Spam Vegetable Soup
A hearty and comforting Spam Vegetable Soup made with spam and vegetables in a clear chicken stock broth. Nourishing and light, it is perfect for warming up in cold weather.
This Spam Vegetable Soup is not only delicious but it is also very easy to make. It just takes some chopping and a bit of simmering. You can also put whatever vegetables you like in this soup.
The soup is cozy, deeply flavorful, and definitely nutritious. This is a recipe you will definitely want to add to your lunch or dinner rotation. And it yields a pot full and makes great leftovers!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy and quick to make – It just takes some chopping and a bit of simmering.
- Flavorful soup – Although the base is on the lighter side, the soup is deeply flavorful.
- You can use whatever add-ins you have at home – The beauty of this soup is that it’s the perfect blank canvas. You can swap the spam and vegetables with whatever you have in the fridge.
- Nutritious and healthy – The soup is jam-packed with vegetables. The chicken broth is also a rich source of nutrients.
Ingredients You Need
- Spam/luncheon meat – You can substitute it with other meat options if preferred.
- Chicken stock – For flavorful soup. If you do not have chicken stock ready, you can substitute it with water and add more chicken stock powder.
- Potatoes – They make the soup nice and hearty. Cut into small bite-sized chunks.
- Carrots – Cut into small bite-sized chunks.
- White cabbage – Cabbage leaves are sweet and tender after they have been cooked.
- Shallots – Shallots used in Southeast Asian cuisine tend to be small with a red exterior and white interior. Unlike western shallots which tend to be larger, Indonesian shallots are small and sweeter in flavor. The individual cloves resemble garlic cloves with pointed tapered ends.
- Garlic – For aromatic flavor and aroma.
- Leaf celery – Leaf celery or Chinese celery is a variety of celery cultivated in East Asian countries. The stems are thinner than those of Western celery. Also, unlike Western celery, the leaves are used as well as the stalks. If you don’t have leaf celery or don’t like its flavor, you can completely omit it or substitute it with Western celery.
- Green onion – You can also use scallions if you don’t have green onion.
- Vegetable oil – A little just for stir-frying the garlic and shallots.
- Seasonings – Salt, ground white pepper, nutmeg, and chicken stock powder to season the soup. You can omit nutmeg if you don’t have it.
Spam Substitutes
This recipe is popular among Chinese Indonesians because the majority of Indonesian people are Muslims, which means they do not eat pork meat. If you want to make the halal version, just swap the spam with chicken or sausages.
Variations
- Meat – You can swap spam with cubed chicken, pork, or sausages.
- Vegetables – Whatever veggies you love, toss them in!
- Carbs – Swap the potatoes with pasta, such as macaroni or other similar-sized pasta if you really want to.
- Vegetarian/vegan options – Omit the meat and substitute it with plant-based protein, such as lentils and beans. Substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock. In addition, substitute the chicken stock powder with mushroom bouillon.
- Halal version – Use chicken luncheon or swap the spam with chicken or sausages.
How to Make
How to Serve
Enjoy the soup on its own, or pair it with steaming rice or crusty bread for a hearty meal. Or pair with other main or side dishes for a larger meal.
How to Store the Leftovers
Leftover soup will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. It also freezes well. Allow it to cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers and storing it in the freezer. Frozen soup will keep for up to 3 months.
Spam Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400 gr) spam, cut into small cubes
- 4 shallots, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 6 cups (1 1/2 liter) chicken stock
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
- 5-6 cabbage leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 stalk green onion, cut into 2 inch/5 cm pieces
- 2 stalks leaf celery, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp chicken stock powder
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 1/4 nutmeg, grated
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for stir-frying
Instructions
- Cook garlic and shallots – Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add garlic and shallots. Stir fry until fragrant.
- Add carrots, potatoes, the white part of green onion, and chicken stock.
- Season with salt, chicken stock powder, ground white pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until well incorporated.
- Bring to a boil and simmer until the carrots and potatoes are tender for about 15-20 minutes.
- Add cabbage and spam. Cook until the cabbage is wilted.
- Add the green part of the green onion and leaf celery. Stir. Turn off the heat.
- Serve warm.
