Easy breezy Chinese meatballs noodle soup

My love for noodles definitely comes from my mom. My dad loved his rice. We have this term “rice bucket” in Chinese and he was definitely one ha..ha.. And now my daughter probably inherited this noodle craze from me 🙂 It doesn’t matter weather it rains, shines, or snows…I can eat noodle anytime of the day, any day of the week. It’s not unusual for us to have noodle soup or stir-fried noodles 3 meals a day (yes, that includes breakfast) in Asia. So, yeah….I have my fair share of noodles since I was very young! My husband knows when I fix a noodle soup, especially this easy breezy authentic Chinese meatballs noodle soup (sorry, the title was mouthful I know), the “lazy” mode is on and I simply do not want to think of what to cook today. This is also one of our favorite noodle dishes. Easy, authentic and comforting you can be assured of.

Goji berries are commonly used in Chinese cooking, especially in soup. If you have never tried goji berries in a soup, you should. I love it. My 2-year old son obsessed with goji berries in soup. Try not to overcook them though, because if you do, you won’t taste the sweetness anymore. I love how they puff up in the soup. Sweet and soft. I usually pop them into the soup at the very end of cooking, as the hot soup will continue to soften the berries. This is one of the noodles that can be “dressed” up or down as you wish. Sub the meatballs with shrimp or leftover chicken meat (shredded). Really…highly flexible.

So, here’s Easy breezy Chinese meatballs noodle soup in a nutshell

…and yes, I used Chinese black vinegar again in this noodle soup. It’s one of my favorite ingredients really 🙂

Easy breezy Chinese meatballs noodle soup (4 servings)

What you will need:

• 1 lb of angel hair/spaghetti/ramen or Asian wheat noodles/udon noodles
• 4-5 stalks of baby bok choy
• ¼ cup or more of goji berries (washed and drained)

Meatballs (You can use ground chicken/pork/turkey/beef)

• 1 lb ground meat
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• Pinch of salt and white pepper (you may use black pepper)

Soup base

• 6 cups chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
• 3 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar (or sub with balsamic vinegar if you must)
• Pinch of salt and sugar

Garnishes:

• 1 stalk green onion (finely chopped)
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Red chili oil (optional)
• Fried shallots crisp (optional)

Chili sauce (optional)

• 4-5 Thai bird's eye chili (finely chopped)
• Soy sauce

Instructions:

1. Cook the noodles to al dente and then rinse with some cold water and set aside
2. Blanch the baby bok choy in a boiling water for about 5 minutes and then refreshed with some cold water and set aside
3. Place all the ingredients for meat balls in a large mixing bowl. Stir to mix everything. Cover and pop them into the refrigerator while you are preparing the soup base
4. Place chicken broth in a medium to large pot. Bring to a boil. Add in the black vinegar, salt, and sugar. Have a taste, it should be savory with some tangy taste. Add in the meatballs and boil until the meatballs are cooked through. Add in the goji berries and let it cook for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat

Assembling the noodle bowl:

1. Portion out the noodles into individual serving bowl. Portion out the meatballs and sprinkle of green onions, cilantro leaves. Generously ladle the soup with some of the goji berries over the noodles. Drizzle with some chili oil if using. Serve with some chili sauce on the side if you make some. Tuck in and enjoy!

Here are the affiliate links to show you some of the products you may not be familiar with. Chinese black vinegar is a staple in my kitchen. I used it a lot with noodle dishes

Have a great day and thank you for stopping by