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 would love to try these but the sodium content is just so over the top with many of your flavorful meals that I just can’t even go there when I’m trying to restrict my sodium content for blood pressure issues.
This recipe is soooo good! I’ve made it so many times, it’s a staple in my house. I just hope it doesn’t disappear 😀
Your husband is right….total flavor bombs! My husband and I devoured these in seconds. It made about 30 meatballs in total, just in case others need a reference point.
I did use tongs instead of a spatula to flip them because my baking sheet is very slippery. I just found it to be more efficient.
This is going on the bookmarks tab!! Will make again and again!
I love Asian food and flavors, and this was delicious! I wouldn’t change a thing and will definitely make this again. I am quickly becoming one of your biggest fans!
💗
very nice flavorful recipe add a little crunch with some diced jicama , tip for mixing. when combined meat is in bowl divide in half ,do not remove from bowl add all other ingredients to top layer carefully lift one half and place it over other half herb Panko mix side up use fingers to push those ingredients in all over surface then proceed to blend with hands ,makes for better distribution. form balls and have at it , “Good Appetite “
I love your recipes! Made this yesterday and also this week made the salmon cakes and Thai pork fried rice. All so delicious. Thank you.
Really enjoyed the unique flavors after so many years of Italian style meatballs. The sauce definitely has a kick but the jasmine rice absorbed the heat.
Oh, my, goodness. I thought this looked so good and have been looking forward to making it.
I will say that as I started to make the recipe, I was slightly worried. I’m not a mint fan. My husband is not a cilantro or lime fan. The fish sauce is not an ingredient I use often and WOW is it a potent smell. I took a whiff of the bowl as I was shaping the meatballs and thought: uh oh. I’m not gonna like this.
Boy was I wrong. My entire family devoured the meatballs, the sauce is divine. We will come back to this recipe again and again.
As far as the specific ingredient goes – the whole is more than the sum of its parts. I couldn’t taste the strong flavors that are added – just a delicious meal.
Bravo!!!
Can you use just beef instead of the pork and beef mixture?
Sure, that’s fine — enjoy!
Made these from your new cookbook and they were absolutely amazing! The flavors actually improved after a day or two in the fridge. A huge hit with my husband, will definitely add to our rotation of your recipes which are always dependably great!
Delicious! The only thing I changed was to strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to get the seeds out. The seeds are VERY hot! Will definitely make again!