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.
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 haven’t made this yet because I’m really not a fan of fish sauce. Can I leave it out? or is there something else I can use instead? I’d love to try this recipe. Thanks 🙂
Hi Doris, you can replace the fish sauce with soy sauce. They won’t have that same authentic Vietnamese flavor but will still be good.
This recipe was amazing. I followed it step by step not making any changes at all and it was delicious. The best part was that after making 24 meatballs in total we have two meals waiting in the freezer for another day. The recipe was very well laid out and easy to follow and I was so happy that it included the ingredients in the metric system as I am used to weighing my ingredients in grammes. Well done, I can’t wait to try another recipe from your site.
Oh wow, these deliver and will become a regular rotation. Made it exactly as written but sub’d in ground turkey, made in the air fryer for a little less time but same temp and they were gorgeous. The sauce is delish. Served with sesame slaw and vermicelli noodles.
Why did I wait so long to try this recipe? It is easy, so flavorful and something different than what we usually have for dinner. The sauce has a kick – Jenn’s admonition to use it judiciously is spot on.
I don’t have peanuts. Should I add peanut butter to the meatballs or sauce? Or leave out?
Hi Bethany, you can just omit the nuts, or if you have almonds or cashews, you can use those instead. Hope you enjoy!
Okay I just left out the nuts. This was delicious! I’m putting this recipe into my regular rotation…my children love meatballs, so I’m always looking for a new way to make them!
Is it possible to make these without eggs? My daughter is allergic but we love these meatballs!
Hi Anny, Glad you like them! You can make these with an egg substitute. Two of the best substitutes I’ve heard about (I haven’t personally tried either of them) are a combination of water, oil, and baking powder, and carbonated water. Scroll down to the bottom of this article for more information about both. I would assume many recipes would also work with some kind of store-bought egg substitute. Hope that helps!
A family favorite!!! I reduced the panko crumbs to half cup per 1.5lbs meat.
Hi Jen, sorry if this is a repeat…but how long would you keep the sauce in the fridge?? days or weeks?? otherwise, i may have to try freezing it as one of your readers suggested… THANKS
Hi Alison, I think the sauce would keep nicely in the fridge for about a week. It may be longer, but that’s how long I’d feel comfortable holding onto it.
What amazing meatballs did I just make?! All the fresh ingredients, lime zest, mint, cilantro – so delicious. And that sauce!! The only change I made was that I used ground bison and cooked them for 20 minutes instead of 25. I served them on top of jasmine rice, with a side of peeled and thinly sliced cucumber, shredded red cabbage & carrot, green onion, cilantro and mint. Beautiful dish.