Healthy Meatball & Noodle Soup Recipe

This one-pan broth with pork meatballs and noodles will keep you warm on cold nights. As ideas, we looked at the flavors of Vietnamese pho.

– 1 batch of meatballs (see recipe in 'Goes well with')) – 1 tbsp vegetable oil – thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated – 8 spring onions, finely sliced – 2 star anise – 1 cinnamon stick – 2 lemongrass sticks, tough outer leaves removed and finely sliced – 1-2 green chillies (seeds removed if you prefer less heat), finely sliced – small bunch of coriander, leaves and stalks separated, both finely chopped – 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar – 1¼ litres beef stock – 1-2 tsp fish sauce – 1 tsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve – 2 handfuls of ready-to-eat beansprouts – 3 rice noodle nest – 1 lime, cut into wedge

INGREDIENTS

First, make the meatballs (see 'Goes well with'), then heat oil in a big pot on medium.  

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1

Batch-fry meatballs, flipping every 1-2 minutes until golden. Remove the meatballs from the pan and place aside on a platter.

STEP 2

Add ginger, three-quarters of the spring onions, star anise, cinnamon, lemongrass, half the green chilli, coriander stalks, sugar, and beef stock to the pan and boil over medium heat.  

STEP 3

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes to tenderize lemongrass and infuse flavors.

STEP 4

Add the meatballs and boil for 10-12 minutes until cooked, then add fish sauce, soy sauce, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add beansprouts, raise heat to medium-high, and cook for 3 minutes.

STEP 5

Meanwhile, cook noodles per package instructions. Drain completely and put in four bowls. Put meatballs and broth over top, removing cinnamon and star anise. 

STEP 6

Sprinkle remaining spring onions, chilli, and coriander leaves over and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

STEP 7

Caramelised Red Onion & Anchovy Pasta With Gremolata Recipe

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