Vermicelli Noodle Bowl

I love a good noodle bowl! Especially when it is packed full of flavors and textures – like these vietnamese inspired bowls. They are light, spicy, acidic and sweet. I love all types of asian food and love trying to create my own versions at home. This dish features fresh vegetables, soft noodles, and meatballs. I am also a sucker for pickled veggies – especially red onion, carrots + daikon, and cucumbers. I cannot rave enough about this dish – it got two thumbs up from everyone and even though I made plenty to eat throughout the week, it was all eaten in one night because no one could get enough! Although the ingredients list may look intimidating with a number of components, the recipe is actually pretty simple if you break it down in to parts. You have to pickle the carrots + daikon first and let them marinate – that is the most time consuming part. Then I recommend getting all the other ingredients prepared before you make the sauce and meatballs so everything is “mise en place” before you get going – this will make things a breeze in the kitchen and you will feel less overwhelmed making this dish. This could also be a fun make your own dish where you prepare all the components and put them out for everyone to assemble their own bowls. One more note is this dish is meant to be cold, so don’t stress yourself out trying to make sure everything is warm before serving!

For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb Ground Turkey
• 1 Tbsp Minced Ginger
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Sriracha
• 2 Tbsp Miso Paste
• 2 Tbsp Hoisin
• 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 1 Lime, Juiced
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
• 3 Green Onions, Diced

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Tsp Minced Ginger
• 1 Tbsp Miso Paste
• 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Sriracha
• 3 Tbsp Hoisin
• 3 Tbsp Fish Sauce
• 2 Tsp Cornstarch + 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

Pickled Daikon + Carrots:

• 1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1 1/4 Cup Vinegar
• 1 Cup Warm Water
• 8 oz Carrots, Julienned
• 8 oz Daikon, Julienned

Additional Ingredients:

• Vermicelli Noodles, Cooked according to the package
• 1 Cucumber, Julienned
• 2 Cups Bean Sprouts
• 2 Limes, Quartered
• 4 Tbsp Cilantro, Finely Chopped
• 3-4 Jalapenos, Sliced
• 4 Green Onions, Diced
• 1/3 Cup Peanuts, Finely Diced

• Serves: 2-4
• Prep Time: 8 Hours (for the pickling)
• Cook Time: 30 Minutes
• Assembly Time: 10 Minutes

To Make:

1. First we need to make the pickled daikon + carrots so they can marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Place the cut carrots + daikon to a large mixing bowl and add in the 2 tbsp sugar and the 1 tsp salt. Using your hands, rub/massage the mixture for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
2. Rinse the daikon and carrots well with water and pack them into a 32oz mason jar.
3. In a bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar, vinegar, and warm water and whisk until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour this over the carrots and daikon in the jar until completely covered (completely fill the jar). Seal the jar and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours – the longer they sit, the more flavorful they become.
4. Once the carrots and daikon have been marinating and you are ready to make the bowls let’s make the meatballs!
5. In a large mixing bowl, add the ground turkey, ginger, garlic, sriracha, miso, hoisin, rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, egg, breadcrumbs, and green onions. Combine well and form in to 1 oz meatballs. Set aside.
6. Now let’s quickly make the sauce – whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, miso, sriracha, hoisin and fish sauce. Add to a saucepan and heat over medium – cook the sauce for 3-5 minutes until it just begins to bubble.
7. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and soy sauce – add to the saucepan with the sauce and continue stirring until the sauce thickens – about 8 minutes. When the sauce is thickened, remove from the heat, cover and set aside while you cook the meatballs.
8. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add in a drizzle of olive oil (or spray with pam). Once hot, add in about half of the meatballs and cook for 5-6 minutes (you don’t want to overcrowd the pan, so cook the meatballs in batches).
9. Flip the meatballs and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes until cooked through.
10. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and repeat steps 8-10 until all the meatballs are cooked.
11. Now that all your ingredients are prepped – let’s assemble the bowls. Divide the vermicelli noodles between 4 bowls.
12. Top each bowl with the pickled carrots + daikon, cucumbers, jalapenos, chopped peanuts, bean sprouts, green onions, and quartered limes. (add as much or little of these toppings as your heart desires!)
13. Add about 4-6 meatballs per bowl and drizzle with the sauce you made earlier.
14. Lastly, sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side!