5 from 6 votes
Vegan Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup
This unusual stuffed bitter melon soup from Thailand and Vietnam is traditionally eaten during the New Year. (Or make stuffed cucumber soup for a milder version.)
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings:
4
side servings
Calories:
103 kcal
Course:
Soup
Cuisine:
Thai, Vietnamese
Ingredients
- 6 oz Beyond Beef or Impossible Beef
- 1 tbsp cilantro root can sub with 2 tbsp minced cilantro stems, mashed
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp ground white pepper (*can sub with black pepper)
- 1 bitter melon or English cucumber, peeled
- 1 qt water
- 1 soup stock cube see Note 1, Vietnamese style
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or vegan fish sauce
- 2 tbsp scallions for serving, chopped
- 2 tbsp cilantro for serving, chopped
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Slice 1 large bitter melon or English cucumber, peeled into 2-inch long pieces and core them (using a small knife) to remove the seeds. If using bitter melon, blanch the pieces in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and soak in salted water while you prepare the other ingredients. This reduces the bitterness.
- Mix together 6 oz Beyond Beef or Impossible Beef, 1 tbsp mashed cilantro root, 2 cloves garlic, minced, and 1/2 tsp ground white pepper.
- Pack the mixture tightly into each hollowed cucumber/melon. Any leftover filling can be shaped into meatballs and dropped into the soup.
- Bring 1 qt water, 1 Vietnamese soup stock cube, and 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce or soy sauce to a boil, then drop in the stuffed melons. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Taste for salt, adding as needed. Top with 2 tbsp chopped scallions and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro and serve.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- I used one Vietnamese vegetarian (súp chay) stock cube. If you are using water or homemade vegetable stock, you may want to add some sugar and msg, especially if you are using bitter melon, as they help to offset the bitter flavour.
Nutrition Information
Calories
103kcal
(5%)
Carbohydrates
11g
(4%)
Protein
8g
(16%)
Fat
3g
(5%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Cholesterol
2mg
(1%)
Sodium
639mg
(27%)
Potassium
466mg
(10%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
529IU
(11%)
Vitamin C
87mg
(97%)
Calcium
92mg
(9%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 side servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 103
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 103kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 3g | 5% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 2mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 639mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 466mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 529IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 87mg | 97% |
| Calcium | 92mg | 9% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.