Cauliflower Soup with Italian Sausage and Kale

Goodness gracious. It is February 11 and this is my first post of 2026. Rest assured, I have been cooking, just not blogging! But I've made some great new recipes lately so I thought it was time I get back on the blogwagon, as it were.

This is a hearty soup recipe that has cauliflower as its base, with Italian sausage and kale. It's a nice change from "plain" cauliflower soup, and kale is a colorful and healthy addition. I also like kale in soups cause it "stands up" a bit better than spinach.

Start by browning the sausage. Then cook the onions and garlic, add the cauliflower and broth, and let it simmer til the veggies are tender. Blend it all up, then add the half and half, 

and chopped kale, 

and put the sausage back in the pot. Let it simmer a couple minutes or until the kale is wilted. That's all there is to it. If you like a little kick you can add some red pepper flakes. 

It's warming up where I live, but I read today we might get several more snowstorms in the next couple of weeks, so some good soup recipes are a must! I hope you enjoy this one.

Cauliflower Soup with Italian Sausage and Kale

1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups cauliflower pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced 
16 oz mild Italian sausage 
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
4 cups curly kale, finely chopped
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes

In a large Dutch oven or heavy-duty soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until the sausage is browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate, and drain all but 2 tablespoons of grease from the pot.

Add onions to the pot and cook until they are soft, then add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Add the cauliflower and chicken broth to the pot, and season with salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork.

Once the cauliflower is tender, puree the soup until smooth using an immersion blender. Add the half and half, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Add in the sausage and the kale, and let the soup simmer gently until the kale is wilted. Taste the soup, adjust the seasonings, and add red pepper flakes for more kick. 

Red Curry Ramen with Pork

 

Well, it's time for another soup recipe. Today in the north we are supposed to get pummeled with more snow, so there's no better time to enjoy a piping hot bowl of red curry ramen! This soup is a flavor explosion. Red curry with coconut milk alone is enough to make me swoon, but combined with ground pork, cilantro, and a soft boiled egg it becomes truly spectacular.

I even snuck some spinach in there, which, while not traditional in the least, does have good nutritional value. And I don't know about your family, but mine will easily eat spinach in soups and pasta dishes so I take advantage of that! 

This recipe is a little different than most soups in that the meat is cooked separately and then added on top. Adding fish sauce to the meat gives a very distinctive Thai flavor. (Fish sauce can be found in the Asian aisle at most large groceries. A large bottle will last several years...)

I found some new Ramen noodles at Costco recently made from brown rice. They come individually nested in a package so I used those instead of the "college Ramen" packets you would normally buy. If you're using those, I found that 4 of the "nests" were enough in this recipe, and we got 6 servings from this recipe. (Most people in our house had half an egg on their ramen, make enough eggs as your family likes!)

I hope you enjoy this new take on Ramen, and that you're staying warm this winter!

p.s. If you love ramen, and especially if you love bok choy, be sure to try this Gingery Pork Ramen with Bok Choy, too!

Red Curry Ramen with Pork

• 2 - 3.5-ounce packages instant ramen noodles
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 Tbsp. red curry paste
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
• 1 - 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 5 oz. baby spinach, chopped
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, black and/or white 
• 
  
• Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then drain and run under cold water. Drain again. Set aside. 
• 
  
• Heat canola oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in curry paste and tomato paste, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• 
  
• Stir in coconut milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until flavors have blended, about 8-10 minutes.
• 
  
• Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork and remaining minced garlic. Cook until pork has browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the pork as it cooks. Stir in fish sauce; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• 
  
• Add the spinach to the broth, and stir until wilted. Into individual bowls, add noodles, then broth, then top with port, egg halves, and cilantro. Top with sesame seeds. Serves 4-6.
• 
  

Recipe Source: Adapted from Damn Delicious

• 
  

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

We are eating a lot of soup this year. I have my tried and true favorites that are regulars in the rotation, like butternut curry soup, shrimp and corn chowder, creamy white chicken chili, lasagna soup, sweet potato and sausage soup, and miso meatball and noodle soup, but I also like to try new ones.

