Bakso
Indonesian meatball soup with noodles and broth
The recipe
Bakso is the meatball soup that defines Indonesian street food. The meatballs are made from a paste of beef and tapioca starch, seasoned simply with garlic, white pepper, and salt, then boiled in beef broth. The soup is clear and aromatic, served with yellow wheat noodles, bihun (rice vermicelli), or both, plus celery leaves, fried shallots, and a splash of kecap manis. The defining companion is sambal — sambal bakso is a fresh chili-garlic-shallot paste that you add to taste. Bakso is the *ayam geprek* of the Javanese: sold at every corner, eaten at any time, and loved by everyone.
Ingredients
Method
💡 Tips from the kitchen
- ·The bouncy texture is the goal. Use lean beef (not fatty) and don't skip the ice water.
- ·Bakso keeps 3 days in the broth in the fridge. Reheat the broth and drop the cold balls in — don't microwave them.
- ·Some warungs add a beef tendon or tripe bakso; cook these the same way.
The story
Did you know?
🇮🇩 Indonesia has 17,000+ islands — only 6,000 are inhabited.
Cook it yourself
Bakso is one of Indonesia's heritage dishes. Want to try the recipe at home?
See the recipe →
