ALMONDIGAS with MISUA
Tita Becky •
Nov 15, 2025
Filipino ALMONDIGAS or "bola-bola" with MISUA and PATOLA (Pork Meatballs with Chinese Vermicelli and Sponge Gourd) is a hearty meatball soup that has tender meatballs, thin misua noodles, sliced patola in a flavorful broth. It's a staple dish in a lot of Filipino households because it's affordable, filling and delicious.
Ingredients (18)
Ingredients (18)
Instructions
First, make the pork meatballs. Combine ground pork (1 lb), grated carrots (1 small), green onion (1 bunch), cornstarch (1 Tbsp), 1 egg (1), black pepper (½ tsp), salt (1 tsp), garlic powder, and oyster sauce (1 Tbsp) in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly and let it sit in the fridge for 20 minutes.
While waiting, make the broth. Preheat a large soup pot or wok. Add avocado oil. Sauté onions (½ small) and garlic (4 cloves) over medium high heat. Add water and season with chicken base (1 Tbsp) and fish sauce (1 Tbsp). Stir. Cover and bring to a boil.
Form meat mixture into meatballs using 2 spoons or clean hands and gently drop them into the broth.
Add patola, cover, turn heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
Add misua noodles (½ package) and stir. The noodles cook in minutes.
Taste to see if you need to add more salt or fish sauce and if everything is to your liking then it's ready to serve.
Garnish with green onions and serve while hot.
Notes
Notes
- You can find patola or sponge squash at any Asian supermarket. It's typically long, with hard ridges on the sides. Substitute sayote or chayote, green papaya, and green zucchini if you can't find patola
- You can also use ground chicken, turkey or beef if you don't eat pork.
- Add less misua if you want a more soupy consistency.
