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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I made this meatball for my family and they loved it especially the kids. I did not have any Panko so used crushed crackers and worked well. Added fresh cilantros, scallions and mint made this so tasty.
Have made these more than once and OH MY!! They are indeed flavor bombs!! The whole family loved them 🙂 Now a favorite in our rotation.
Jen,
This was the first recipe I tried and have been a huge fan ever since. This recipe is on regular rotation in my home. So good! Your recipes are well written, easy to follow and always turn out with only minor tweaks for personal preferences. I have become a better home cook since discovering your site/cookbook. Thank you for the delicious recipes! Can’t wait for your next cookbook❤️
❤️
I made these vietnamese meatballs and served them with white rice for dinner and were a total hit. My husband and sons loved them and it will definitely go into my recipe book. Thanks Jenn!!
These are so yummy! I have made them a few times and both toddler and husband were happy. Recently to make them Whole30 compliant, I subbed soy sauce for coconut amunos, panko for almond flour and peanuts for cashews. Great for dinner with Cauliflower Rice and leftovers for lunch with an asain Chopped Salad
My husband and I LOVE these meatballs! They are so flavorful and super easy for a weeknight. We always have leftover sauce which we pour over anything we can – a simple roasted veggie and tofu with some rice and this sauce and you have another meal!
This is a great recipe. I have made it twice now and both my husband and I love it. I use a mix of turkey and beef and that works just fine. The sauce is excellent and I use a sushi rice for the side which makes it even better. I particularly appreciate the recipe having me bake the meatballs, rather than fry them, which is so much healthier and does not impact the flavor or texture at all. I regretted not making more last time and freezing them but plan to do so next time I make them. Definitely try them. Everything I have made on this website has been excellent!
I was a bit unsure if my family would like this with three kids, but everyone loved it! I served the sauce on the side and we had it over cauliflower rice. I did scale back a tiny bit on the fish sauce for the sauce due to the kids. I didn’t want it to be too fishy. Easy and filling for a weeknight dinner. Also, I did make the meatballs ahead and reheat them, but they didn’t lose anything in doing that.
Another easy, yet delicious recipe from Jen. We visited Vietnam last year and I now am obsessed with their food. This is satisfying and make great leftovers. Enjoy.
These are absolutely bursting with flavour. I make them often and everybody loves them. They are such a nice change and easy to make and freeze really well.
Honestly, I have tried a lot of Jenn’s recipes and each and every one is no fail and delicious!
My husband would also agree and call these “flavor bombs!” This recipe does yield a lot and I would bring them into work the next day and they are just as popular with my co-workers. This would be a great recipe for a party appetizer. We add extra sesame oil and fresh chilis to make this really spicy. We do a little less cilantro too, just a personal preference. I have used pork/beef as the recipe suggests, but I have made this also with ground chicken and it is still delicious.