Vietnamese Meatballs

Photo from 12tomatoes

Apparently, my kitchen has had a serious gap in its global cuisine lineup—Vietnamese food. I did a quick search through my blog and found absolutely nothing, nada, zelch. Not that this dish was meant to fix that, but it was a surprising little discovery nonetheless.

This recipe started its life as a Vietnamese Meatball Salad. Keyword: salad. Things were going great—I had the meatballs prepped and cooking, everything smelled amazing—until I went to assemble the greens. That’s when it all fell apart. My napa cabbage? Moldy. My pre-chopped romaine from earlier in the week? Also gone. Completely unsalvageable.

So… pivot time.

No greens meant no salad, which meant I needed a new plan. Enter: basmati rice. I threw a pot together as a side, and honestly, it ended up being the better move. The rice paired perfectly with the meatballs.

And let’s talk about these meatballs for a second. They are so good. Savory, deeply flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. The only catch is a bit of planning ahead—they need a couple of hours to rest before cooking—but beyond that, they’re pretty low effort for such a big payoff. I’m already planning to make them again as part of a meal prep rotation. They’d be perfect to have on hand for quick lunches or snacks throughout the week. I also wonder what they'd be like with ground chicken.

I made mine on the smaller side—just under an inch—and I’m glad I did. Originally, it was because they were destined for a salad, but even without the greens, the size turned out to be ideal. Bite-sized, easy to eat, and somehow even more satisfying.

A couple of quick tips if you’re making these:
First, do not skip browning the meatballs. That step adds so much flavor, and you’d definitely miss it.
Second, consider doubling the batch. These disappear fast, and they make for an excellent grab-and-go snack all week long.

Next time? I might add a little sriracha for a kick. Because honestly, the only thing better than these meatballs… is these meatballs with a bit of heat.

Vietnamese Meatballs

Recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Serves 4-6

FOR MEATBALLS:

• 1 lb. Ground pork
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup green onion, sliced thin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper & ¼ teaspoon salt

• Searing oil, for cooking

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the oil in the meatball mix. Mix thoroughly to combine, then scoop each meatball with a small ice cream-scoop to portion each meatball. Place scooped meatballs onto a parchment-lined sheet tray and once done place in the fridge for at least one hour or best overnight, covered.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of cooking oil for one minute. Place the meatballs 1-inch apart from each other in the pan and sear for 1 minutes per side, making sure to sear at least three sides. Remove to a clean sheet tray and finish baking these in the oven for 5 - 8 minutes.

How I made my rice:

1 c basmati rice, washed

1 c chicken broth (I used Knorr Chicken boullion and water)

1/2 c diced onion

Put about 2 T olive oil in a pan and saute the rice until its a little browned. Don't skip this step, it really does add a lot of flavor. I aslo dropped in the onion while the rice sauted. 

Put the water in. Cover it, bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn it down to low. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes.