Asian Pork Meatball Bowls

Asian Pork Meatball Bowls from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

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4.88 from 24 votes

Asian Pork Meatball Bowls with juicy meatballs make the perfect take ahead lunch or savory dinner!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: people

Author: Gaby Dalkin

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

½ yellow onion finely chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons ginger finely grated
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
1 ¼ pound ground pork
4 tablespoons cilantro finely chopped
4 tablespoons chives finely chopped

For the Rice

2 cups jasmine rice
2 ½ cups water
1 cup coconut milk full fat
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 whole lime zested and juiced

For the Sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 tablespoons ginger finely grated
2 tablespoons sambal

For the Herb Topping

6 green onions thinly sliced
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves stems removed
½ cup fresh mint leaves stems removed
½ cup Thai basil leaves (or regular basil leaves) stems removed
1 red Fresno chili thinly sliced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper
In a large bowl combine all of the meatball ingredients, mixing the meat and everything else together well. Form the meat mixture into 16 meatballs and place them evenly spaced on the prepared sheet pan. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
While the meatballs are baking whisk together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside. In another bowl, lightly toss together the Fresh Herb Salad ingredients and cook the rice
Dish the rice into bowls and add a heap of the fresh herb salad, a spoonful of the sauce and a few meatballs and serve immediately.

For the Rice

Combine the water, coconut milk, and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until the mixture starts to simmer. Add the rice and bring back to a low simmer. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the rice steam for another 5 to 10 minutes, until fully cooked and soft. Uncover, fluff, and toss in the lime zest and juice.

Notes

Bake the meatballs, do not pan-fry them. The oven is your best friend here. Baking them on a parchment-lined sheet pan means no splatter, no babysitting, and perfectly cooked meatballs every single time. 12 minutes at 375 degrees and you are done.
Do not overmix the meatball mixture. Mix everything together until just combined. Overworking the meat will give you tough, dense meatballs instead of the light, tender, juicy ones you are going for.
Freeze the meatballs raw, not cooked. If you want to get ahead, form them into balls and freeze them before baking. Thaw and cook fresh right before serving for the best texture. Freezing already-cooked meatballs makes them tough when reheated.
Make extra sambal sauce and keep it in the fridge. This sauce is genuinely one of the best things in the recipe and it keeps for days. Spoon it over noodles, drizzle it on grilled chicken or fish, use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings. Make a double batch and you will be glad you did.
Do not skip the coconut lime rice. It might be tempting to use plain jasmine rice to save a step but the coconut milk and fresh lime zest and juice take it to a completely different level. It is the perfect creamy, citrusy base for everything going on in this bowl.
Let the rice steam undisturbed. Once you add the rice to the simmering coconut milk mixture, resist the urge to lift the lid. Let it cook covered on low for 15 minutes and then steam off the heat for another 5 to 10. This gives you perfectly fluffy rice every time.
Use the freshest herbs you can find. The herb salad of scallions, cilantro, mint, and Thai basil is what makes this bowl feel truly special. Do not substitute dried herbs here. Fresh is the only way to go and it makes the whole dish come alive.
Do not reheat the meatballs too aggressively. If you are enjoying leftovers, a quick 30 to 45 seconds in the microwave is all they need. Overheating them will make them tough and nobody wants that.
Add quick pickled cucumbers for extra texture. A few commenters on the post noted the dish can be all soft on soft, which is a fair point. Toss some sliced cucumbers and red onion in rice wine vinegar while the meatballs bake. It adds a bright crunchy contrast that makes the whole bowl even better.
Make the whole thing on a Sunday and eat it all week. This bowl was built for meal prep. Prep the meatballs, rice, sauce, and herb salad separately and store them in individual containers. Just assemble and go all week long for lunches or quick weeknight dinners.

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