Vietnamese-Style Meatballs with Chili Sauce
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My husband calls these Vietnamese-style meatballs “flavor bombs.” Serve them over rice for a quick weeknight dinner.
My husband calls these Vietnamese-style meatballs with a deliciously bright and pungent sauce “flavor bombs” (which, by the way, is a good thing). They are flavored with fish sauce and soy sauce—two umami-rich condiments commonly used in Vietnamese cooking—along with ginger, lime, spicy Sambal Oelek (not a traditional Vietnamese ingredient, but the spicy, garlicky flavor works so well here), and fresh herbs. They practically explode with flavor. I love them over rice, but they are also delicious wrapped in lettuce cups or served over rice noodles. Be judicious with the chili sauce—a little goes a long way.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Vietnamese-Style Meatballs
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, scallions, lime zest, cilantro, and mint.
Whisk to combine.
Add the beef, pork, and panko.
Using your hands, mix until evenly combined.
Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls and arrange on an unlined baking sheet. The mixture will be a bit sticky; dampen your hands every so often while rolling the meatballs if necessary.
Bake for 25 minutes, flipping once with a metal spatula halfway through the cooking time, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, make the sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Be sure the sugar is completely dissolved and not stuck to the bottom of the bowl.
Serve the meatballs drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with scallions, cilantro, mint, and peanuts.
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Vietnamese-Style Meatballs with Chili Sauce
My husband calls these Vietnamese-style meatballs “flavor bombs.” Serve them over rice for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 scallions, finely chopped (about ¼ cup), plus a few more for serving
- 2 teaspoons lime zest, from 2 limes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for serving
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus more for serving
- ¾ lb 85% lean ground beef
- ¾ lb ground pork
- 1 cup panko
- ½ cup chopped unsalted peanuts, for serving
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce, such as Sambal Oelek, or Asian chili garlic sauce (available in Asian aisle of most supermarkets)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- ¼ cup lime juice, from 2 to 3 limes
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, scallions, lime zest, cilantro, and mint. Whisk to combine. Add the beef, pork, and panko. Using your hands, mix until evenly combined. Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls and arrange on an unlined baking sheet. The mixture will be a bit sticky; dampen your hands every so often while rolling the meatballs if necessary. Bake for 25 minutes, flipping once with a metal spatula halfway through the cooking time, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through. (If the meatballs stick a bit to the pan, simply slide the metal spatula underneath them and they should release.)
- Meanwhile make the sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Be sure the sugar is completely dissolved and not stuck to the bottom of the bowl. Taste and add more chili sauce if desired.
- Serve the meatballs drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with scallions, cilantro, mint, and peanuts. (Be judicious with the sauce; it's very strong in flavor.)
- Note: Check out easy guidance on how to peel, grate, and chop fresh ginger here.
- Make Ahead: The meatballs can be made completely ahead of time and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve them, reheat them in the microwave.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 488
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Sodium: 2046 mg
- Cholesterol: 141 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These meatballs look delicious. Any recommendations re lowering the amount of sodium in this recipe?
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie, To reduce the sodium, you can use low-sodium soy sauce. The fish sauce also adds a lot of sodium; you could replace some or all of it with additional low-sodium soy sauce. Without the fish sauce, however, these won’t have that signature Vietnamese taste. They’ll still be good — just different. Please let me know how they turn out if you try them with these tweaks!
Can I make the meatballs a few hours in advance not cooked and bake later? Or better to fully cook ahead of time and reheat in convection oven (don’t have a microwave).
Hi Andrea, You can definitely make the meatballs a few hours in advance and bake later. I’d go that route. 🙂
Hi Jen,
Is Fish Sauce the same as Oyster Sauce?
Thanks
Suzanna
Hi Suzanna, Fish sauce is not the same as oyster sauce. You can find fish sauce in the Asian aisle of your supermarket near the Thai/Vietnamese ingredients. Hope that helps!
I’m one of those people who can’t stand cilantro. Is there another herb that I can substitute, or should I just leave out the cilantro? Thank you
Hi Sandra, It’s perfectly fine to just leave it out, or you could use Thai basil instead. Please lmk how it turns out!
What could I substitute for the eggs? Hubby has egg allergy. Thanks!
Hi Cherie, I think a store-bought egg substitute would work here. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them!
The Vietnamese meat balls sound delicious. However, I don’t eat pork or beef. Would ground turkey work? Should I make adjustments to the recipe?
Thanks!!!!!,
Greta Peterson
farmorpeterson@gmail.com
Hi Greta, Ground turkey should work as long as it’s not too lean. Please let me know how it turns out!
Looks amazing! Do you think ground turkey or chicken would work?
Hi Caroline, ground turkey or chicken should work as long as it’s not too lean. Please LMK how they turn out if you make them with one of these!
Hi Jennifer,
These meatballs sound really good! My husband doesn’t like cilantro. Would coriander make an okay substitute? I know one is an herb and one is a spice, but coriander is the seed for cilantro, so I’m wondering if this could possibly work? Thank you so much! Joanne
Sure, Joanne – I think a teaspoon of ground coriander would be a great substitute. You could also just leave it out or sub Thai basil. 🙂
Hello Joanne, I think that cilantro and coriander are interchangeable – they both refer to the same plant. In Australia we specify ‘coriander seeds’ if we mean the seeds of the coriander plant, or just ‘coriander’ if we mean the leafy part of the same plant. I think that cilantro is Spanish for coriander. That’s all, Marina
I do not like cilantro. Would you suggest a substitution or just omit it? Can’t wait for your cookbook to arrive =)
Hi Kim, Yes fine to omit it or sub Thai basil – either way, it will still be delicious. 🙂
Love this recipe!! I’ve made it about 5 times now and it’s always delicious! Thank you for sharing!
I don’t normally eat pork What can I use as a substitute. Thanks so much
Hi Tony, You can use ground veal or more ground beef. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
Wow. These were amazing. My husband could not get enough of them. Fabulous flavors and the sauce was fantastic. We served it on homemade fried rice. Winner!