I know I know, it’s summer. But I’m Chinese and I’ll drink hot soup even when it’s 95°F outside. This tomato shrimp ball soup is a quick, comforting meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
It’s kind of like a simplified tomato hot pot, so feel free to add whatever veggies you want! Below are a few ideas, along with their cooking times.
Longer-cooking veggies – Add these before adding the shrimp paste:
- Mushrooms – shiitake, enoki, or oyster (10-15 min)
- Sliced lotus root (15-20 min)
- Corn on the cob (3-5 min)
Quick-cooking veggies – Add these after adding the shrimp paste:
- Bok choy (1 min)
- Yu choy (1 min)
- Napa cabbage (2 min)
- Bean sprouts (1 min)
- Watercress (1 min)
- Spinach (1 min)
Tomato Shrimp Ball Vermicelli Soup
A comforting, savory tomato soup that comes together in under 30 minutes. Shrimp paste gets dropped in and cooks directly in the light tomato broth, and the mung bean vermicelli soaks it all up.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the diced tomato and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato begins releasing its juices, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and continue cooking until the tomato has softened, about 5 more minutes.
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Pour in the chicken broth and season with soy sauce to taste. If you're adding longer-cooking vegetables (like mushrooms or carrots), add them now. Bring to a boil.
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Cut a small corner off the bag of shrimp paste. Pipe about a tablespoon's worth onto a spoon, then drop the shrimp ball into the broth. (It doesn't need to be perfectly round!) Repeat until all the shrimp paste is used up.
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Once the shrimp balls are floating, add the vermicelli and any quick-cooking vegetables (like bok choy or spinach). Cook for 2-3 minutes, then turn off the heat. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and garnish with chopped scallions.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Servings 1
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 467kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 13g20%
- Total Carbohydrate 55g19%
- Dietary Fiber 3g12%
- Protein 31g62%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
This recipe uses hot pot shrimp paste that you can either buy from the frozen aisle of the Chinese supermarket, or make easily at home. See my recipe on how to prepare and store homemade shrimp paste!
