Soups
Bakso – Indonesian beef ball soup
AI-generated serving image
This image was created with the help of artificial intelligence and serves as visual inspiration or a serving suggestion. The actual result may vary depending on the ingredients, quantities and preparation used.
Springy finely processed beef balls in clear broth with rice noodles and vegetables. Tapioca starch and cold handling create their characteristic bounce; these are not loose fried meatballs.
Timing
- Preparation: about 30 minutes
- Cooking time: about 30 minutes, with stock and accompaniments partly overlapping
- Total time: about 60 minutes using prepared stock
Estimated nutrition
per serving · Calculated for 4 servings.
- Energy
- ≈ 460 kcal
- Protein
- ≈ 35.6 g
- Carbohydrates
- ≈ 61.1 g
- Fat
- ≈ 7.5 g
The nutrition values are estimates based on the ingredients and quantities used. Actual values may vary depending on the product, portion size and preparation.
Calculation basis
Item weights and household measures are estimated. Unless specified: milk with 1.5% fat, cream with 30% fat and Gouda cheese. Optional ingredients, small amounts of seasoning and separately listed side dishes are excluded. For imprecise entries, the amounts below and comparable reference products are assumed. For alternatives, the first listed ingredient is used. Cooking losses have not been measured.
Lean mince uses raw beef tartare as a comparison. The 200 g rice noodles are dry weight; 2 l prepared stock is included. Fried onions are a comparison for fried shallots. Optional sambal is excluded.
Quantity assumptions and ingredient mapping
- 500 g well-chilled lean minced beef · ≈ 500 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 2 l prepared beef stock · ≈ 2000 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 200 g dry fine rice noodles · ≈ 200 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 20 g crisp fried shallots · ≈ 20 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
Matvaretabellen: Mattilsynet · Santa Maria
Food data: Max Rubner-Institut, BLS 4.0 (2025), CC BY 4.0. Calculated and rounded for this recipe. BLS 4.0 · CC BY 4.0
Ingredients
- 500 g well-chilled lean minced beef
- 100 g crushed ice
- 80 g tapioca starch
- 25 g garlic, divided
- 7 g salt for the balls
- 2 g white pepper, divided
- 2 l prepared beef stock
- 200 g dry fine rice noodles
- 300 g pak choi
- 60 g spring onions
- 20 g celery leaves and tender stalks
- 20 g crisp fried shallots
- Optional: 20 g sambal oelek to serve
Instructions
- Process beef, ice, tapioca, 10 g garlic, salt and 1 g pepper in batches to a fine sticky paste. Use short pulses and keep cold; refrigerate briefly if the mixture warms up.
- Bring a large pan of water to a gentle simmer. Use two damp spoons to shape about 24 balls roughly 3 cm across and lower into the water in batches. Do not boil vigorously.
- Poach gently for about 10–12 minutes. Floating alone does not prove safe cooking: check a larger test ball reaches at least 70 °C in the centre for 2 minutes. Lift out with a clean slotted spoon.
- Meanwhile, simmer stock with the remaining crushed garlic and pepper for 10 minutes. Cook noodles separately following the packet. Wash and cut pak choi and blanch in boiling water for 2–3 minutes. Finely slice spring onions and celery.
- Reheat the balls thoroughly in the stock. Divide noodles and pak choi between four large bowls and add balls and hot broth. Scatter with spring onions, celery and fried shallots; offer sambal separately if desired.
Tips
- Tapioca starch is not coarse tapioca pearls. Potato starch changes the texture and is an adaptation.
- Work in small batches in a food processor; a low-powered stick blender is unsuitable for this firm meat paste.
