Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup
Rings of bitter melon stuffed with a gingery pork-and-woodear filling and simmered in a clear chicken bone broth with glass noodles — gentle, warming, and low in sugar.
★ Great for meal prep — make a batch and freeze in serving-size packs.
Why it works
Steadier blood sugar
Bitter melon is traditionally used to help support blood sugar.
bitter melonLight, protein-rich
Lean ground pork and a clear broth keep it light but satisfying.
lean porkGentle & warming
A clear, brothy bowl is warming, low in sugar, and easy to digest.
clear broth01 Chicken bone broth
Chicken bone broth
- 2 lbchicken feet + wingscollagen for a silky, gelled broth
- of eachonion, carrot, celery, garlic + parsley
- to tastesalt + a few white peppercorns
- Pressure-cook the feet, wings, and vegetables with 8 cups water — twice; strain, reduce by ¼, and stir in ¼ cup apple cider vinegar. Chill overnight and skim.
- (Or use 6 cups low-sodium store-bought chicken broth.)
02 Pork & woodear
Pork & woodear
- 8 oz + ½ cuplean ground pork + woodear mushroom, choppedprotein + earthy fiber
- to tastegrated ginger + chopped scallion
- to tastesalt + white pepper
- Mix the pork, woodear, ginger, scallion, salt, and white pepper.
03 Bitter melon & noodles
Bitter melon & noodles
- 2bitter melon
- 2 ozmung bean thread (glass) noodles
- Slice the bitter melon into 1-inch rounds and hollow out each ring.
- Stuff the rings with the pork-woodear mixture.
- Simmer in the broth 30 min; add the noodles to warm through, and serve.
Make it work harder (optional)
Keep it clean and miso-free — a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro at the table is all it needs.
What's in it & what it does
Bitter melon
Traditionally used to support blood sugar; its bitterness mellows as it simmers.
Pork & woodear
Lean protein with earthy, gut-friendly woodear mushroom.
Glass noodles
Light mung bean thread noodles instead of wheat.
Chicken bone broth
Collagen-rich body from feet and wings — or low-sodium store-bought.