Thai Clear Pork and Vegetable Soup

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A comforting Thai everyday soup with seasoned pork meatballs, soft tofu, Napa cabbage, and glass noodles gently simmered in a light, clear broth. Tom Jued is the mild counterpart to Thailand's bolder soups and is prized for its clean, soothing flavor and delicate seasoning of soy sauce and white pepper.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 285 kcalCalories
• 12 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 14 gCarbs
• 2 gFiber
• 3 gSugar
• 26 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 520 mgPotassium
• 110 mgCalcium
• 2.4 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 320 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the pork meatballs

• 300 g (10 oz) ground pork
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water

For the soup base

• 8 cups (2 L) low-sodium chicken or pork stock
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 piece (3 cm) smashed ginger

For the vegetables, tofu, and garnish

• 200 g soft tofu, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 150 g Napa cabbage, cut into 4 cm pieces
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into thin ovals
• 100 g canned straw mushrooms, drained and halved
• 50 g dried glass noodles, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork with garlic, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, and cold water. Mix in one direction for 2 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and holds together, then roll into 20 small meatballs about 3 cm in diameter.
2. Pour the chicken or pork stock into a large pot, add the smashed ginger, and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Season with soy sauce, salt, and white pepper, stirring to combine.
3. Carefully lower the pork meatballs into the simmering broth. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, skimming any foam off the surface to keep the broth crystal clear.
4. Add the carrot slices and straw mushrooms and simmer for 3 minutes until just tender but still bright in color.
5. Stir in the Napa cabbage and simmer for another 2 minutes, then gently slide in the tofu cubes and drained glass noodles. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more, just until everything is heated through and the noodles are tender.
6. Taste the broth and adjust with a pinch more salt or soy sauce if needed. Ladle the soup into four bowls, dividing the meatballs, vegetables, tofu, and noodles evenly.
7. Garnish each bowl with sliced spring onions and fresh cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.

Cook’s Notes

• Choose ground pork with about 20% fat so the meatballs stay juicy; too lean and they turn rubbery in the clear broth.
• Keep the simmer gentle rather than a rolling boil to preserve the soup's signature clarity and prevent the tofu from breaking apart.
• A teaspoon of fish sauce added at the end deepens the savory Thai flavor without darkening the broth.
• Soak the glass noodles only until pliable, and add them in the final 2 minutes so they don't turn mushy when reheated leftovers.
• For a vegetarian version, swap the pork stock for a light mushroom or vegetable stock and use crumbled firm tofu instead of meatballs.

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