Vietnamese Meatball Noodle Bowl with Crunchy Salad
These lemongrass beef meatballs are browned until golden and served over tender rice noodles with a big crunchy salad of cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, scallions, and peanuts. A bright lime and sambal dressing ties everything together. There is something for everyone in this bowl: savory meatballs, fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and slurpable noodles. It is vibrant, satisfying, and the kind of dinner that disappears quickly.
Servings: Four
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup gluten-free panko
1 egg
2 inches lemongrass, white part only, very finely minced
1 shallot, very finely minced
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon honey
1 lime, zested
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
6 ounces rice noodles
1 cup grated carrots
2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, crushed
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon sambal oelek
1 tablespoon avocado oil
PREPARATION
Make dressing: Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, water, honey, and sambal oelek in a small bowl until the honey dissolves. Set aside.
Mix meatballs: Combine ground beef, gluten-free panko, egg, lemongrass, shallot, cilantro, parsley, mint, fish sauce, honey, lime zest, and ginger in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper and mix gently until just combined.
Form meatballs: Shape the mixture into 18 to 20 meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each.
Cook noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add rice noodles and cook according to package instructions, about 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse briefly with warm water.
Cook meatballs: Heat avocado oil in a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in batches so the pan is not crowded. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
Plate: Divide noodles among bowls. Top with carrots, cucumbers, red cabbage, scallions, peanuts, and meatballs. Spoon dressing over the bowls just before serving.
Notes:
Cook the meatballs in batches so they brown instead of steaming. A 12-inch skillet usually fits about half the batch comfortably.
Trim the root end and remove the tough outer layers until you reach the pale inner stalk. Use the bottom 3 to 4 inches only. Very finely mince the tender white core so it blends evenly into the meatballs.
