In Vietnamese, canh means soup. It’s typically a vegetable soup, made with a small amount of protein and served as a side dish to rice.
Canh is a clear, light, and refreshing soup, often acting as a palate cleanser between bites.
There are many version of Vietnamese vegetable soups, each varying in the vegetables and proteins used.
One of those soups features kabocha squash with ground pork, known as Canh Bí Đỏ Nấu Thịt Băm.
Canh Bí Đỏ Nấu Thịt Băm translates to “Vietnamese pumpkin soup cooked with ground pork.”
This recipe, like many of my canh dishes, is simple and requires just one pot. Using ground meat means there’s no need to marinate, and the small chunks of kabocha squash cook quickly, making this dish both easy and fast to prepare.
In about 20 minutes, you’ll have a traditional and authentic Vietnamese soup dish to pair with steamed rice for a comforting homecooked meal.
What You Will Need
To make this classic Vietnamese vegetable soup, gather the following ingredients:
- Kabocha squash (Bí Đỏ): Kabocha is a type of winter squash that resembles a small green pumpkin. It has dark green skin and bright yellow-orange flesh. Inside, there’s a hollow, stringy core filled with large, flat seeds, similar to a Halloween pumpkin. You can find kabocha year-round in many grocery stores, including non-Asian ones, but it’s most abundant and affordable in late fall. If you can’t find kabocha squash, good substitutes include butternut squash, acorn squash, or regular Western pumpkins.
- Ground pork: Pork is the most common Vietnamese meat, but if you’re not a fan of pork, you can replace it with ground chicken, ground beef, or even crumbled tofu.
- Aromatics: Shallots and garlic.
- Neutral oil: I’m using vegetable oil, but feel free to use other neutral oils that you may already have, such as canola, sunflower, or peanut oil.
- Seasonings: Salt, fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder or mushroom seasoning powder, and a bit of sugar for balance. If you don’t want to use bouillon powder or mushroom seasoning powder (a vegetarian alternative) or can’t find them, replace with additional salt at the end of cooking, if needed.
- Ground black pepper and cilantro: For garnish. Freshly cracked black pepper is best if you have it. For those who aren’t a fan of cilantro, replace with thinly sliced green onions.
How to Prepare a Kabocha Squash
Using a metal spoon to scoop out its guts (seeds and stringy bits) and discard. Cut up the peeled kabocha into wedges and further cut up the wedges into chunks. Kabocha is now ready for soup making.
Tips to Help Cut and Peel Kabocha Squash
If you find it difficult to cut and peel the kabocha squash with a knife, try microwaving it first.
Pierce the squash with a knife to allow steam to escape and prevent it from exploding. I’ve never had this happen, but it’s better to be safe than sorry—cleaning up an exploded pumpkin wouldn’t be fun.
After piercing, microwave the squash for 3-5 minutes to soften the tough skin. Then use a sharp chef’s knife to remove the stem and cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous strands, then slice or peel as needed for your recipe.
How to Make it Canh Bi Do Thit Bam
Step 1: Toast Aromatics
Start by heating some neutral oil in a pot on medium high. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 20 seconds).
Step 2: Add Pork and Seasonings
Add ground pork, salt and ground black pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes to get it the seasonings and aromatics infused into the ground meat.
Step 3: Add Water and Squash
Pour in water and bring the pot to a boil. Add the kabocha squash. Let it cook until the kabocha is fork tender with a bit of resistance.
Overcooking will break the kabocha into small pieces, and that won’t look too appetizing.
Step 4: Finish and Serve
Season the soup, adding the seasonings a little at a time until it suits your taste.
When ready to serve, sprinkle with black pepper and sliced cilantro for a refreshing, vibrant pop.
Serve immediately for best results with steamed rice, and other protein side dishes for a complete meal or enjoy it on its own as a comforting warm soup.
Recipe below. Happy cooking.
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Description
A simple Vietnamese kabocha squash soup with ground pork, or your choice of ground meat. Serve with steamed rice for a complete meal.
- Toast aromatics: Heat oil in a medium pot on medium high. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until fragrant (about 20 seconds).
- Add pork and seasonings: Add ground pork, salt (half) and ground black pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes to get it the seasonings and aromatics infused into the ground meat.
- Add water and squash: Pour in water and bring the pot to a boil. Add the kabocha squash. Let it cook until the kabocha is fork tender with a bit of resistance (about 5 minutes).
- Finish and serve: Season the soup with remaining salt, sugar, bouillon powder and fish sauce, adding the seasonings a little at a time until it suits your taste. When ready to serve, sprinkle with black pepper and sliced cilantro or green onions. Serve with steamed rice and other protein side dishes for a complete meal or enjoy it on its own.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese