Pork meatball pho

An aromatic and spicy noodle soup is the tastiest way to end the day, with or without chopsticks.

Pork meatball pho

Or opt for chicken with this aromatic chicken pho noodle soup recipe.

  • Serves icon Serves 4
  • Time icon Hands-on time 20 min, simmering time 7 min

An aromatic and spicy noodle soup is the tastiest way to end the day, with or without chopsticks.

Or opt for chicken with this aromatic chicken pho noodle soup recipe.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
643kcals
Fat
10g (3.6g saturated)
Protein
40.4g
Carbohydrates
95.3g (4g sugars)
Fibre
4.8g
Salt
3.5g

Ingredients

For the soup base:

  • 1 litre good-quality beef stock
  • 5cm pece fresh ginger, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, bashed
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 400g flat dried rice noodles

For the meatballs: 

  • 6 cream crackers
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • Handful fresh coriander
  • 250g free-range pork mince
  • 1 medium free-range egg, beaten
  • 2 tsp fish sauce

To serve:

  • Large handful fresh herbs, such as coriander, mint and Thai basil
  • 1 red chilli, finely sliced
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • Soy sauce (optional)
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Method

  1. For the soup, put the beef stock in a saucepan with the ginger, garlic, star anise and fish sauce, then heat gently to bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat and keep warm. 
  2. To make the meatballs, put the cream crackers in a food processor and whizz to a fine crumb. Add the lemongrass, garlic and coriander and whizz again to make a paste. (Or pound crackers and herbs to  paste in a large pestle and mortar.) Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the pork, egg and fish sauce with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, then shape into 12 meatballs.
  3. Bring the soup back to a simmer, then remove the aromatics and discard. Lower the meatballs into the soup with a slotted spoon and simmer for 7 minutes until just cooked through. Remove to a plate.
  4. Cook the noodles according to the pack instructions, then divide among 4 bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles, top with meatballs and serve with the fresh herbs, sliced chillies a lime wedge for squeezing and a splash of soy sauce, if you like. 

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
643kcals
Fat
10g (3.6g saturated)
Protein
40.4g
Carbohydrates
95.3g (4g sugars)
Fibre
4.8g
Salt
3.5g

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