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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This sounds fantastic! Do you think it would work with ground turkey in place of beef and pork?
Hi Donice, Turkey will work – just make sure it’s not too lean. Enjoy!
Do you think you’d have similar results if you swapped beef for turkey/chicken? We don’t eat beef.
Yep, I’d go with chicken.
Delicious! Stop scrolling “What’s for dinner tonight?” and start making these flavor bombs.
I made these meatballs tonight and put them in a baguette with some quick pickled broccoli slaw to make banh mi, they are fantastic. After cooking the meatballs I simmered them in the sauce for a few minutes and they were juicy and delicious.
My family loved them and I am so happy to have leftovers! They were so tender and the flavour is beautiful. And so easy to make (a bonus!)
I am wondering if I can freeze the leftover sauce? Next time I would halve the amount of sauce as I have so much left over.
Glad you enjoyed them! I’ve never frozen the sauce, but I think you could.
Absolutely love this recipe!
Made for fantastic leftovers from the freezer too.
Was wondering if you think you could make this into a loaf?
Glad you like it! Yes, I think you could make this into a meatloaf. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Hello! We don’t eat pork. Do you know what I could use as a substitute? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Hiba, Feel free to replace the pork with more beef. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious. The aroma of the meatballs, even prior to cooking is outstanding – so fresh. Another winner Jenn!
Another winner from Jennifer! The chopping/grating of fresh ingredients was a Zen experience …lovely smells as you work. I did up the amounts a bit as others did to accommodate 1 lb of each meat. Served over rice vermicelli that I tossed with a bit of the sauce before adding the meatballs. Topped with fresh mint, cilantro, scallion and crushed peanuts. Wow! I served with a lovely mango/cucumber/pepper salad with a lime dressing. I wanted to take a picture but it got eaten by the family so quickly I missed out.
OMG. What great flavor! Pretty easy to make as always prep takes longer than cooking!! I added sesame seeds to sauce and warmed it for 1min in microwave which also thickened it. I used sweet chili sauce so it’s not as spicy as I think intended. Also used vegan fish sauce. Excellent dinner!!
Do you use chili sauce or paste? I see a lot of paste at the store?
Hi Edythe, You’re looking for chili paste. If you scroll up and take a peek at the picture of the ingredients, it’s the jar with the green top. You should be able to find it in the Asian section of your grocery store. Hope that helps!
Just to clarify… the bottle in your picture is actually labeled as chili paste, not sauce. But I’m making it this week regardless!
Hi Eric, Thanks for pointing that out – I just updated the wording there. Hope you enjoy the meatballs!