When it comes to a Vietnamese family meal served with rice, you’d better have soup on the table, or you’ll get smacked with a slipper.
I’m kidding.
But a Vietnamese family meal feels incomplete without a vegetable soup on the side.
What is Canh Bi Dao Thit Xay?
Canh is the Vietnamese word for a light vegetable soup served with rice. Bí đao means winter melon, and thịt xay (or thịt bằm) means ground meat, which typically refers to pork in this dish.
Together, Canh Bí Đao Thịt Xay is a simple Vietnamese winter melon soup made with ground pork.
It’s an everyday dish that almost every Vietnamese kid grows up eating because it’s simple to make and easy to eat.
For those same reasons, I still make it regularly for my own kids.
This Canh Bí Đao Thịt Bằm is one of the many simple vegetable soups commonly served alongside a Vietnamese family-style meal.
What You Will Need
To make canh bí đao thịt xay, gather the following ingredients:
- Winter Melon: The vegetable of the soup. It’s also known as fuzzy melon. Despite the name, it tastes like a mild squash, not a fruity melon. It looks like a fat zucchini with a green skin with some white specks all around. The peel usually have a little fuzz on them, and if you’re in a Chinese or Vietnamese grocery store, they are often labeled as Mo Qua.
- Ground Pork: We use a small amount of ground pork to build the stock and provide a quick protein. If you don’t want to use pork, substitute with your preferred ground meat. Ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef all work well.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and shallots. Sautéing shallots and garlic in a neutral oil like vegetable oil builds the fragrant foundation of the soup.
- Water: For the liquid. Water is sufficient and my go-to, but you can sub with unseasoned or lightly salted chicken stock or bone broth for more depth.
- Seasonings: Salt, ground black pepper, fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, granulated sugar, and optional MSG for extra oomph. This classic combination creates the most authentic flavor found in traditional Vietnamese soups.
- Garnishes: Cilantro and ground black pepper. If you don’t like cilantro, substitute with green onions. These add a pop of color and a finishing aroma.
How to Make Canh Bí Đao Thịt Xay
This soup is incredibly straightforward and ready to eat in about 15 minutes!
Step 1: Prepare the Winter Melon
Begin by washing the winter melon. Trim the ends and use a peeler to remove the tough skin. Slice the melon into 1/8-inch rounds, then cut those rounds in half to create semi-circles. Set aside.
Step 2: Sauté the Ground Pork with Aromatics
Place a medium stockpot over medium heat and add a bit of of cooking oil. Add minced shallots and minced garlic. Sauté until fragrant (about 15 seconds).
Add the ground pork and lightly season with salt and ground black pepper.
Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat until the pork is mostly cooked through.
Step 3: Simmer the Soup
Pour in water and add the sliced winter melon.
By the time it reaches a rolling boil, the pork will be cooked through and the winter melon should be tender but not mushy. Turn off heat.
Season the broth with salt, fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, and optional MSG if you’re daring.
Step 4: Garnish and Serve
Once the broth is seasoned to your liking, garnish with chopped cilantro and a final sprinkle of black pepper.
Serve with a side of steamed jasmine/long grain rice and your favorite savory Vietnamese protein dishes for a complete Vietnamese homestyle rice meal.
What is a Substitute for Winter Melon?
If you can’t find winter melon, the best substitutes are opo squash (trái bầu) or chayote (trái su su). Both offer a very similar flavor profile and texture.
You can typically find winter melon and other similar squashes at Asian supermarkets like 99 Ranch Market, H Mart, or SF Market.
Leftover Storage & Reheating
Allow any leftover soup to cool completely before transferring the covered pot (or an airtight container) to the fridge, where it will keep for up to 4 days.
To reheat, gently warm it on the stovetop over medium heat, or microwave individual portions. Heat it just until warmed through; avoid overcooking as it will cause the winter melon to become mushy and break apart.
Pro Tips
Mature melons: If you end up with a larger, more mature winter melon, the seeds might be hard and unpleasant to eat. It’s best to cut the melon in half lengthwise, use a spoon to scoop out seeds, and then slice.
Storage and convenience: Winter melon keeps surprisingly well in the refrigerator. I almost always have one tucked away in my crisper drawer in the fridge. Whenever I come home from a trip craving a home-cooked Vietnamese meal but don’t have the energy to grocery shop, this soup is one of my favorite lifesavers.
Print
Vietnamese Winter Melon Ground Pork Soup (Canh Bi Dao Thit Xay)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Craving a home-cooked Vietnamese meal and need a side dish to make it complete? Try this traditional winter melon and ground pork soup for a quick, easy fix. Featuring a light, flavorful broth, it is a simple and nostalgic comforting side dish that pairs perfectly with steamed rice.
Ingredients
- Winter melon (1 lb)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (I’m using vegetable oil)
- 1 tablespoon minced shallots
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 oz ground pork (can sub with other ground meat of choice)
- 5 cups water
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (divided)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (divided)
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder (can sub with pork bouillon although harder to find)
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG (optional)
- Thinly sliced cilantro (optional, about 2 tablespoons, can sub with green onions)
Instructions
- Prepare the Winter Melon: Begin by washing the winter melon. Cut off the ends and use a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the tough skin. Slice the melon into 1/8-inch rounds, then cut those rounds in half to create semi-circles. Set aside.
- Sauté the Ground Pork: Place a medium stockpot over medium heat and add a bit of oil (1 tablespoon). Sauté shallots (1 tablespoon) and garlic (1 tablespoon) until fragrant (about 15 seconds). Add ground pork (8 oz), along with a pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon) and pinch of ground black pepper (1/8 teaspoon). Use a wooden spoon to break up the clumps until the pork is mostly cooked through.
- Simmer the Soup: Pour in water (5 cups) and add the sliced winter melon. Bring the pot back to a boil. By the time it reaches a rolling boil, the pork will be cooked through and the winter melon should be tender but not mushy. Turn off heat. Season with salt (1 teaspoon), fish sauce (2 teaspoons), chicken bouillon powder (2 teaspoons), sugar (1 teaspoon), and optional MSG (1/2 teaspoon).
- Garnish and Serve: Once the broth is seasoned to your liking, garnish with thinly sliced cilantro or green onions (about 2 tablespoons) and remaining black pepper (1/8 teaspoon). Serve with a side of steamed jasmine rice and your favorite savory Vietnamese protein side dishes and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese
