These Banh mi Bowls will leave you wanting more with the bold flavors of garlic, a little heat (my kids will eat it so it’s not too spicy), basil, and a slight sweetness from the honey. It’s one complete meal that comes together in less than an hour. This is a favorite meal in my home and I can’t wait for it to be a favorite in your home as well.
Banh mi Bowls Tips:
If you have time to prep the meatball mixture the night before, try to do so. It allows the flavors to marinate and come together even more.
Double the recipe if you can, they don’t last long and you won’t be upset to have a night off from cooking with the leftovers. I sometimes triple the recipe for my family of four as we eat the leftovers for breakfast as well to increase our protein intake.
FAQ:
Can I freeze this recipe?
Yes, the meatballs can be frozen up to two months. Remove as much air out of your freezer bag to avoid freezer burn. Double the recipe to freeze the extra or have leftovers for another night.
Can I fry the meatballs?
Yes, you can fry them. It will add some time to the recipe and it does splatter on the stove so there will be some extra clean-up as well. Frying does add a nice crisp and flavor to the exterior of the meatballs.
Prep Ahead:
The meat for the meatballs can be mixed together with all the ingredients the night before. Cover the mixture and place in the refrigerator until the next day when ready to form and bake.
The sauce can also be made the day prior. The next day, make rice, form meatballs into balls and bake. While the meatballs are cooking make the carrot salad. Dinner will be ready in about 30 minutes or less.
Favorite Ingredients:
Fish sauce-Red Boat Fish Sauce can be found at any health food store or online. The ingredients are fresh and adds a great umami flavor to any Asian dish.
Mayonnaise-I enjoy using Chosen Foods because the ingredients are straight forward without all the additives or pufa oils. The most affordable place I have found to purchase this product is Costco.
Arrowroot Powder-Arrowroot Powder works as a thickening agent and you can find it at any health food store or I like to order mine online from Thrive Market.
Sriracha-Sky Valley and Wildbrine are two sriracha brands I enjoy using. You guessed it, the ingredients are clean. What I like about Wildbrine is fermented which helps with gut health. It tastes great and it’s great for your health.
Sea salt-Redmond Sea Salt is a great quality salt I purchase in bulk through Azure Standard. You of course can purchase at any health food store.
Why should I make it?
Not only is the flavor unforgettable with the basil, garlic, and a touch of spice, it’s simple to make. As much as I love a Bahn mi sandwich, I have tried eating less bread this past year because once I start, it’s hard to stop. I love that this is flavorful and yet healthy at the same time. Usually when healthy and food are in the same sentence there is a lack of flavor involved. That is not the case with this recipe.
My kids are busier than ever this year so recipes like this are a gift when extra time is not available. Simple cooking instantly takes the stress out of making a nourishing meal from scratch.
*The meatball recipe came from Epicurious and it’s a recipe I have been making for years with my own tweaks.
Feast Recipe Template
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup of mayonnaise
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons sriracha (add more if needed)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1 pound ground pork (not sausage)
- ¼ cup basil finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic finely minced
- 3 green onions finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 Tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups carrots shredded or peeled into ribbons
- ⅔ cup of chopped cilantro
- 2 medium jalapeños finely chopped (seeds and membrane removed)*
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1-2 pinches of pepper
- Add a few drops of sriracha or hot sauce**it adds something and isn’t too spicy
Instructions
Sauce:
First, add mayonnaise, green onions, sriracha, and sea salt to a bowl. Then stir until combined. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Baked Meatballs:
First, preheat oven to 425 degrees. To a medium bowl add ground pork, basil, garlic, green onions, fish sauce, sriracha, honey, arrowroot powder, and black pepper. Next, take two forks and break apart the pork and stir in the ingredients in the bowl until combined. Do not overmix.
Next, line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to form the meat mixture into 1 ½ inch meatballs. Line them on a baking sheet ensuring there is at least one inch between each meatball. You should end up with 16-18 meatballs. Last, spray the meatballs with avocado spray. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. If you would like to brown them more, turn the broiler to high for approximately 3-5 minutes.
Carrot Salad:
While the meatballs are baking, peel the outer skin from the washed carrots. Next, shred carrots in a food processor or peel with a vegetable peeler into ribbons. Place in a medium bowl. Add cilantro, jalapeño, olive oil, rice vinegar, rice vinegar, honey, sea salt, pepper, and sriracha to the medium bowl with carrots. Last, toss until combined. Add additional salt or sriracha if necessary.
Serve:
Serve meatballs over rice with sauce and salad on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
*If you would like a little heat in the salad, leave SOME of the seeds and membrane. If you like your mouth on fire, by all means add the entire jalapeño.
**If you choose to omit the jalapeño seeds and membrane from the salad, add a few drops of sriracha or hot sauce to the dressing. Start with less and add more if needed. A couple of drops does not make it spicy but it is necessary to tie all the flavors together.
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