Soba noodles make this dish naturally gluten-free- the lean, yet tasty pork meatballs keep it low in fat and the peanut sauce? Well, that's just delicious.
Behind the scenes - Ginger Pork Meatballs on Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Wow, that's a mouthful. A delicious mouthful.
This dinner is a great weeknight meal as it's pretty quick and easy to get on the table. The most time-consuming part is making the little meatballs, but how much fun would it be to have the kids help with this part? Kids love to play with their food, so let them make meatballs!
The kids are going to love this dish for the meatballs and peanut butter soy sauce covered noodles, you because it's low-fat and healthy!.
Don't let soba noodles scare you off!
Soba noodles are made out of buckwheat flour. They are a soft noodle, thin like spaghetti, but usually shorter and cook in about 3 – 6 minutes. Naturally gluten-free, they have a slightly nutty flavor, however in this preparation you really won’t notice it so much. They are very digestible and 100 grams of soba gives you 344 kcal of energy…this is a good thing. They also contain all eight essential amino acids, including lysine, which is lacking in wheat, even whole wheat.
To top this off, they contain antioxidants, including rutin and quercetin and essential nutrients including choline, thiamine, and riboflavin. In other words, they are a noodle powerhouse.
The meatballs are made out of lean pork. I grind my own pork tenderloin to make them, so easy to do if you have a meat grinder, but even if you don’t, you can chop it using on/off pulses with a food processor.
Or buy a pork tenderloin and ask your butcher to grind it for you. If you do buy already ground pork, make sure it’s lean.
The kids are going to love this for the meatballs and peanut butter soy sauce covered noodles. And you for the fresh taste and healthy components.
See, it’s a win-win!
I had left-over meatballs so I used them to make this delicious Quick Pho with Ginger Pork Meatballs. Leftovers done differently.
LindySez: While this is a dish the kids will love...it can be served with an adult beverage. A California Pinot Noir is a great choice with its rich flavors. For something a bit leaner, try an Oregon Pinot or a Burgundy from France. The soy and ginger work well with them all.
Ginger Pork Meatballs on Soba Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- For the Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped green onion white and green parts
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint or if you must use dried, ½ to 1 teaspoon should do it
- 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
- Zest of 1 lime
- ¼ cup panko or as needed
- 1 large egg beaten WITH 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- For the Peanut Sauce
- Note: if you like more sauce simply double the recipe
- 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
- For the Noodles
- 8 ounces soba noodles
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil I like grapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup julienned red pepper
- 1 cup julienned snow peas
- 1 cup julienne carrots
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Finely sliced green onion tops for garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 450°F.
- Combine the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Gently mix well. Check for flavors and adjust as needed with salt and pepper. (To test, make a small meatball, place it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until cooked; when done taste. The meatball should also “hold together” when cooked, if not, add a bit more panko.) Form into 20 meatballs and place on a foil lined cooking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in the hot oven for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice until cooked through.
- While the meatballs bake, Prep and cut your vegetables. A Julienne means finely sliced, usually laterally. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- In a large bowl mix the peanut butter, soy sauce, and sesame seed oil together with a wire whisk. Set aside.
- In a saute pan, heat the vegetable and sesame seed oil; when hot add the vegetables and saute for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.
- Add the soba to the boiling water and cook according to package directions, usually about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally (you might find they foam up more than your traditional pasta, so keep an eye on it and stir when the pot looks to overflow). Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
- Add the soba to the peanut/soy sauce in the bowl; add the vegetables and toss to mix, adding some of the cooking liquid if it seems to dry. Divide the noodles and vegetables into 4 warmed shallow bowls; top with the meatballs and garnish with chopped onion and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Chris G
I especially loved the meatballs...but soba noodles aren't naturally gluten free. The ones we found had wheat flour. However, they do also have gluten free versions of you look around
Linda Baker
Yes, if you have a gluten intolerance do check your packages. While authentic soba noodles are made from 100 percent buckwheat flour, some brands add another type of flour like wheat or white flour. Buckwheat is a pseudocereal, not an actual cereal grain. Cereal grains come from the seeds of grasses, such as wheat. Thanks for posting. Cheers ~ Lindy