Red Curry Chicken Meatball Udon Soup
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
When it comes to comfort food, nothing beats a bowl that has a little bit of everything: chewy noodles, tender greens, juicy meatballs and a broth that’s rich, fragrant and deeply satisfying. That’s exactly what this Red Curry Chicken Meatball Udon Soup is about.
I love using udon noodles here. They’ve got that bouncy, chewy texture that soaks up the creamy coconut curry broth in the best way. And instead of dumplings, I go for homemade chicken meatballs. My trick? I don’t bother rolling them into perfect spheres. I just pinch off rough little pieces of the mixture and drop them straight into the gently simmering curry broth. It saves time, and those rustic edges soak up even more flavour.
And because I keep it simple, you don’t lose out on taste. Thai red curry paste is the shortcut that delivers big, bold flavour in minutes, while broccolini (or baby bok choy if you prefer) adds that gorgeous pop of green freshness. It’s the kind of soup that works just as well on a rainy weeknight as it does when you want to impress someone with very little effort.
What is Red Curry Chicken Meatball Udon Soup?
It’s a quick, Thai-inspired noodle soup where homemade chicken meatballs and udon are paired with a coconut red curry broth. The broth is creamy, lightly spiced and deeply aromatic, while coriander and lime brighten every spoonful.
Can I use a different protein?
Absolutely. Pork, turkey or even prawn mince all work beautifully here. You could also go vegetarian with tofu balls.
Do I have to use udon noodles?
Not at all. Udon gives that signature chewiness, but ramen, rice noodles or soba would work too.
Special Ingredient Notes
Thai red curry paste:
The flavour base is everything here so use a good curry paste. Obviously my favourite is my
Marion’s Kitchen Thai Red Curry Paste.
Coconut milk:
Full-fat is best for richness.
Chicken mince:
A neutral base that soaks up the curry paste beautifully.
Udon noodles:
Frozen or vacuum-packed udon deliver the best chewy texture.
Broccolini or baby bok choy:
Quick-cooking greens that add freshness and colour.
What You Need
Thai red curry paste
Coconut milk
Chicken stock
Fish sauce
Sugar
Chicken mince
12 frozen dumplings
Udon noodles
Broccolini
Fresh coriander
Marion’s Kitchen Crispy Chilli Oil
Steps
Place the chicken mince,
curry paste
, makrut lime leaves and salt in
a bowl.
Mix until well combined. Set aside while you start your broth.
Heat the vegetable oil in
a large pot
over medium heat. Add the red curry paste and cook, stirring, for about a minute until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk. Crush the makrut lime leaves in the palm of your hand to release their flavour. Add the chicken stock cubes and 4 cups of water. Stir through the fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to medium-low.
Slightly dampen your hands with water (this makes the mixture less sticky) and pinch off roughly 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the mince. Drop the rough little meatballs straight into the gently simmering curry broth. Repeat until all the mixture has been used up. Simmer for a further 4-5 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Bring another
pot
of water to the boil. Cook the dumplings and the udon noodles until just tender (check packet directions). Use a slotted spoon to drain and transfer the dumplings and noodles to serving bowls. Use the same boiling water to briefly cook the broccolini for 2-3 minutes. Drain and divide among the serving bowls.
Ladle over the hot curry soup and meatballs. Top with coriander and
crispy chilli oil
, if using. Enjoy!
Marion’s Kitchen Tip
Cooking the noodles separately keeps the broth bright and creamy. And don’t stress about rolling perfect meatballs. Pinching them straight into the soup not only saves time, it also creates those rustic edges that soak up extra flavour from the curry.
Red Curry Chicken Meatball Udon Soup
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PREP TIME
10 minutes
COOK TIME
20 minutes
SERVES
4
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Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp Marion’s Kitchen Thai Red Curry Paste
400ml can coconut milk
2 makrut lime leaves
2 chicken stock cubes
1 tbsp
fish sauce
, or to taste
1 tsp sugar
12 frozen dumplings
2 x 200g frozen or vacuum-packed udon noodles
200g broccolini, cut into batons
Fresh coriander leaves
Marion’s Kitchen Crispy Chilli Oil
(optional)
Chicken Meatballs:
300g chicken mince
2 tsp
Marion’s Kitchen Thai Red Curry Paste
2 makrut lime leaves, destemmed and finely chopped
½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
1
Make the chicken meatball mixture
Place the chicken mince,
curry paste
, makrut lime leaves and salt in
a bowl.
Mix until well combined. Set aside while you start your broth.
2
Make the curry broth
Heat the vegetable oil in
a large pot
over medium heat. Add the red curry paste and cook, stirring, for about a minute until fragrant. Pour in the coconut milk. Crush the makrut lime leaves in the palm of your hand to release their flavour. Add the chicken stock cubes and 4 cups of water. Stir through the fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to medium-low.
3
Cook the meatballs
Slightly dampen your hands with water (this makes the mixture less sticky) and pinch off roughly 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the mince. Drop the rough little meatballs straight into the gently simmering curry broth. Repeat until all the mixture has been used up. Simmer for a further 4-5 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.
4
Cook the noodles and greens
Bring another
pot
of water to the boil. Cook the udon noodles until just tender (check packet directions). In the final minute, add the broccolini and blanch until bright green. Drain well.
5
Put it all together
Divide the noodles and broccolini among
serving bowls
. Ladle over the hot curry soup and meatballs. Top with coriander and
crispy chilli oil,
if using. Enjoy!
