Vietnamese-Style Meatball Noodle Soup.
High protein
This is my much quicker and simpler take on a dish we learnt to make in Vietnam, inspired by the fragrant, fiery flavours of Bún bò Huế. Rather than simmering beef bones and aromatics for hours, I use a good-quality ready-made beef bone broth and infuse it with lemongrass before stirring through fresh ginger, chilli, shrimp paste and fish sauce.
Nothing will beat the real thing, but this takes a fraction of the time and comes pretty damn close. Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs or crispy shallots either. They’re so typical of Vietnamese cooking and really bring the whole dish to life.
The beef and pork meatballs are delicious, and the recipe deliberately makes a big batch because, if you’re going to the effort of making them, you may as well stock the fridge or freezer at the same time. Cook what you need for dinner, then save the rest for a speedy meal another day.
Serves 2, with extra meatballs for another day
Tips & Tricks:
Wet or oil your hands before shaping. The mixture is sticky, and damp or lightly oiled hands make handling it much easier. I also like to use disposable gloves so I’m not picking mince out from under my fingernails for days afterwards, but that’s optional!
Lemongrass: There’s no need to peel the stalks or use only the tender centre. Just give them a good bash and add them whole, as they’ll be removed at the end.
Shrimp paste: The intensity and saltiness vary from brand to brand, as does the saltiness of the broth, so I recommend starting with 5g, then tasting and adjusting as you go. You should be able to taste it, but it shouldn’t overpower the fragrant lemongrass.
Ingredients.
Beef & Pork Meatballs:
500g pork mince
500g beef mince
2–3 large fresh red chillies
5–6 garlic cloves
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Lemongrass Bone Broth:
500ml beef bone broth, such as Freja or Borough Broth
2 lemongrass stalks
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 thumb sized piece of ginger
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tsp sugar
5–10g shrimp paste, to taste
5g fresh coriander
To serve:
8 meatballs (above)
100g dried rice noodles, around 2 nests
Handful of bean sprouts
Handful fresh herbs: mint, coriander, thai basil etc
Crispy fried shallots
1 lime
Fresh red chilli, to garnish, optional
Equipment.
sharp knife & chopping board
large saucepan & lid
food processor
latex gloves (optional)
Method.
Pour the bone broth into a medium saucepan and add the lemongrass. Cover and keep over a very gentle simmer while you make the meatballs, allowing the flavours to infuse.
Finely grate the ginger and finely chop the coriander leaves and stalks. Mix together with the fish sauce, chilli flakes, sugar and shrimp paste, then set aside.
To make the meatballs, add the chillies and garlic to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped. Add the remaining meatball ingredients and pulse until just combined.
With damp hands, roll the mixture into 24 meatballs, approximately 40g each. Set 8 aside for the soup and freeze the remainder for another day.
Stir the ginger mixture into the broth and return to a gentle simmer. Add the meatballs, cover and cook for around 6–8 minutes, or until just cooked through.
Add the bean sprouts for the final 1–2 minutes so they soften slightly while retaining some crunch.
Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to the packet instructions. Drain and divide between two deep bowls.
Remove and discard the lemongrass stalks, then taste the broth and adjust with a little extra fish sauce, chilli or sugar if needed.
Divide the meatballs and bean sprouts between the bowls, then ladle over the hot broth.
Finish with fresh herbs, sliced chilli, if using, sesame seeds and crispy fried shallots. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.
