Asian Meatballs and Rice Noodles
Updated Aug 02, 2021, Published Feb 20, 2015
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Asian Meatballs and Rice Noodles with Cabbage and Carrots is a delicious budget-friendly Asian-inspired meal! Rice noodles tossed with sauteed shredded cabbage and carrots and kicked up with black pepper is the perfect side dish.
If any single food can put a smile on someone’s face, it has to be the meatball. This little one or two-bite morsel of meaty goodness has it’s place in cuisines around the world.
Ground pork is often used in combination with other ground meats to add flavor and juiciness to things like meatballs and meatloaf. In my Asian-inspired hoisin glazed pork meatballs, budget-friendly ground pork takes center stage.
Tips for making meatballs:
- When making meatballs, get all the ingredients except the ground meat mixed together before adding the ground meat. This ensures all the ingredients–especially the seasonings–are evenly distributed.
- Wear disposable gloves and mix with your hands to get the job done faster and more thoroughly.
- Use a 1-inch cookie dough scoop. Grab a handful of the meat mixture in one hand and the cookie dough scoop in the other. Use the heel of the hand holding the meat mixture to level off the scoop. Empty the scoop on a baking sheet. After portioning the meat mixture, roll into neat balls.
- Frying meatballs is messy and requires more active time and attention. Instead, place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake them.
While the meatballs bake, mix up the hoisin-based glaze. Hoisin sauce, which is sometimes referred to as Chinese barbecue sauce can be rather robust on its own. Combined with the other sauce ingredients, the hoisin is mellowed but still has a great depth of flavor. All the ingredients are easily found in the international aisle at your local grocery store.
Rice noodles are a great alternative to regular pasta because they cook in only a few minutes. To save time, buy bags of shredded angel hair slaw and shredded carrots.
Let’s eat!
More meatball recipes you’ll love:
- Turkish Turkey Meatball Lettuce Wraps with Tzatziki
- Turkey Meatballs in Beer Sauce
- Middle Eastern Spiced Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
- Pepper Jack Stuffed Meatballs with Chipotle Sauce
- Chicken Meatballs Marsala with Baked Parmesan Polenta
Asian Meatballs and Rice Noodles
Ingredients
Meatballs and Glaze
- Cooking spray
- 2 scallions, white and light green part only, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger, divided
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, or to taste, divided
- 1/3 cup panko
- 1 large egg
- 8 ounces ground pork
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Noodles
- 1/2 package (8-ounce) rice noodles, also called pad thai noodles
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 large carrot, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
- 4 scallions, white and light green part, thinly sliced diagonally
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Instructions
Meatballs and Glaze
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Combine scallions, half the garlic, 2 teaspoons ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, panko and egg in a bowl and mix well. Add the pork and mix until well combined.
- Form into 16 1-inch meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine remaining garlic, ginger, 1/4 cup soy sauce, chili sauce, broth, hoisin sauce, sherry, rice vinegar and corn starch in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened. When meatballs are cooked through, transfer them to the saucepan and keep warm while preparing the rice noodles.
Noodles
- Cook rice noodles in boiling water with salt per package directions; drain well and toss with 1 tablespoon canola oil.
- Heat remaining oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and carrot and cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Stir in remaining ingredients, add the rice noodles and heat through.
- Serve with meatballs.
Notes
- Can use chicken, turkey or beef in place of pork.
- Make as directed, cool, and refrigerate.
- Reheat covered in a 350-degree oven until heated through to 165 degrees in the center.
- Cool thoroughly and place in an airtight container. Freeze for 2-3 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven as directed above.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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