Tom Yum Soup with Thai Meatballs

Tom Yum Soup with Thai Meatballs comes together in about 40 minutes and is easier to make than it looks. Pre's grass-fed ground beef forms the base of tender, Thai-spiced meatballs that bake while the broth simmers, keeping the process efficient. Galangal, kaffir lime leaves, tamarind paste, and Thai seasoning paste give the soup its signature brightness and depth. Fragrant, warming, and genuinely restorative, this is a weeknight bowl worth making twice.

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

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Tom Yum Soup Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 pound of Pre 95% Lean Ground Beef

• 2 tablespoons

• Thai seasoning paste

• 3 cloves of garlic, mashed

• 1 to 3 Thai chiles, seeds removed and finely chopped (depending on heat tolerance)

• 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, stemmed and finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1 egg

• Cooking oil spray

Soup

• 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 tablespoon Thai seasoning paste

• 8 slices of fresh galangal, peeled and thinly sliced

• 6 fresh kaffir lime leaves, torn into large pieces

• 1 to 5 fresh Thai chiles (depending on heat tolerance)

• 1 small white onion, peeled and thinly sliced2 cups oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced

• 3 small tomatoes, cut into wedges

• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, stemmed and coarsely chopped

• 1/4 cup of fresh bean sprouts

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.

2. Place a rack on a parchment-lined sheet pan.

3. Combine all meatball ingredients except cooking oil spray in a bowl and mix well by hand. (Why: cold fat holds its structure, giving meatballs better texture.)

4. Roll mixture into small balls using about 2 teaspoons of mix per meatball, or about 1 tablespoon each for larger meatballs.

5. Spray rack well with cooking oil spray, arrange meatballs on rack, and spray tops with oil.

6. Bake 20 minutes until lightly browned, adding 5 minutes for larger meatballs, then verify internal temperature reaches 165º F.

7. While meatballs bake, add chicken broth, Thai seasoning paste, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chiles to a stockpot and bring to a simmer. (Why: simmering aromatics in broth before adding other ingredients deepens and rounds the soup's base flavor.)

8. Cook 15 minutes, then add onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, tamarind paste, lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar.

9. Cook 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

10. Remove kaffir lime leaves and galangal with a slotted spoon.

11. When meatballs are done, add half to pot and reserve remaining meatballs for future use.

12. Ladle Tom Yum Soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and bean sprouts.

Notes:

This recipe yields twice as many meatballs as needed for 4 servings. Refrigerate remaining meatballs up to 4 to 5 days or freeze for use in a future batch. Any Pre Ground Beef grind works well here: 85%, 90%, 92%, and 95% all produce tender, flavorful meatballs. Galangal, kaffir lime leaves, tamarind paste, and Thai seasoning paste are typically available at Asian grocery stores or well-stocked specialty markets.