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A finished bowl of Ginger-Pork Meatball Pho on a pinkish-cream countertop. A cream colored napkin is in the image, as well as dishes of green onions, broccoli sprouts, basil, cilantro, and lime wedges.
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4.89 from 9 votes

Ginger-Pork Meatball Noodle Soup

Dairy-free, gluten-free
Servings: 6 bowls
Author: Alex Snodgrass

Ingredients

For the Broth:

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 serrano halved
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce use San J brand to keep Gluten-Free
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 2 Star anise
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 Cinnamon stick
  • ½ cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

For the Ginger-Pork Meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 green onions minced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 Thai chili minced (1 for mild, 2 for spicier)
  • ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce use San J brand to keep Gluten-Free
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cup gluten free panko breadcrumbs I use Aleia Brand

For Serving:

  • 14- ounce package rice noodles
  • Broccoli sprouts
  • Fresh herbs cilantro, Thai basil
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • Sriracha or fresh sliced serrano peppers optional for SPICIER

Instructions

Make the Broth:

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, halved serrano pepper, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 4 minutes.
  • Pour in the beef broth, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, and lime zest. Bring to a simmer.
  • Meanwhile, place the star anise, whole cloves, and coriander seeds in a mortar. Use a pestle to press down and break the star anise into smaller pieces first, as it’s more rigid.
  • Then, continue grinding in a circular motion, applying steady pressure to release the spices' oils until they are coarsely ground. (Alternatively, you can place the spices in a sturdy zip-top bag. Use the bottom of a heavy pan or a rolling pin to press and smash the spices into a coarse blend.)
  • Add the crushed spices to the broth, along with the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and cilantro.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let the broth simmer gently while you prepare the meatballs.

Make the Meatballs:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the ginger-pork meatballs and mix until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1-inch round meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and par-bake the meatballs for about 8 minutes, just until they hold their form and are lightly browned on top (they don’t need to be fully cooked through).
  • Carefully add the meatballs to the simmering broth. Cover and let them finish cooking and become tender in the broth, about 10 more minutes. *Remove the bay leaves, serrano pepper halves, and cinnamon sticks before serving.

Finish the Pho:

  • Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse the noodles.
  • To serve, add some rice noodles to the bottom of a shallow bowl. Ladle the broth and 3-4 meatballs over the noodles.
  • Garnish as desired—I top mine with broccoli sprouts, fresh Thai basil and cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. The broth has some heat, but if you love spice, add a squeeze of sriracha or a few slices of fresh serrano peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 570kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 1924mg | Potassium: 992mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg