Banh Mi Bowls with Juicy Meatballs - Bravabod
Recipes

Banh Mi Bowls with Juicy Meatballs

Valentina

It's hard to not love a bowl that's bursting with Vietnamese flavor, made with a recipe that's actually very doable. Juicy pork meatballs, crunchy pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and a spicy mayo sauce - all piled over warm rice. Shortcuts such as broiling the meatballs, the quick pickling, and using pre-cooked rice, helps to shave off cooking time so that you can spend more time enjoying the meal. I like to make a double batch of the meatballs to use throughout the week.

How To MakeDiet Type: Classic

liked this

Freeze For Not recommended

Best by 3-4 days


Shopping List
    Meatballs
  • 1 pound ground pork (Note 1)
  • 1/2 medium cucumber (or 1/4 of an English cucumber)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon five-spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt Quick Pickled Vegetables
  • 1 cup daikon radish or red radish, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt Spicy Mayo Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
  • 3/4 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder The Rest
  • cooked rice of choice
  • fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, and/or mint)
  • jalapeños, chopped
  • chopped peanuts

Instructions
  1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Step 2: Mix all Spicy Mayo Sauce ingredients until smooth. Store in refrigerator.
  3. Step 3: Time for the Quick Pickled Vegetables. Combine the radish, cucumber, rice vinegar, and salt so that all of the vegetables are covered in the vinegar. Store in refrigerator. 
  4. Step 4: Grate the cucumber with a box grater. Use the side normally used for grating cheese. It should make a bit under 1/2 cup.
  5. Step 5: In a bowl, mix the grated cucumber with all the other meatball ingredients until just combined. Shape into golfball-sized balls. Place on the lined baking sheet.
  6. Step 6: Set the cooking rack at least 6 inches from the broiler. Broil the meatballs for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip. Broil an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and let the meatballs rest for a few minutes.
  7. Serve: Divide the plates and fill each with a scoop of warm rice, pickled veggies, some meatballs, handful of herbs, jalapeño, and optional peanuts. Drizzle the sauce on top and serve.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Ground pork may be substituted with ground chicken thigh, ground beef, or ground turkey. Look for a cut that would be around 90% lean, to retain the same amount of juiciness.

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Nutrition

It's hard to not love a bowl that's bursting with Vietnamese flavor, made with a recipe that's actually very doable. Juicy pork meatballs, crunchy pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and a spicy mayo sauce - all piled over warm rice. Shortcuts such as broiling the meatballs, the quick pickling, and using pre-cooked rice, helps to shave off cooking time so that you can spend more time enjoying the meal. I like to make a double batch of the meatballs to use throughout the week.

How To MakeDiet Type: Paleo

liked this

Freeze For Not recommended

Best by 3-4 days


Shopping List
    Meatballs
  • 1 pound ground pork (Note 1)
  • 1/2 medium cucumber (or 1/4 of an English cucumber)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon five-spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt Quick Pickled Vegetables
  • 1 cup daikon radish or red radish, shredded
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt Spicy Mayo Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons paleo mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 3/4 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder The Rest
  • cooked cauliflower rice
  • fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, and/or mint)
  • jalapeños, chopped
  • chopped cashews

Instructions
  1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Step 2: Mix all Spicy Mayo Sauce ingredients until smooth. Store in refrigerator.
  3. Step 3: Time for the Quick Pickled Vegetables. Combine the radish, carrot, rice vinegar, and salt so that all of the vegetables are covered in the vinegar. Store in refrigerator. 
  4. Step 4: Grate the cucumber with a box grater. Use the side normally used for grating cheese. It should make a bit under 1/2 cup.
  5. Step 5: In a bowl, mix the grated cucumber with all the other meatball ingredients until just combined. Shape into golfball-sized balls. Place on the lined baking sheet.
  6. Step 6: Set the cooking rack at least 6 inches from the broiler. Broil the meatballs for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip. Broil an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and let the meatballs rest for a few minutes.
  7. Serve: Divide the plates and fill each with a scoop of warm rice, pickled veggies, some meatballs, handful of herbs, jalapeño, and optional cashews. Drizzle the sauce on top and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Ground pork may be substituted with ground chicken thigh, ground beef, or ground turkey. Look for a cut that would be around 90% lean, to retain the same amount of juiciness.

Nutrition

It's hard to not love a bowl that's bursting with Vietnamese flavor, made with a recipe that's actually very doable. Juicy pork meatballs, crunchy pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and a spicy mayo sauce - all piled over warm rice. Shortcuts such as broiling the meatballs, the quick pickling, and using pre-cooked rice, helps to shave off cooking time so that you can spend more time enjoying the meal. I like to make a double batch of the meatballs to use throughout the week.

How To MakeDiet Type: Low-carb

liked this

Freeze For Not recommended

Best by 3-4 days


Shopping List
    Meatballs
  • 1 pound ground pork (Note 1)
  • 1/2 medium cucumber (or 1/4 of an English cucumber)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon five-spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt Quick Pickled Vegetables
  • 1 cup daikon radish or red radish, shredded
  • 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt Spicy Mayo Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 3/4 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder The Rest
  • cooked cauliflower rice
  • fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, and/or mint)
  • jalapeños, chopped
  • chopped peanuts

Instructions
  1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  2. Step 2: Mix all Spicy Mayo Sauce ingredients until smooth. Store in refrigerator.
  3. Step 3: Time for the Quick Pickled Vegetables. Combine the radish, cucumber, rice vinegar, and salt so that all of the vegetables are covered in the vinegar. Store in refrigerator. 
  4. Step 4: Grate the cucumber with a box grater. Use the side normally used for grating cheese. It should make a bit under 1/2 cup.
  5. Step 5: In a bowl, mix the grated cucumber with all the other meatball ingredients until just combined. Shape into golfball-sized balls. Place on the lined baking sheet.
  6. Step 6: Set the cooking rack at least 6 inches from the broiler. Broil the meatballs for 5 to 6 minutes. Flip. Broil an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a plate and let the meatballs rest for a few minutes.
  7. Serve: Divide the plates and fill each with a scoop of warm rice, pickled veggies, some meatballs, handful of herbs, jalapeño, and optional peanuts. Drizzle the sauce on top and serve.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Ground pork may be substituted with ground chicken thigh, ground beef, or ground turkey. Look for a cut that would be around 90% lean, to retain the same amount of juiciness.

Nutrition

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Banh Mi Bowls with Juicy Meatballs

PT40M 1 pound ground pork (Note 1) 1/2 medium cucumber (or 1/4 of an English cucumber) 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 2 teaspoons sriracha 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon five-spice 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup daikon radish or red radish, thinly sliced 1 cup shredded carrots 1/4 cup rice vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon coconut aminos 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha 3/4 teaspoon ginger powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder cooked rice of choice fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, and/or mint) jalapeños, chopped chopped peanuts Gluten Free Paleo Low-Carb 4 Servings Ingredients:

4 Servings

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