Asian Pork and Noodle Soup

The broth is what shines in this Asian Pork and Noodle Soup recipe. The molasses, cinnamon and fish sauce give so much flavor to the broth and, well, everything. It just tastes so rich. The depth that you get from the trifecta of ingredients reminds me of soy sauce. It’s definitely not the same flavor but it’s not a one-note flavor. It’s a symphony.

Pork and long glass noodles are both signs of luck in Chinese culture so this Asian Pork and Noodle Soup is a perfect dish for the Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year also goes by Chinese New Year or Tet in Vietnamese culture. It’s probably the biggest celebration of the year in Asian cultures. The party generally lasts for two weeks. The Chinese New Year has already passed for 2018 but I’m just getting around to posting my favorite recipe for this year.

My son, Tyler, is at the age where he can appreciate some of the local celebrations. This year we went to see a few lion and dragon dances. I feel so lucky to live in a community that celebrates Chinese (and other Asian) cultures. There were so many festivals and events over the first two weeks of the year that we couldn’t possible attend them all. We were able to hit up a few Chinese celebrations this year but next year I want to check out the Vietnamese Tet Festival as well. I’m not as familiar with Vietnamese traditions but look forward to next year.

This recipe is too good and way too easy to make to keep it solely for the New Year. The prep takes less than 5 minutes. No joke. You only need to chop the garlic and green onions. The rest takes place on the stove with minimal supervision. It’s really great during the week when time is super limited.

I created this Asian Pork and Spinach recipe with the hopes of reintroducing sweet potato glass noodles. Luckily I was able to stomach them because they’re so freakin’ good. We’ve had it 3 times this week. This recipe makes me so happy. If you haven’t tried sweet potato glass noodles, this is the recipe. It’s a must try!

Fighting a chronic illness can be such a struggle on a daily basis. When I come through a flare or really tough period, I really do feel like a warrior. I feel like I emerge just a little bit stronger. For that reason, I thought this Warrior t-shirt would be the perfect giveaway. We’re all warriors together!

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This giveaway is open to residents of the continental United States who have reached the age of majority at the time of the contest in the state in which they reside. No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway will run from Tuesday March 21, 2018 at 12:01am to end on Tuesday March 28, 2018 at 11:59pm. Winner is chosen at random via Rafflecopter. Winner will be contacted via email and given 48 hours to respond. If not, a new winner will be chosen. Winner’s name will be displayed on Rafflecopter widget. Email address will never be given out to any third party or anyone for that matter.

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Asian Pork and Noodle Soup

Asian Pork and Spinach Soup is a great way to celebrate the Lunar New Year or just for a fast and flavorful weeknight meal. It’s totally AIP/Paleo and can easily be made in less than 30 minutes. This recipe is allergy friendly (gluten, dairy, shellfish, nut, egg, and soy free) and suits the autoimmune protocol diet (AIP), and paleo diets.

• Author: Beth
• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 25
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4

Ingredients

1 pound Ground Pork

2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt

1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves

Cinnamon Stick

1 tablespoon Molasses

1 teaspoon Fish Sauce

4 cups Chicken Broth

1 bunch Baby Spinach (about 2 cups or 2.5 ounces)

4 Scallions, thinly sliced

8 ounces Sweet Potato Glass Noodles

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add pork, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and molasses then cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 5-8 minutes.

Add the ground cloves, cinnamon stick, broth and fish sauce then bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until flavors meld, 8–10 minutes.

Add noodles, scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are cooked, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the spinach then stir to combine.

Season the soup with salt, to taste.

Divide noodles among bowls and ladle soup over.