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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Every Sunday our 12 year old chooses a recipe which he then prepares for us for dinner (with our help, of course). Last Sunday he chose these Vietnamese meatballs which were a HUGE hit. Not only did he enjoy making them but we all also LOVED eating them. Our fussy eater helped himself 4 times and then had some more for lunch the next day. We truly love all your recipes, especially this one. When we don’t know what to make for supper, my family says “Ask Jenn “….and I always do!!!
Could these be served as an appetizer in a crockpot? Would I coat them with the sauce? Thanks SO much! LOVE your recipes!!!
So glad you like the recipes, Laura! I don’t think these would be a great option for a crockpot. I’d probably just serve them on a platter with the sauce on the side for dipping.
Made these meatballs for my family and they loved them. A big hit. Thank you
This recipe is delicious and super quick! The sauce in this recipe is incredible. I am an avid cook/foodie and I absolutely love your cooking style and visit your site often. PS: My boyfriend and I are also calling this recipe the “flavor bombs” lol
🙂
Another perfect recipe from Jen! This is my go-to place when I want a recipe that I don’t need to adjust, add to, or change. Jen’s recipes are always perfect just the way she writes them.These Vietnamese meatballs were out of this world!! My family absolutely devoured them and asked me to make another batch before they were even done with dinner! So much flavor! Don’t be afraid of the Asian fish sauce — it smells terrible before you cook it, but believe me, the flavor it adds is amazing.
I thought these were super delicious and my family loved them as well. I’ve recently come across several of your recipes and have enjoyed them all. I now look through your recipes for new ideas on what to make. I have not yet been disappointed. Thank you for taking such care to perfect your recipes. I am so happy to have discovered you!
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I have made many of your recipes since I found your site while searching for a pancake recipe. By far my favorite recipe site. Everything I have made has turned our delicious and I am making the Baja Fish Tacos tonight, and will be making the Street Shrimp Tacos later in the week.
Thank you for sharing these awesome recipes!!!!
So glad you like the recipes! 🙂
I made these last night for supper and they were great! I couldn’t find ground pork in the store, so just used all beef, but they were still very good. The only change I made was to omit the fish sauce in the sauce. Never had fish sauce before, but at least the brand I bought (Thai Kitchen) is very fishy and I don’t care for it. I put it in the meatballs because I figured that all the other ingredients would cover it up enough, but was afraid it would overpower the chili sauce with the fishiness so I left out. Anyway, I thought the chili sauce was fantastic. The lime in it really brings it to the next level. I might start adding that sauce to other Asian dishes as well. Thanks for another fantastic recipe!
Made this tonight…..yum! I felt like I was in a restaurant having food I’d never think I could make. I followed the recipe exactly, (except for some strange reason I could not find ground pork at my grocery store, I used sweet sausage instead). My picky family loved it. Nice kick to it, but then the sweetness of the lime….. can’t wait for my left overs tomorrow!!
We love Asian food and these meatballs were no exception. I used 1 lb of pork and 1 lb of beef- 3 eggs and 1 1/4 cup panko. Everything else I followed the recipe with Jasmine rice. Yum yum yum!
Love your recipes- thank you!
I did add a little rice vinegar to the sauce as it was a little sweet. Thought about adding sriracha too- will do that next time. Great app for a party; not that anyone is having those these days!
PS I’ve never cooked with pork before and I have to say- it was great!