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Scoop-and-Drop Vietnamese Meatball Soup

Scoop-and-Drop Vietnamese Meatball Soup

By Rose HattabaughJanuary 24, 2025

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    45 minutes
  • Rating

This scoop-and-drop take on Vietnamese canh taught us to stop fussing over perfectly formed meatballs. Canh is a style of light, brothy soups; ours features super simple chicken meatballs paired with tender-crisp baby bok choy. We use store-bought chicken broth and infuse it with garlic and ginger, while boosting its savoriness with fish sauce. Be sure to use low-sodium broth so you can better control the seasoning.

Tip

Don’t skip the baking powder in the chicken mixture. The leavener creates a lighter, more tender texture in the cooked meatballs.

Ingredients
  • 2

    quarts low-sodium chicken broth

  • 3

    medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

  • 1-inch piece

    fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced and bruised, plus 2 teaspoons grated, reserved separately

  • 4

    medium scallions, whites minced, greens thinly sliced, reserved separately

  • 2

    tablespoons fish sauce, divided

  • 1

    pound ground chicken

  • ½

    teaspoon white sugar

  • ½

    teaspoon baking powder

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 12

    ounces baby bok choy, trimmed and sliced crosswise about ½ inch thick

Step 1

In a large saucepan, combine the broth, garlic, ginger slices and 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Simmer over medium-high, stirring occasionally, then reduce to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the chicken, grated ginger, scallion whites, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix until well combined; set aside.

Step 3

Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the ginger and garlic from the broth. Return to a simmer over medium-high. Using 2 spoons, drop scant 1-tablespoon mounds of the chicken mixture into the broth. After all the chicken is added, reduce to medium and simmer, uncovered and without stirring, until the meatballs are opaque at the center, 5 to 6 minutes.

Step 4

Stir in the bok choy and simmer until tender-crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the scallion greens and additional pepper.