How long can I keep this soup?

When frozen raw, the soup will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Once prepared, leftovers are best kept for 2 days in the refrigerator.

Can I substitute the meatballs with something else?

Certainly, I use minced pork but minced chicken, turkey, or beef works just as well. For a vegetarian version, you can use plant-based mince or tofu.

Do I need to defrost the soup before reheating it?

No, that's the handy part — you pour the frozen contents directly into a pot and simmer for five minutes until everything is cooked through.

Can I add other vegetables?

Absolutely. Bok choy, carrots or bean sprouts also go well with this if you want a little more variety.

How do I best serve this soup?

I find it delicious with a dash of soy sauce, some sesame oil and optionally fresh coriander sprinkled over it when serving.

Chinese cabbage soup with meatballs

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20 min (+ freezing time)

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Easy

This is another game changer! This delicious prep meal that I always have on hand lately: everything goes raw into the freezer box, you pour cold broth over it, and you're done. On a busy weeknight, you take it out of the freezer, let it simmer for five minutes on the stove, and you have a quick, healthy, and protein-rich meal on the table. An ideal healthy meal if you want to cook ahead without it tasting like "leftovers." Yolooooo!

If you like ginger, also try my healthy ginger shots recipe!

Ingredients

What do you need?

Quantity: 3-4 servings (1.2L container)

For the meatballs
400-500 g seasoned pork/beef (or minced meat of your choice)

For the soup
1 small Chinese cabbage
5 cm ginger
1 can large white beans, rinsed
2 spring onions (scallions)
1 small chili pepper (optional, for those who like it spicy)
1.2 L good chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp oyster sauce or Tamari sauce

For the meatballs
400-500 g seasoned pork/beef (or minced meat of your choice)

1 small Chinese cabbage
5 cm ginger
1 can large white beans, rinsed
2 spring onions (scallions)
1 small chili pepper (optional, for those who like it spicy)
1.2 L good chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp oyster sauce or Tamari sauce

Make it veggie!

Replace the pork mince with plant-based mince or firm tofu, rolled into balls. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

Preparation method

How do you make this?

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Cut the Napa cabbage into pieces of about 5 cm and place them in the freezer container.

Finely chop the ginger and add it to the container.

Roll the minced meat into balls of your desired size and place them in the container.

Add the cannellini beans.

Finely chop the spring onion and add it, along with the chili pepper if you like a bit of spice.

Pour the cold broth over everything in the container.

Close the container and place it in the freezer.

Tips

I prefer to use a 1.2-liter container, which is perfect for 3 to 4 portions.
If you like extra umami, add a dash of soy sauce or some sesame oil when serving.
Feel free to prepare a few containers at once, then you'll have a supply ready for busy weeks.
In the refrigerator: if you make the soup fresh without freezing, it will keep for 2 days in a sealed container.
In the freezer: up to 3 months. That's the whole idea behind this recipe: freeze raw and prepare it whenever you like.
Reheating: straight from the freezer into a pot, once it boils let it simmer for another 2 minutes until everything is cooked through. Or take it out of the freezer the day before and place it in the refrigerator, once it boils let it simmer for another 2 minutes.