As someone who loves wild rice and mushrooms, I was sure that this would be a winning recipe. And I was right!

Chock full of two different kinds of mushrooms, as well as carrots, celery and onion, this soup is sure to warm you up on a chilly night and surprise you with its deliciousness.

It's also meatless! So if you try to eat at least one meal a week that doesn't have meat, this would fit the bill perfectly. And it's so hearty that no one will miss the traditional chicken in wild rice soup.

Because wild rice needs a long time to cook to fully open up, this soup is not a 30 minute meal. But it will be worth the wait, I promise. There's not more than 30 minutes worth of "work," but there's the simmering time.

I think this soup could be adapted quite easily for the crock pot, so if you try that, let me know how it goes!

Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

5 tsp. olive oil, divided
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced
4 tsp. salt, divided
2 Tbsp. butter
1 large white onion, diced
4 celery stalks, ends trimmed, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup wild rice 
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups beef broth
1 cup half and half
Freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot with a lid, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil over medium heat.

Add baby bella mushrooms and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to coat and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their natural moisture, it has evaporated and mushrooms are browned. Remove mushrooms from pot and set aside. Repeat the browning process with another 2 teaspoons of olive oil, button mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt. Remove from pot and set aside. 

Add the final teaspoon of oil to the pot, along with the salted butter. Add onion, celery, carrot, and final teaspoon salt, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables have begun to soften, about 5 minutes. If necessary, add a splash of stock to deglaze the pot and get the browned bits off the bottom. Stir in garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

Add wild rice. Then, stir in thyme, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in beef stock and bring mixture to a boil. Cover and simmer 40-60 minutes, or until rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Stir in half and half and reserved mushrooms. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve.

For a thicker soup, make a cornstarch/water slurry and and thicken before serving. 

Recipe Source: Adapted from Kemp's

Lentil, Chicken Sausage and Spinach Soup {Crock Pot or Instant Pot}

 

Am I the only one who thinks Sunday lunch can be tricky? Everyone is STARVING by the time you get home from church (me especially!), so lengthy preparations will not be tolerated (again, especially by me, ha!) 

Cue this lentil soup. You can throw this in the crock pot before you leave, and when you get home, a delicious lunch awaits.  And if the crock pot timing doesn't work out for you, you can do this in the Instant Pot instead, and have dinner ready in 30 minutes or so. 

Lentils make this soup especially hearty - great for these days that are starting to turn colder. Lentils are rich in fiber, folate and potassium making them a great choice for the heart and for managing blood pressure and cholesterol.  And they're delicious. 

Combined with Italian chicken sausage, and spinach, this soup will make your body, mind and heart happy! And your tastebuds. And your growly stomach.

Lentil, Chicken Sausage and Spinach Soup

1 pound dried lentils, picked over

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped bell pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

5 cups water

2 - 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, pureed

1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste

4 links Italian chicken sausage, sliced thinly

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. oregano

5 cups fresh spinach

Crock pot instructions:

Place all ingredients in the crock pot, except spinach. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach until it wilts. Serve immediately. 

Instant Pot instructions:

Place all ingredients in the Instant Pot, except spinach. Set to manual, pressure cook for 20 minutes. Release steam. Stir in spinach until it wilts. Serve immediately. 

Serves 6-8.

Gingery Pork Ramen

I love making soups, especially ones that can be made in a flash for a weeknight. Recipes that dirty only one pot and are gobbled up by the whole family earn extra bonus points.

This is one such recipe. I haven't been cooking with ground pork for too long, but Egg Roll in a Bowl and the Green Bean Stir Fry have made me a convert. 

Ground pork combined with bok choy (one of the most underrated vegetables of all time, in my opinion) and ramen noodes in a gingery broth, makes a delicious, easy soup that can be on the table in 30 minutes or less. So when you drive home in a snowstorm, or the temps dip below zero, or you just feel like soup, I hope you'll try this. It's a fantastic way to get warm from the inside out.

