Coconut Lime Rice Noodle Stir Fry with Lemongrass Meatballs is an incredible, flavor-filled, aromatic dish with so many delicious components. The lemongrass meatballs take on a slightly lemon-floral flavor from the lemongrass, and the coconut lime sauce is equal parts bright, citrusy, and savory. The rice noodle stir fry is filled with bell pepper, broccoli, and carrots, and the whole dish gets finished with extra lime and cilantro!
I’ve been on a meatball kick for the last several months and there’s no end in sight! It all started with these harissa chicken meatballs, and has continued with these insanely good lemongrass meatballs! Which are just incredible, especially with the rice noodle stir fry. Meals/bowls like these are my favorite. A super flavorful protein (lemongrass and herb infused meatballs HELLO), some kind of delicious carb (rice noodles in this case), vegetables (always), a sauce (this citrusy savory coconut lime sauce), and fresh herbs. What could be better?!
I have no idea why I don’t cook with lemongrass more often. It’s truly one of my favorite flavors in the whole world. If you’re unfamiliar with it, it has a really beautiful, subtle perfume-y scent, and it adds a floral-citrus note to whatever you add it to. It’s really popular in Asian cuisines, and I just love it so much.
It’s so perfect in these meatballs, and I can’t stop making them! I love having meatballs prepped to add to things like salads, bowls, curries, or just to snack on honestly. I find them so much more fun to eat than just throwing chicken on a salad.
Let’s chat about these perfect little lemongrass meatballs.
They’re super easy to make, and also very customizable and forgiving! I’ve made them with both ground turkey and chicken, and I love both! My brother and I both agree that they’d be incredible with ground pork too.
All you need: ground turkey or ground chicken (make sure you use the semi-lean stuff, not the 99% lean for best texture and flavor), lemongrass, cilantro, garlic, shallot, ginger, salt, and pepper. Honestly, how could they not be good with that lineup?!
My favorite way to cook meatballs is to sear them for a couple minutes per side, then finish them in the oven. This ensures the outsides don’t get too brown, and the inside cooks through and stays perfectly juicy.
The rice noodle stir fry part of this delicious bowl-style meal is super simple, and crazy delicious. Sometimes I love using coconut milk in dishes without curry, for a little something different. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good coconut curry, but it’s super fun to use coconut milk in other ways!
This sauce is super simple – just coconut milk, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and salt. It’s perfectly creamy, salty, savory, and lime-y. For lack of a better word!
For the stir fry, I enjoy using bell pepper, broccoli, and carrots, but you can use whatever veggies you love and/or have on hand. Snap peas, snow peas, zucchini, onion, and cauliflower would all be great swaps or additions!
Here’s a quick run-down of how you make this rice noodle stir fry!
- Make your meatballs. Mix together your ground turkey or chicken, lemongrass, cilantro, garlic, shallot, ginger, salt, and pepper. Sear them in a neutral oil (like avocado oil) for a few minutes per side, then finish them off in the oven.
- Cook your rice noodles. White or brown work great! Make sure you rise them thoroughly with cold water while you make the rest of the meal, to ensure they don’t stick together.
- Whisk together your sauce. Full-fat coconut milk, lime zest, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, and salt! Set it aside until you’re ready for it.
- Sauté your veggies. Broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots are my faves to use here, but use what you love!
- Finish the stir fry. Add the rice noodles and sauce into the skillet to heat it through, and finish it with extra lime zest and juice.
- Serve it up! Portion the stir fry and sauce into bowls, top with the meatballs, and top with fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving!
It is every bit as delicious and flavor-packed as it looks. It’s definitely going into the regular rotation at the Spices in My DNA household!
Don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram and tag me @spicesinmydna if you make this recipe! Nothing makes me happier than seeing what you create in the kitchen!
Coconut Lime Rice Noodle Stir Fry with Lemongrass Meatballs
Coconut Lime Rice Noodle Stir Fry with Lemongrass Meatballs is an incredible, flavor-filled, aromatic dish with so many delicious components. The lemongrass meatballs take on a slightly lemon-floral flavor from the lemongrass, and the coconut lime sauce is equal parts bright, citrusy, and savory. The rice noodle stir fry is filled with bell pepper, broccoli, and carrots, and the whole dish gets finished with extra lime and cilantro!
Ingredients
For the lemongrass meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground turkey or ground chicken (use 92-93% lean for best flavor, not 99%)
- 3 tablespoons finely minced lemongrass*
- 1/4 cup packed cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral cooking oil
For the stir fry
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- zest of 1 1/2 limes, divided
- juice of 2 limes, divided
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 medium broccoli crown, cut into small florets
- 1 red bell pepper, very thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
- cilantro, for serving
- lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the rice noodles. In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, lemongrass, cilantro, garlic, shallot, ginger, salt, and pepper until combined. Form into 12 meatballs.
Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the avocado oil. Once hot, add the meatballs (in batches) and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes or until they're cooked through.
Meanwhile, cook your rice noodles according to package directions. Once cooked, make sure you rinse them thoroughly with cold water to help prevent sticking while you prep the rest of the meal.
Make the coconut lime sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, zest of 1 lime, juice of 1 lime, soy sauce, honey, and salt until combined. If your coconut milk has separated in the can, combine ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
Heat a separate nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil. Once hot, add the broccoli and peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes until just slightly tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and cook for an additional minute. Add the noodles and coconut lime sauce and cook for 1 minute or until heated through. Remove from heat and add remaining zest of 1/2 a lime and juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with additional salt if needed. Portion the noodles and sauce into bowls and top with the meatballs. Top with torn cilantro leaves and a lime wedge and serve.
Recipe Notes
*Use whatever ground meat you like - turkey, chicken, and pork all work great!
*To prep the lemongrass, make sure you peel off the dry, outer layer or two of the stalk and discard - it's tough and hard to chew.
[…] Coconut Lime Rice Noodle Stir Fry with Lemongrass Meatballs is an incredible, flavor-filled, aromatic dish with so many delicious components. The lemongrass meatballs take on a slightly lemon-floral flavor from the lemongrass, and the coconut lime sauce is equal parts bright, citrusy, and savory. […]