Looking for a delicious and satisfying meal to enjoy during the warmer months? Look no further than this mouthwatering Asian Style Pork Soup. This soup is perfect for those looking for a light and refreshing meal that's still packed with flavor and nutrients. Plus, it's incredibly simple to make, with just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep work required.

One of the best things about this soup is how versatile it is. You can enjoy it on its own as a light lunch or dinner, or pair it with your favorite sides for a more substantial meal. It's also perfect for meal prepping, as it can easily be prepared several days ahead, and then reheated for a quick and healthy meal on the go. Details on proper storage and reheating below.

As for pairings, this soup goes well with a variety of sides and garnishes. Try serving it with a side of brown rice or quinoa for a more filling meal, or pair it with a crisp green salad for a refreshing contrast. You could also top the soup with some sliced avocado, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, or a dollop of Greek yogurt for some added creaminess and texture.

So what are you waiting for? Give this delicious and easy-to-make soup recipe a try, and enjoy a comforting and satisfying meal that's perfect for any occasion. Read on for an ingredient checklist, recipe variations, and the step-by-step recipe.

Now, without further delay, let’s dive right in.

Ingredient Checklist – What You’ll Need

Boneless pork loin: The meat of the soup. Variations below.
Garlic: Adds a pungent and savory flavor to the soup. Be sure to crush and then chop up the garlic so that you don’t get big ‘bites’ or ‘chunks’ of garlic.
Parsley: Be sure to use Italian flatleaf parsley. This provides a fresh and herbaceous flavor to the soup.
Shiitake mushrooms: Adds an umami depth of flavor to the soup. While I’m using dried, you can substitute in fresh. Also, feel free to use your preferred type of mushroom, such as porcini, button, or oyster mushrooms.
Carrot: For color and ‘vegetable sweetness.’
Scallions: Once again, adds a pop of color, while providing a mild onion flavor.
Celery: Be sure to slice the celery up nice and thin.
Onion: Any type of onion will work. However, I do suggest yellow onions, as despite being strong and pungent when raw, they become sweet and mild when cooked. They also break down easily during cooking, which is why they are the ‘go to’ onion for soups and stews. That said, feel free to experiment.
Fish sauce: This adds a ‘briny’ flavor to the soup, that’s best described as salty and savory. Feel free to substitute with soy sauce or tamari if you don’t like fish sauce, or if you want a vegetarian-friendly soup.
Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru): Brings a mix of heat, chili flavor, and subtle sweetness, for a flavor combination that’s truly hard to replicate inside of a single ingredient. This can be adjusted according to your preferred level of spiciness.
Salt: Plain table salt is really all you need here.
Black pepper: Pre-ground is fine for this recipe.
Sugar: Balances out the acidity in recipe, and works with the salt to help meld the flavors of the soup.
Seaweed Paper: Where using this as an ingredient and as garnish. If you don’t have seaweed, don’t worry, as this can be omitted entirely.
Noodles: I’m using ramen purely as a matter of preference for their chewy and satisfying texture. Can be substituted with soba noodles or udon noodles.
Avocado: Being used mostly as garnish. However, it does provides a creamy and buttery flavor to the soup. Can be omitted or substituted with sliced boiled eggs or diced tofu.

Making the Recipe Your Own

Vegetarian or Vegan-Friendly: Naturally, tofu can be used as a protein substitute for the pork to make the soup vegetarian or vegan-friendly. Additionally, for a vegan-friendly version, the fish sauce can be replaced with soy sauce or tamari. As a note of caution, be sure to thoroughly drain the tofu, and to add it into the soup during the last five to ten minutes of cooking, otherwise the tofu will become mushy and fall apart. Not fun.
Spicier: For those who enjoy a spicier soup, you can increase the amount of Korean red pepper flakes or add some sriracha sauce or chili oil to taste. You might also consider adding in a dusting of Cajun seasoning.
Seafood: If you enjoy seafood, you could add some shrimp or scallops to the soup, or even swap out a hardy fish such as shark in place of the pork loin.
Miso: For an additional depth of flavor, try adding a tablespoon or two of miso paste to the soup. I would suggest adding the miso during the last ten or so minutes of cook time.
Mix up the Vegetables: The recipe can be customized to include your favorite vegetables such as bell peppers, kale, spinach, or broccoli. Just be sure to chop them finely so they cook through quickly.
Swap the Noodles: As mentioned above, I’m using ramen purely as preference. Feel free to substitute in your preferred noodle. Consider swapping out the ramen for soba, udon, or rice noodles.
Enhance the Broth: While I’m not using a stock or broth, you can certainly substitute the water with the brother or stock of your choice. Beef, pork, or vegetable stock would all work wonders. You might also consider a fish stock to give the recipe a little ‘surf and turf’ flare.

With these variations, you can create a soup that is tailored to your taste preferences and dietary needs.

How to Store and Reheat this Soup

Storage: After making the soup, allow it to cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How long does it keep? If stored properly in an airtight container, the soup should last about four days in the fridge. Generally, speaking, do no keep ‘any’ soup longer than four days.
Reheating: When you're ready to reheat the soup, transfer it to a pot on the stovetop over medium heat until it reaches your desired temperature. It is ‘not’ a good idea to allow it to boil. Be sure to stir the soup occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.
Adding Water: As the soup sits in the refrigerator, the noodles and seaweed will absorb some of the liquid, so you may need to add additional water or stock when reheating to get the desired consistency.

More Soups and Stews from Living the Gourmet

Korean Chicken Noodle Stew: A rich and flavorful stew made with garlic, onions, ginger, scallions, shiitake mushrooms, and gochugaru (Korean chili powder). The garlic and onion add a savory base, and the ginger and scallions add a hint of freshness. The mushrooms bring an earthy depth of flavor, and the gochugaru adds the perfect amount of heat. And of course, the star of the show is the succulent chicken, and hardly noodles.
Spinach and Meatball Soup: One of my new favorite soup recipes ever. The meatballs give the broth a ‘thick’ texture and ‘meaty’ flavor, while the veggies and herbs keep the sound grounded. I really can’t recommend this one enough.
Bean and Vegetable Soup: The quintessential ‘vegetable soul,’ perfect for weeknights when you want something hardy and warming, but don’t have the time to start with a full entrée and all the trimmings.
Chicken and Vegetable Soup: A true comfort staple, featuring roast chicken combined in a well-seasoned broth with jalapenos, carrots, tomatoes, and onions. This creates a warming and earthy combination, that’s absolutely perfect for cold wintry nights.