Get more inspiration at Inspire Me, Inspire Me 2, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul, Tasty Tuesdays.

Gingery Pork Ramen

1 pound ground pork
8 cups chicken broth
1 pound bok choy, white parts thinly sliced, green leaves coarsely chopped
6 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. ginger paste
2 Tbsp. garlic paste or fresh chopped garlic
5 green onions (green parts only), sliced 
2 tsp. Sriracha or chili garlic sauce
2 (3 oz) packages ramen noodles, broken up (do not use flavor packet)

In a Dutch oven or soup pot, brown the pork over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain fat, if there is any. Remove to a bowl.

Add the broth, white parts of the bok choy, soy sauce, ginger, green onions and sriracha to the soup pot. Bring to a boil and lower the heat; simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the ramen noodles and pork and simmer for another minute. 

Turn off heat and stir in the bok choy leaves. Let sit for 2-3 minutes until noodles are tender.

Recipe Source: Noble Pig

Winter Squash Soup {Instant Pot}

It's only mid February, which means we have plenty of cold weather still ahead here in Minnesota. So there's plenty of time to enjoy a wonderful soup like this. This soup is pretty close to the soup of its namesake at Panera, which I adore. So I'm glad to be able to make a big batch at home - and it's SOOO easy using the Instant Pot! Throw everything in the pot, let it do its magic, and then blend it up at the end. Easy peasy!

The hardest part about this, as with all butternut squash recipes, is cutting up the squash. Buying it precut or frozen is an option if you just can't hack it. Sorry for the pun. Sorry, not sorry.

This Winter Squash Soup is great for your Meatless Monday. It can also easily be made vegan by using vegetable broth, maple syrup and coconut milk. Or use honey, chicken broth and half and half, or whatever combination of these you have on hand, if your diet is not restricted.

Winter won't seem nearly as long with delicious soup to eat!

Find more great stuff at Inspire Me, Inspire Me 2, Hearth and Soul, Fabulous, Full Plate.




Winter Squash Soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small sweet onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed, about a 3 lb squash
15 oz pumpkin puree
2 cups apple cider
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk or half and half

Turn instant pot on and set to "saute" function. Once hot, add oil and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Press "cancel" to stop cooking process.

Add remaining ingredients (except coconut milk or half and half) and gently stir to ensure that all ingredients are submerged in liquid. Secure lid and set valve to the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.

Once the soup is done cooking, do a quick release. Add coconut milk or half and half. Use an immersion blender, or transfer in batches to a high-speed blender, to puree until smooth and creamy. Garnish with pumpkin seeds, if desired, and serve warm.

Curried Lentil Soup with Chicken Sausage and Toasted Almonds

Wow. Two dinners featuring curry two weeks in a row. Many years ago, I didn't think I was a fan of curry. Think of how many good meal opportunities I wasted. Now I have to make up for that time. So, more curry it is.

This delicious soup is like "nothing you would ever expect," according to my family. "It's so different, and SO good," exclaimed one. And I'm glad they loved it, because it's full of healthy goodness like carrots, celery, lentils and chicken sausage. It also has white beans, but since my family is not a fan, I tricked them (!) and pureed them first to add body to the soup. You can leave them in whole, just as easily.

Whatever you do, don't skip the almonds. I know, it seems really weird to eat almonds on soup. But it works! So don't skip it thinking it would be better without the almonds. It won't be. Just believe me.

This is a great soup for these long winter days and chilly nights. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine did!

Find more ideas at Inspire Me, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul.


Curried Lentil Soup with Chicken Sausage and Toasted Almonds

1 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1-2 large carrots, peeled and small diced
1-2 stalks celery, small diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 can white beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound precooked chicken sausage, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

In a large pot or Dutch Oven, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften, stirring often.

Add the broth and lentils. Bring to a low simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, but not mushy.

Stir in the sausage and beans (either whole or pureed) and heat through. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm with slivered almonds and cilantro.

Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Here in the Upper Midwest, January is a long month, with more of winter yet to come. And it's been an interesting one, with temperatures varying 30 degrees from day to day. When it's chilly and you need a good comforting dinner, soup is always the answer! This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup was a big hit with my family. Using a rotisserie chicken makes it super simple - just chop up some veggies and get simmering! Cooking chicken in the Instant Pot is also an easy way to prepare chicken for recipes.

(To cook chicken in the IP, I add about 1 cup of water, season the chicken and set to manual pressure for 6 minutes for fresh and 12 minutes for frozen...times will vary slightly depending on the size of your chicken pieces.)

For the noodles in the soup, I used German Spaetzle which I got at Aldi. They are more egg-y than traditional pasta and work really well in this soup. They are also excellent topped with beef stroganoff! However, I am also a big believer in use what you have - so whatever pasta shapes you have in the cupboard will work just fine! Enjoy this soup with some crusty bread and a big green salad and you'll be warm from the inside out!

Find more inspiration at Inspire Me, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
5 Tbsp. butter
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz. small pasta shapes or fettucine or spaetzle

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter and add carrots, onion, celery, parsley, thyme and garlic powder. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and add flour. Stir and cook for three more minutes.

Add broth and stir with wooden spoon until combined. Add cooked chicken and stir. Reduce temperature to low. Simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Add cooked pasta, peas, cream and salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir until peas are warmed through. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.

Sausage and Tortellini Soup

This is the perfect soup for these fall days. Even though I just made it yesterday, I wanted to post it as soon as possible so you could make it immediately! I think this would be especially good to warm up the tummies of your little trick or treaters before they head out on Thursday.

This soup comes together quickly thanks to refrigerated tortellini. And it's chock full of carrots and spinach, so you will feel good about serving a well-rounded dinner. Meat, dairy, vegetables, starch - this soup has everything and is super tasty to boot! Normally I serve salad and bread with soup but in this case, we ate the soup solo - and everyone was satisfied.

This sausage and tortellini soup was a dinner winner in my family; two people had seconds, and the other two took the leftovers for lunch! (Wait, that's today, that's my lunch TODAY! Woo hoo!)

Get more great ideas at Inspire Me, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul, Wine'd Down, Wonderful Wednesday, Favorite Things,


Sausage and Tortellini Soup

1 pound Italian sausage
1 tsp. olive oil
1 small yellow or white onion, diced
2 cups peeled and diced carrots (I use baby carrots and just slice thickly)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup flour
5 cups chicken broth
14 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
6 ounces baby spinach, chopped
2 cups half & half
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


In a large stockpot set over medium-high, cook the sausage until browned. Remove the cooked sausage to a paper towel lined plate; set aside.

Add olive oil to the pot, then saute onion and carrots for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add in the chicken broth, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 6 minutes.

Add the sausage, tortellini, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to the pot. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the spinach and half and half, stirring until the spinach is wilted and the tortellini is fully cooked.

Serve immediately and top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Life Made Simple Bakes

Mexican Street Corn Chowder

Well, we barely survived the Polar Vortex 2019... just kidding, we survived just fine. But here in Minnesota, we're expecting more snow and cold temps again this week. Time to make soup! We love soups that have Mexican flavors, and so when I saw this one, I knew I wanted to try it. It's similar to the chicken tortilla soups I've made, but you can never have too many Mexican soups in your repertoire, in my opinion.

I actually served this with chips and guacamole, but you could also add all kinds of fun toppings right to your soup: avocados, cilantro, sour cream, salsa, etc.!

I especially like soups that can cook in the crock pot, making meal planning a breeze, and making your house smell heavenly when you walk in after work! I also love how easy and convenient soup leftovers are to take for lunch on the next day.

Stay warm out there, and eat plenty of soup!


Mexican Street Corn Chowder

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
2 cans cream style corn
1 can fire-roasted corn, drained (or regular canned corn)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can fire-roasted diced green chiles
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/4 tsp. cumin
2 cups shredded Colby Jack Cheese (or Mexican cheese)
1 cups half and half
Optional toppings: fresh lime, fresh cilantro, diced onion, hot sauce, sour cream, avocado

Spray a large crockpot (I use a 6 quart crockpot) with nonstick spray.

