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Overview

Bakso

Bakso Sapi, Indonesian Beef Meatball Soup, Mie Bakso

This bakso recipe makes springy Indonesian beef meatballs from finely ground beef and tapioca flour, poached in a clear beef broth and served with yellow noodles, rice vermicelli, tofu, bean sprouts and Chinese broccoli. One serving is about 700 g, a full bowl with noodles and broth.

Bakso takes its name from the Hokkien bak-so, meaning minced meat, and it grew from Chinese meatballs into Indonesia's most famous street soup. The meatballs are ground so fine, with a little tapioca flour, that they turn springy and almost bouncy — a texture Indonesians prize. Bakso Solo from Central Java and Bakso Malang from East Java are the two best-known styles, and the soup is sold from carts all over the country, even recalled by Barack Obama as a taste of his Jakarta childhood.

Pairs well with: A bowl of bakso with kecap manis, sambal and a squeeze of lime on the side, plus crisp fried wontons.

Provenance

Indonesia flag Indonesia

Indonesian Heritage

East & South Asia

Time Dedication

1h

25m prep • 35m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

638 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 700 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Meatball Soup)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Street-food lunches, family weekends, rainy days, comfort food Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Beef Savory Soup
A bowl of bakso — Indonesian beef meatballs in clear broth with noodles, bean sprouts and greens

Indonesian Heritage

Photo: Qaedi Shamsuddin, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

Made the traditional way: very finely ground beef and tapioca blended cold, poached gently, and served in clear broth with noodles and table condiments.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h
P

Prep Stage: Meatball Paste & Bowl Fillings

25 Mins • Blending & Chopping

Soak the rice vermicelli in hot water for 5 minutes and drain. Cut the tofu into cubes, cut the kailan into pieces, rinse the bean sprouts, and chop the celery and spring onions. Slice the ginger for the broth.

Maestro Tip: Keep everything for the meatball paste ice-cold — cold beef, cold egg and ice water are what make the meatballs springy instead of soft.

  1. 1

    Blend the Meatball Paste

    10 Mins No heat

    Put the cold beef, garlic, egg, tapioca flour, salt, white pepper and baking powder in a food processor with the ice water. Blend for about 2 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth, pale and sticky, scraping the sides down once. The paste should hold its shape when scooped.

    Do not over-blend once the paste turns smooth — a further minute makes the meatballs tough instead of springy.

    Done when: A smooth, sticky paste that stands up on a spoon.

  2. 2

    Shape & Poach the Meatballs

    12 Mins Gentle simmer, ~90°C (195°F)

    Bring the beef broth to a gentle simmer with the sliced ginger. Wet your hands, scoop up the paste and squeeze it through your thumb and forefinger to form balls about 3 cm across, dropping each one into the simmering broth. Poach for about 10 minutes until the meatballs float and are firm all the way through — ground beef must reach 71°C (160°F) inside.

    Keep the broth at a bare simmer, not a rolling boil — hard boiling makes the meatballs rough and can split them.

    Done when: Meatballs floating, firm and springy when pressed.

  3. 3

    Cook the Noodles & Tofu

    8 Mins Boiling, ~100°C (212°F)

    Lift the meatballs out of the broth and keep them warm. Cook the yellow noodles in a separate pot of boiling water for about 4 minutes until just tender, then drain. Drop the tofu cubes and kailan into the hot broth for 2 minutes, then add the bean sprouts for the last 30 seconds so they stay crisp.

    Cook the noodles separately, not in the broth — their starch would cloud the clear soup.

    Done when: Noodles tender, tofu hot through, greens bright and just wilted.

  4. 4

    Build the Bowls

    5 Mins No heat

    Divide the noodles and soaked vermicelli between 4 deep bowls. Add the meatballs, tofu, kailan and bean sprouts, then ladle over the hot broth. Top with fried shallots, celery and spring onions, and serve at once with kecap manis, sambal and lime juice on the side so each person seasons their own bowl.

    Serve the condiments separately — bakso is seasoned at the table, and everyone likes a different balance of sweet, hot and sour.

