Shanghai-Style Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs
Shanghai-Style Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs feature plush, oversized pork meatballs enriched with tofu and aromatics, simmered until tender in a gingery shiitake and soy-scented broth. Napa cabbage softens into the savory juices, while a touch of sesame and chili oil adds warmth and depth. Serve this comforting Chinese classic for a cozy family dinner or a special weekend meal.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook45 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Shanghai-Style Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 54 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 10 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 92 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 26
- Heart Health
- 57
- Metabolic
- 42
- Digestive
- 22
- Inflammatory
- 42
- Performance
- 48
- General Wellness
- 1
Pour boiling water over the shiitake mushrooms and let them sit until soft enough to slice, about 1 hour.
- 2
Meanwhile, prepare the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine the tofu and chestnuts. Add the ground pork, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Pour in the rice wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, egg, salt, and cayenne. Dust with cornstarch. Mix thoroughly with a clean hand until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- 3
With wet hands, form the mixture into 6 large meatballs.
- 4
Position an oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil it. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
- 5
Broil in the preheated oven until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the pot.
- 6
For the cooking liquid: Trim the bottom of the head of cabbage and slice 1/2 of the head. Arrange the sliced cabbage on the bottom of a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Lay the remaining cabbage leaves on top. Slice the mushrooms and scatter them over the cabbage; reserve the shiitake soaking liquid. Nestle the meatballs into the cabbage leaves and pour the juices over.
- 7
Strain the reserved shiitake liquid into a bowl. Add chicken broth, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Whisk until dissolved. Pour into the pot over each meatball and bring to a boil over high heat.
- 8
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and increase the heat to medium-high. Continue cooking, basting the meatballs often, until the liquid reduces slightly and the meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
- 9
Ladle into serving bowls and arrange the cabbage over the meatballs. Top with green onions and chili oil.
- Calories 456.79 kcal High 23%
- Protein 22.06 g Good Source 44%
- Carbohydrate 36.47 g 13%
- Total Fat 23.91 g High 31%
- Saturated Fat 7.45 g High 37%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 99.69 mg High 33%
- Sodium 580.34 mg High 25%
- Dietary Fiber 6.0 g Good Source 21%
- Total Sugars 5.9 g --
- Added Sugars 2.65 g Moderate 5%
- Calcium 186.38 mg Moderate 14%
- Iron 2.55 mg Moderate 14%
- Potassium 843.9 mg Moderate 18%
- Vitamin A 30.16 mcg Low Source 3%
- Vitamin C 55.32 mg Good Source 61%
- Vitamin D 0.35 mcg Low Source 2%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Eggs 🥚
- Soy 🌱
- Sesame
- Sulfites
- Corn 🌽
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
- Alcohol 🚫🍷
About This Recipe
Shanghai Style Lion's Head Pork Meatballs is made with 19 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 1 hr 15 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Brown Sugar, Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Broth, and Chili Oil. Each serving provides about 456.79 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Shanghai-Style Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs made of?
- The main ingredients are Brown Sugar, Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Broth, Chili Oil, Chinese Cabbage. The full list of 19 is above.
- How long does it take to make Shanghai-Style Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs?
- About 1 hr 15 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 456.79 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Shanghai-Style Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 19 ingredients and 9 steps.
- Is Shanghai-Style Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs healthy?
- Shanghai-Style Lion’s Head Pork Meatballs has an easyChef Pro health score of 50/100. Per serving, it provides 456.79 calories and 22.06 g of protein, or 44% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 580.34 mg (25% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 7.45 g (37% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 2.65 g (5% of the Daily Value). It contains Eggs, Soy, Sesame, Sulfites, Corn, Garlic, Onions and Alcohol, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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