Name: Bakso (Indonesian Meatball Noodle Soup)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 10 Beef Meatballs, bakso sapi, thawed if frozen; 150 g Egg Noodles, cooked until just tender; 3 cup Beef Stock, clear and low-salt if available; 3 clove Garlic, minced; 2 Shallots, thinly sliced; 1 tsp Soy Sauce, for seasoning the broth; 1 tbsp Sweet Soy Sauce, for serving; ¾ cup Bean Sprouts, rinsed; ¾ cup Cabbage, thinly sliced; ¼ cup Spring Onion Greens, sliced; 2 tbsp Fried Shallots, for garnish; 1 tsp Red Chilli Sauce, optional, for serving; 1 tbsp Cooking Oil, for frying aromatics; ¼ tsp Salt, adjust to taste

40 mintotal

Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

Add to your week

Method

Cook the egg noodles until just tender, then drain and divide between serving bowls.
Heat the measured cooking oil in a pot. Fry the shallots and garlic until fragrant and lightly golden.
Add the beef stock and soy sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Add the beef meatballs and simmer until they are hot through and the broth is savory.
Place bean sprouts and cabbage over the noodles. Ladle the hot broth and meatballs over them.
Top with spring onion greens, fried shallots, sweet soy sauce, and red chilli sauce if using.

How to tell it's done

The meatballs should be bouncy, the noodles tender, and the broth clear and aromatic.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the broth clear and light; bakso should taste savory and clean rather than thick or curry-like.

What to serve it with

Serve hot with extra sweet soy sauce, chilli sauce, and fried shallots.

Common mistakes

The broth turns cloudy or the noodles get soft.: Simmer gently, heat the meatballs just through, and keep cooked noodles in bowls instead of boiling them in the soup.

Substitutions

Use plain wheat noodles if egg noodles are unavailable, and check the package because their egg and allergen ingredients may differ.
Prepared beef meatballs may contain egg, wheat, or soy binders, so label review is important.
Use chicken stock only as a fallback; it changes the classic beefy broth profile.
For a gluten-free version, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, noodles, and meatball binders all need verified substitutes.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate broth and meatballs for up to 3 days. Store noodles and garnishes separately; freeze broth and meatballs for up to 2 months.

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Ingredients