part? Pumpkin is so versatile that you can make countless tasty dishes from it. I am in love with pumpkin soup and pumpkin pie 😀
Today, I want to share with you one of my all-time favorite home style recipes, Vietnamese pumpkin soup cooked with pork ribs. This dish is light, cozy, and nourishing. It’s simple to make but flavorful enough to impress. Let’s cook together!
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin
- Pork ribs
- Garlic, spring onion, salt, fish sauce, msg
- Cooking oil
How to make it:
Step 1: The secret to a delicious soup is a clear and clean broth. Start by rinsing the pork ribs well.
Then, put them in a pot with water, add a little salt and some onion or shallot, and bring it to a boil.
Step 2: After boiling for about 3 minutes, you’ll see foam and impurities rising to the surface, this is why we don’t use the first broth.
Turn off the heat, drain, and wash the ribs under running water.
Now, start fresh by filling the pot with new water, add the pork ribs again, some salt, and let them simmer gently for 15–20 minutes to get all the best from the pork ribs.
Step 3: While the ribs are simmering, let’s get the pumpkin ready. Peel it, remove the seeds, and cut it into bite-sized pieces, not too big, not too small, or the size you prefer.
Step 4: In a small pan, heat up a little cooking oil, saute chopped garlic until fragrant, then toss in the pumpkin pieces. Add a little salt, a little fish sauce, msg (optional) and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. This quick step helps the pumpkin soak up more flavor before it joins the soup.
Step 5: Once the pork ribs are tender, add the pumpkin into the broth. Let everything simmer for another 5–7 minutes, until the pumpkin softens and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Finally, toss in some chopped spring onion and adjust the taste before turning off the heat.
And just like that, ta-da, the Vietnamese pumpkin soup is ready.
The broth is naturally sweet from the pumpkin and savory from the pork ribs. The ribs are soft, the pumpkin is silky and slightly creamy, and together they create a beautiful harmony of flavors. You can enjoy it on its own as a light meal, or eat it with a bowl of white rice for a true Vietnamese-style dinner.
This is one of those soups that’s perfect for days when you don’t feel like cooking too much, but still want something delicious, healthy, and satisfying.
That’s it for today’s recipe, my dear friends! I hope this little taste of Vietnam inspires you to try it in your own kitchen. If you do, let me know how it turns out. I’d love to hear your version.
See you in the next post and send love and good vibes from Da Nang!
All the photos were taken by me in my lovely kitchen.