This Pulled Pork Soup takes tender, slow-simmered country-style pork ribs and turns them into a hearty, flavorful soup with bacon, fire-roasted tomatoes, Great Northern beans, and a blend of smoked paprika, Creole seasoning, and chili powder. A little apple cider vinegar and molasses add just the right balance of tangy and sweet.
The pork cooks until it is tender enough to pull apart, then goes back into the soup along with the beans for a satisfying, hearty meal. And don’t skip the bread—it is spread with butter and sweet pickle relish, then topped with scallions and fresh parsley for a delicious contrast to the rich soup.
This is a substantial soup that is perfect for a cool day when you want something filling and full of bold flavor.
Pulled Pork Soup
Ingredients
For the soup:
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 pounds bone-in country-style pork ribs trimmed of excess fat
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 14- ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 15- ounce can great Northern beans drained and rinsed
For the bread:
- 6 thick slices white bread
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 4 scallions chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Make the soup base: Combine the bacon, onion, garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, Creole seasoning, and chili powder in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse paste.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the bacon-spice paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown, about 6 minutes.
- Add the pork ribs and turn them to coat with the mixture. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and molasses, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, and 2 cups water. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the ribs are tender and the meat pulls easily from the bones, about 2 to 2½ hours. Stir once or twice during cooking.
- Transfer the ribs to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred the pork, discarding the bones and excess fat.
- Position the pot partially off the burner and increase the heat to medium. Allow the fat to collect on the cooler side of the pot, then skim it off with a ladle.
- Return the pot fully to the burner. Add the shredded pork and drained, rinsed Great Northern beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork and beans are heated through, about 10 minutes.
- Prepare the bread: Spread each slice of bread evenly with softened butter and sweet pickle relish. Top with the chopped scallions and fresh parsley.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with the relish bread.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