Add the chicken, garlic, broth, creamed corn, fire-roasted corn, black beans, diced green chiles, chili powder, paprika, and cumin to the crockpot.

Stir well. Cover and cook on high for 3-5 hours or low for 4-6 hours or until the chicken shreds easily.

Remove the chicken and shred.

Return the shredded chicken, and add the cheese and half and half. Stir well to incorporate all the cheese and cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 8 servings

Creamy Ground Chicken White Chili

I developed this recipe on a cold night, after having planned chicken lettuce wraps for dinner. I love chicken lettuce wraps, and my family does, too. But on this particular dreary, rainy, chilly day, I could not face eating lettuce for dinner! Ha! So I knew a soup was in order. I've made "regular" white chicken chili before, so I was sure that ground chicken would also lend itself well to this dish. And I was right. It was a big hit with my family.

You can adjust the spices based on your family's tastes...I've suggested the minimum amount here but feel free to increase it. You can also add some jalapeno slices if you need a little more kick.

Stay warm!

Creamy Ground Chicken White Chili

1 pound ground chicken
1 small white onion, diced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. cream cheese, cut into small pieces (low fat works great!)
1 can corn
1 can white Northern beans or white Kidney beans (Cannellini)
4-5 green onions, sliced
1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
jalapeno slices

In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, cook the onion and chicken until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, cayenne and salt over the meat and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth, milk, cream of chicken soup and cream cheese to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Add the beans and corn and simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through. Adjust the spices to your liking, then ladle into bowls and top with cheese, green onions and sliced jalapenos, if you desire. Serves 6.

Miso Meatball and Noodle Soup

It's definitely soup weather. More often than not in this transitional season, I want to eat soup. It's just so comforting, not to mention, it's warm. So I love finding new ways to prepare soup. This summer, I introduced my family to pho on a family vacation and it was a big hit. So I knew I had some room to add soup that was a little more ethnically diverse into the dinner rotation.

This is not truly pho, but it's pretty similar. You start with a great garlic and ginger base, add miso, and wonderful meatballs that are both spicy and sweet. Throw in some soba noodles and you've got a super delicious meal that's just a little different, but not "too" different, if you know what I mean.

You can make this more spicy by throwing in the jalapeno pepper earlier in the process. My family prefers things a little more tame, so those that wanted to used the pepper as a garnish.

You should be able to easily find both miso and sambal oelek in the Asian section of your grocery. I find that sometimes Target doesn't carry miso, but two other large grocery chains in my region do. It comes in a rather large package, but it lasts a while and can be frozen, too. (Need another recipe that calls for miso paste? Try these awesome Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps!)

With soups like this in my arsenal, I'm not scared of the cold weather. Bring it on! (Ok, well, don't bring it on too strong.)

Find more great ideas at Inspiration Monday, Mix it Up, Busy Monday, Inspire Me, Inspire Me 2, Create Link Inspire, Fabulous, Hearth and Soul, Wow Me, Wow Us, Full Plate, Wonderful Wednesday, Foodie Friday, Weekend Potluck, Awesome Friday.

Miso Meatball and Noodle Soup

1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1 cup diagonally sliced green onions, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 (1-in.) pieces ginger, thinly sliced
9 cups chicken stock
6 ounces uncooked soba noodles
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 pound lean ground pork
2 Tbsp. white miso paste
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 red jalapeno chile, sliced

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup green onions, garlic, and ginger; sauté 6 minutes. Add stock; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook noodles separately according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Combine honey, sambal oelek, soy sauce and ground pork in a small bowl. Shape pork mixture into small meatballs.

Remove ginger slices from stock mixture; discard. Stir miso into stock mixture and whisk well. Add meatballs to stock; cook 6 minutes or until done. Add noodles. Ladle soup into bowls (I needed to use a fork to get the noodles!) and sprinkle with remaining green onions, mung bean sprouts, and jalapeno chile.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Cooking Light