Hearty Dutch Oven Pork and Vegetable Soup

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Craving a wholesome and satisfying meal? Meet our Hearty Dutch Oven Pork and Vegetable Soup. This comforting dish is a medley of tender pork belly, hearty vegetables, and aromatic herbs, all simmered together in a rich, savoury broth.

This easy-to-make recipe fills your home with a mouth-watering aroma that signals: a delicious, home-cooked meal is on the way. Gather your family around the table and dive into this heartwarming, nourishing bowl of goodness, bringing rustic charm and soulful flavours to your everyday meals.

During wintertime, my Dutch oven definitely gets a workout. Outside of stews and casseroles, soups are right up there for those tummy-warmer meals on a cold night or even for lunch.

And just like a slow cooker, you can do many soups using just one pot, saving on dishes.

Our Hearty Dutch Oven Pork and Vegetable Soup is one of those types of recipes, but with one twist, it gets slow-cooked in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours.

How to make Hearty Dutch Oven Pork and Vegetable Soup.

As I mentioned earlier, the Dutch oven is the only thing you will need for this recipe and below is the list of ingredients you will need. Variations and substitutions are included further down.

Ingredients:

• Pork Belly – cut into bite-sized pieces
• Olive Oil
• Onion – finely chopped
• Garlic Cloves – finely chopped
• Butternut Pumpkin – cut into cubes/bite sized pieces
• Carrots – sliced and halved
• Celery Sticks – diced
• Potatoes – cut into cubes/bite sized pieces
• Dried Oregano
• Fresh Sage
• Dried Thyme
• Liquid Chicken Stock (Chicken Broth) 
• White Wine
• Water
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Cornflour (Cornstarch) – Optional
• Sour Cream

Note: I have oftern found that pork belly from the local supermarket, never has enough meat, so for this recipe it may be best that you get it from a butcher. I get mine from Ballan Local Butcher. You can also check out more about them via our About Us page under “Where Do We Shop“

Method:

Preheat your oven to 165°C (325°F).

Let’s start by removing the skin (if not already done) and dice the pork into bite-sized pieces; about 2cm pieces are good, but you can go a little smaller if you like. 

Remove any large chunks of fat, but don’t remove all fat; you need that to help to add flavour.

Next, let’s prepare the potatoes and butternut pumpkin. Peel and dice the potatoes into 2cm chunks, peel and remove the seeds from the pumpkin, then cut into cubes. Remember, the pumpkin will break down during the cooking, so you can make this slightly larger than the potatoes.

Now peel and slice the carrots. I like to cut the slices about 1cm in thickness and then cut them in half. Then the celery, slice and dice the sticks, or you can keep them as slices.

Finally, finely dice the onion, garlic cloves and sage leaves.

Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork belly pieces in batches to allow for even browning, and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, add the chopped onion, celery and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until they become fragrant and the onion translucent.

Pro Tip: take your time browning the pork belly at the start of the cooking process. Browning the meat well on all sides creates a deep, savoury flavour base that permeates the entire soup. It’s a process called the Maillard reaction, where heat transforms the proteins and sugars in the meat into complex flavour compounds.

Add the chopped butternut pumpkin, carrots and potatoes to the pot. Stir well to combine with the onions and garlic.

Sprinkle the dried oregano, thyme, and fresh sage over the vegetables—season with pepper to taste. Stir to distribute the herbs and seasoning evenly.

Then return the cooked pork belly, including any juice, to the pot and mix everything together.

Pour the chicken stock and white wine over the ingredients, fully submerging them. If that is not enough, add some water to cover the ingredients if needed.

Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, or until the pork belly is tender and the vegetables are cooked.

Remove the pot from the oven and give the soup a gentle stir. 

Combine the cornflour and water in a separate bowl, then pour into the soup and stir well.

Next, it’s time to temper the sour cream before adding it to the soup. Add the sour cream to a separate bowl, and add a teaspoon at a time of the hot liquid from your soup, stirring it into the sour cream after each addition. Once the sour cream is lukewarm, mix well into the soup.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then serve

Serve the pork soup hot, garnished with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme. It pairs well with crusty bread or green salad as a side dish.

We like to serve it with our Soft Homemade Mini Dinner Rolls.

Recipe substitution suggestions.

• Pork belly: If you cannot use pork belly, you can use pork shoulder. I have tried it with both; the pork belly meat gives you a melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, whereas the shoulder is less tender. But you can also swap it out for chicken thighs. 
• Butternut pumpkin: You can use sweet potato instead of butternut pumpkin.
• Chicken stock/broth: The vegetable stock is an excellent substitute for chicken. Or you can make the liquid using water and stock cubes, 1 stock cube to every two cups or 1 teaspoon to every cup.
• White wine: You can use your prefered wine, but if you prefer not to cook with wine, replace it with additional stock or use a splash of apple cider vinegar for a similar tangy flavour.
• Sour cream: Use a heavy whipping cream, or make your own sour cream
• Cornflour: Plain (all-purpose) flour can be used as a thickening agent if you don’t have cornflour or leave it out altogether.

Variations for this recipe.

There are many ways to vary this Hearty Dutch Oven Pork and Vegetable Soup to cater to different tastes and diets or to use what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas:

• Additional Vegetables: You could add more veggies like peas, green beans, bell peppers, or spinach for extra nutrition and flavour.
• Beans or Lentils: Add a can of drained and rinsed white beans, kidney beans, or lentils for additional protein and fibre. If you’re vegetarian, these could serve as a replacement for the pork belly.
• Spice it up: If you like your food with a kick, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for some heat.
• Grains: Add barley, rice, or small pasta shapes to create a more filling meal.
• Herb Variations: Instead of oregano, sage, and thyme, you could try rosemary, basil, or even a bay leaf.
• Cheesy Touch: Sprinkle-grated Parmesan or cheddar on top before serving for a cheesy twist.

Storing and reheating Hearty Dutch Oven Pork and Vegetable Soup

Storing and reheating your soup can be straightforward. Here’s how:

Refrigerator Storage:

Allow the soup to cool down completely before storing it.

Transfer the soup to airtight containers. It can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.

Freezer Storage:

For freezing, let the soup cool completely.

Portion the soup into freezer-safe containers, leaving some space for expansion.

The soup can be frozen for up to 2-3 months for the best quality, although it will still be safe to eat beyond this time.

Reheating Instructions:

From the refrigerator: Pour the soup into a pot and heat over medium heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until heated through. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

From the freezer:

1. Thaw the soup overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Reheat on the stovetop as above. If you’re in a rush, you can reheat the soup directly from the freezer.
3. Place the frozen soup in a pot and heat over medium-low heat until it melts, then increase the heat to medium and continue heating until it’s hot and steaming.

Continuously stir the soup and check that it’s heated all the way through before serving. A splash of water or broth may be necessary if the soup thickens too much during storage.

Note: If your soup contains sour cream, it may not freeze as well as the dairy could separate. Consider adding the sour cream after reheating if you freeze the soup.

FAQs for Hearty Dutch Oven Pork and Vegetable Soup.

Can I make this soup vegetarian?

Absolutely! You can replace the pork belly with firm tofu or a plant-based meat substitute. Instead of chicken broth, use vegetable broth. You can also add more beans or lentils for extra protein.

The soup is too thick. How can I thin it out?

If the soup is too thick for your liking, you can add more chicken broth or water to thin it out. Add a little at a time, stirring well after each addition, until the soup is the consistency you prefer. Remember to adjust the seasonings after adding extra liquid.