    Done when: A steaming bowl with meatballs, noodles and greens in clear broth.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Ladle the broth over the bowls at the last moment, scatter over the fried shallots, celery and spring onions, and serve with kecap manis, sambal and lime on the side.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

638

kcal / serving

Protein

42g

Complete AA

Carbs

74g

Complex

Fats

18g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 700 g)
Energy638 kcal
Protein42 g
Carbohydrates74 g
Fat18 g
Fibre4.1 g
Sugar7.0 g
Sodium1912 mg
Per 100g
Energy91 kcal
Protein6 g
Carbohydrates10.6 g
Fat2.6 g
Fibre0.6 g
Sugar1 g
Sodium273 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: The beef supplies iron, zinc and vitamin B12, the bean sprouts and Chinese broccoli add vitamin C and folate, and the egg adds vitamin D and choline.

High in Protein

One serving carries about 42 g of protein from the beef, egg and tofu, which makes this soup a complete lunch on its own.

Fresh Greens in Every Bowl

Bean sprouts, kailan, celery and spring onions add crunch, vitamin C and folate to a hearty soup.

Iron & B12 from Beef

The beef meatballs supply iron and vitamin B12, nutrients that are easy to miss in a noodle-only lunch.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Crisp Fried Wontons

Crackly pangsit give the soft soup a crunchy contrast and are the classic street-side extra.

Siomay Dumplings

Steamed fish dumplings are the other classic bakso companion, sold from the same carts.

Drinks

Sweet Iced Tea

Es teh manis is the everyday Indonesian partner for a hot, savoury soup — sweet, cold and refreshing.

Vegetables

Pickled Chillies

A spoonful of pickled chillies adds sharp heat for those who want more than sambal.

Complete menu

Serve bakso with crisp fried wontons and sweet iced tea, follow with fresh fruit, and finish with a small glass of hot ginger tea.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Boiling the Meatballs Hard

A rolling boil makes the meatballs rough and split, and clouds the broth — keep the poaching gentle. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Too Much Kecap & Sambal at Once

Kecap manis and sambal are both salty, so season a little at a time and taste — the broth is already seasoned. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA complete, satisfying lunch — about 42 g protein and 4.1 g fibre per serving, best eaten hot and seasoned to taste.
  • ChildrenMild and fun to eat; serve the meatballs cut in half and leave the sambal out of their bowl.
  • ElderlySoft meatballs and noodles are easy to eat; cut the meatballs in half and keep the broth light on kecap.
  • Pregnant womenFine as an occasional lunch when the meatballs are cooked right through and the bean sprouts are blanched in the hot broth. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Breastfeeding womenA warming, protein-rich meal; the broth helps with fluids, but keep the chilli modest.
  • AthletesGood recovery food, with about 42 g protein and plenty of carbohydrate from the noodles — add an extra meatball or two after hard training.
  • Weight gainEasy to eat in a good amount and energy-rich, so it suits weight gain when served with its usual noodles and tofu.
  • Weight lossFilling at about 638 kcal; halve the noodles, load up on the bean sprouts and greens, and skip the kecap manis.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe noodles and vermicelli are the main carbohydrate, so keep the noodle portion as stated and load up on the vegetables instead. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureOne serving carries about 1912 mg sodium, so go easy on the kecap manis and sambal and do not add extra salt. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Kidney diseasePortions should stay modest, and the salt and protein content matter for some kidney diets. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • GoutBeef is the main purine source here, so keep to one modest serving and drink water with the meal. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Stomach issuesA mild soup, but chilli and fried shallots can bother a sensitive stomach — skip the sambal and keep the shallots light. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseThe soup is fairly lean, but the sodium is high — one modest serving with plenty of vegetables is a better balance than a second helping. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Fatty liverThe dish is energy-dense, so keep portions modest and avoid eating it late at night. Ask your clinician about portions.
  • Food allergiesContains beef, egg, wheat (noodles), soy (tofu and kecap manis) and gluten. People with wheat, egg or soy allergy should not eat it unless a safe substitute is used. Ask your clinician about safe alternatives.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNot suitable for a low-sodium therapeutic diet as written; any lighter version changes the dish and should be discussed with a clinician.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool the broth, meatballs and noodles separately and store in covered containers.
In the fridge
Meatballs in broth keep 3 days in the fridge at 4°C (40°F) or below; cooked noodles keep 2 days.
In the freezer
Meatballs freeze well for up to 2 months in broth; noodles and bean sprouts do not freeze well.
How to reheat
Reheat the broth and meatballs gently until steaming hot, to 74°C (165°F); cook fresh noodles for serving.
Freezing recommended
Yes — meatballs in broth only.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy meatballs, or cloudy broth with a film on top.

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