Pork Liver Soup with Spinach (猪肝菠菜汤)

This pork liver soup features tender pork liver and spinach in a hearty gingery chicken broth. It is a simple dish packed with flavor and nutritional benefits, often enjoyed for both its taste and its health-promoting qualities. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}

Since giving birth to little James, I’ve started to introduce recipes for healthy soups and dishes for postpartum recovery. For example, the colorful Detox Stir Fry, refreshing Sliced Pork Soup with Lily Flowers, and hearty Lotus Root Soup with Pork Ribs. 

Today I want to introduce another soup that I enjoyed a lot during my postpartum confinement. I love this pork liver soup with spinach because it is very easy and fast to prepare, and it is super rich in nutrients.

Benefits of pork liver soup

Both pork liver and spinach are rich in iron, which helps replenish blood and promote recovery after childbirth. 

Pork liver is also packed with vitamin A, various B vitamins, and protein. And spinach is loaded with folate, calcium, magnesium, antioxidants and fiber. They support bone health and tissue and cell repair, help remove toxins, boost digestive health, and promote regular bowel movements. 

When spinach and pork liver are consumed together, the vitamin C in the spinach can enhance the absorption of the iron from both the liver and spinach, maximizing the benefits.

Together, spinach and pork liver offer a well-rounded nutritional boost that supports overall recovery, energy levels, and immune function.

Ingredients for making pork liver soup

Making a delicious pork liver soup only requires a few pantry ingredients. 

Pork liver

Fresh liver is crucial. Check the date on the package and select the freshest one when purchasing. You should cook with the pork liver as soon as possible, and store it in the freezer if you do not plan to use it the same day. Before cooking, you should rinse it with cold running tap water to clean it thoroughly, then soak in water to remove any impurities and reduce the strong taste.

Spinach

I always recommend using cold water to soak the spinach for a few minutes, to remove any pesticide residue from the leaves. I also prefer to blanch the spinach before adding it to the soup, to remove some nitrate and the astringent taste from the vegetable.

Mise en place

When ready to cook, your table should have:

• Marinated pork liver
• Spinach
• Sliced ginger
• Chicken broth
• Sesame oil 
• Salt 

How to make pork liver soup

1. Blanch the spinach
2. Use the same pot to blanch the pork liver
3. Cut the spinach to large bite size pieces
4. Boil chicken broth with ginger
5. Cook the pork liver until just done
6. Add the cooked spinach and sesame oil

The key for extra tender pork liver

To create extra tender and delicious pork liver:

• Marinate the pork liver before cooking to add flavor. The cornstarch in the marinade protects the liver from overcooking. 
• Blanch the liver first to remove impurities.
• Cook the pork liver just long enough to cook it through without making it too tough.

All these steps help you cook extra tender and flavorful pork liver that is very enjoyable. 

How to serve pork liver soup

In Chinese culture, nourishing soup is served throughout the day during the 30-day confinement period. Because it helps to increase milk production, relieve hunger without supplying too many calories, boost energy and provide hydration. So you can serve pork liver soup as a standalone dish for a nutritional boost.

And of course, you can also serve it with other dishes to make a full meal, no matter the occasion. 

Note, this recipe only makes enough soup for 1 to 2 servings, because the soup tastes best when served fresh and it does not quite taste the same after reheating. If you prefer to make a bigger batch, it’s very easy to double the recipe and make more soup. 

If you do plan to store the soup for later, I would recommend gently heating up the soup over the stove until it just turns hot, so the spinach and pork liver won’t be overcooked too much. 

Other hearty soup recipes

• Spinach Egg Drop Soup
• Chinese tomato beef soup (番茄肥牛汤)
• Napa Cabbage Tofu Soup (白菜豆腐汤)
• Chinese Corn Soup with Chicken (鸡蛋玉米羹)
• Wonton Char Siu Noodle Soup (叉烧云吞面)

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Pork Liver Soup with Spinach (猪肝菠菜汤)

5 from 2 votes

This pork liver soup features tender pork liver and spinach in a hearty gingery chicken broth. It is a simple dish packed with flavor and nutritional benefits, often enjoyed for both its taste and its health-promoting qualities. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}

To make the dish gluten free, use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine, and use tamari to replace soy sauce.

Author: Maggie Zhu

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Postpartum

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 to 2 servings

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Ingredients

Marinating

• 8 oz (225 g) pork liver
• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Soup

• 1/2 thumb ginger , sliced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 batch (5 oz / 150 g) spinach
• pinch of salt (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

• Place the pork liver in a large bowl. Rinse with cold water a few times, then add cold water to cover completely. Soak for 15 minutes. Drain off and discard the water. Slice the liver into 1/4” (4mm) thick pieces and place in a medium size bowl.
• Add the Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper and cornstarch to the pork liver. Mix well with your hand. Let marinate for 10 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients. If you have extra time, marinating the pork liver in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours will yield better flavor.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach, stem side down. Let the stem cook for 30 seconds, then submerge the leaf part as well. Cook for 30 more seconds or so, until al dente. Transfer the spinach to a colander. Run with cold tap water to stop cooking and cool off slightly. Then drain and gently squeeze out excess water. Cut the spinach to large bite-size pieces.
• Add the pork liver to the same pot of boiling water. Low boil for 30 seconds. Then drain, rinse with cold tap water to remove any impurities, drain again, and transfer the pork to a bowl.
• Add the chicken broth and the ginger to a medium size pot. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling. Add the cooked pork liver and boil for 1 minute, until just cooked through.
• Turn off the heat. Add back the cooked spinach, a pinch of salt and sesame oil. Taste the soup and add more salt if needed. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 199kcal, Carbohydrates: 9.6g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 6.5g, Saturated Fat: 1.6g, Cholesterol: 305mg, Sodium: 323mg, Potassium: 611mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2.3g, Calcium: 94mg, Iron: 18mg

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