Lemongrass Meatball Bowls
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time
1 hour (for pickling!)
Cook Time
20 mins
Rating
4.8 out of 5 stars
(72)
Ingredients
4 bowls
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6–8 carrots, cut into thin ribbons (I used a peeler to make those curls)
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1–2 tablespoons lemongrass paste
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili paste (like Sriracha or Sambal Oelek)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- 2 tablespoons basil
- 2 tablespoons mint
- 2 tablespoons green onions
- 1/4 cup of crushed peanuts
- spicy mayo (1/4 cup of mayo with a 1 tablespoon of sriracha)
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Preparation
Step 1
Quick Pickled Carrots: Whisk the rice vinegar, palm sugar, sesame oil, and salt together. Soak the carrots in the mixture.
Step 2
Quinoa: Cook your quinoa according to package directions.
Step 3
Meatballs: Mix all ingredients. Roll into small meatballs with your hands (they might feel wet and heavy – pop them in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to get them to hold their shape a bit better if needed). Heat a little bit of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and fry until golden brown on the outside and fully cooked (not pink) inside.
Step 4
Bowls: Layer the carrots and meatballs over cooked quinoa. Top with herbs, peanuts, and/or spicy mayo.
Step 5
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Chef's notes
This recipe was previously titled “Banh Mi Bowls” but was updated in August 2021 to better reflect and respect the cultural origins from which this dish came from. The name Banh Mi directly translates to “bread.” A Banh Mi is a short baguette with thin, crisp crust, filled with all sorts of delicious things like meat, pickled vegetables, herbs, and mayonnaise.
