This bowl is pure comfort: a royal pho-style broth with cabbage ribbons and Vietnamese-spiced pork meatballs. It’s simple, warming, and naturally grain-free — a paleo-friendly take that still delivers the fragrant, layered flavors of pho.
Pho is one of those life-affirming dishes — aromatic, restorative, and endlessly comforting. On a snowy day when I wanted pho but didn’t want to go out, I turned to a fast, confident shortcut for broth inspired by Lynne Rosetto Kasper (formerly of NPR’s Splendid Table). It’s not the slow-simmered classic, but it’s a brilliant, quick alternative when you crave a big bowl of flavor.
The core technique is straightforward: char aromatic ingredients on a sheet pan until the edges are dark and fragrant, then simmer them briefly in a good-quality broth to transfer their intense flavor. While the broth simmers, brown Vietnamese-spiced pork meatballs (you can substitute ground chicken or turkey if preferred). After straining the broth, add long ribbons of cabbage to mimic the texture of noodles and cook until tender.
Assemble bowls with the simmered broth and cabbage, add several meatballs, pile on fresh herbs, and finish with a generous squeeze of lime for brightness. The result is a satisfying, fragrant bowl that hits the comforting notes of pho while staying quick and approachable.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Reviews and feedback help refine recipes — leave a comment below or share a photo on Instagram tagging @nyssaskitchen or using #nyssaskitchen. Enjoy!
royal pho broth with cabbage ribbons and vietnamese spiced pork meatballs {paleo}
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5 from 1 review
Author: Nyssa Tanner
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Royal pho broth with cabbage ribbons and Vietnamese-spiced pork meatballs – an easy, comforting pho-inspired soup that’s paleo friendly. It’s full of fragrant aromatics, tender cabbage ribbons in place of noodles, and flavorful pork meatballs.
Ingredients
Scale
FOR SOUP
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 whole star anise, lightly crushed
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 96 oz broth (beef, chicken, or vegetable)
- 1 very small head green cabbage, thinly sliced into ribbons
- Salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp coconut sugar (optional)
FOR MEATBALLS
- 1 lb ground pork (or ground chicken/turkey)
- 3 green onions, very thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp coconut flour
FOR GARNISH
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Green onion
- Sprouts
- Lime wedges
Instructions
FOR BROTH
- Preheat the broiler. Arrange the onion, garlic, ginger, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon stick on a sheet pan. Broil on high for 5–7 minutes, until the edges are charred and very fragrant.
- Transfer the charred aromatics to a pot with the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld flavors.
- While the broth simmers, prepare the meatballs.
- After 30 minutes, strain the broth to remove the aromatics and return the liquid to the pot. Bring the strained broth back to a boil, add the thinly sliced cabbage, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, fish sauce, and coconut sugar to taste.
FOR MEATBALLS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Fry a small spoonful in a hot skillet to check seasoning and adjust salt as needed. Form 1-inch meatballs (about 16 total) using a cookie scoop or two spoons.
- Brown the meatballs in a hot ovenproof skillet in batches until browned on all sides. Return all meatballs to the skillet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
- To serve, ladle broth and cabbage into bowls, add several meatballs, squeeze fresh lime over the top, and garnish with cilantro, basil, green onion, and sprouts.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Dinner, Soup
- Cuisine: Asian, Paleo