Description
A fresh, vibrant dish featuring juicy, caramelized meatballs over a crisp salad with fragrant herbs and a tangy nuoc cham dressing. Light yet satisfying, this Vietnamese Meatball Salad is perfect for a healthy weeknight meal or an elegant dinner to impress guests.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 1 1/2 lbs ground pork or chicken
- 2 stalks lemongrass, finely minced (or 1 tbsp lemongrass paste)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-inch piece ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for cooking)
For the Salad:
- 2 cups shredded cabbage (green or Napa)
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil (optional)
- 1/4 cup crushed peanuts (for garnish)
For the Nuoc Cham Dressing:
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tbsp honey or sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red chili, finely sliced (adjust for spice level)
- 3 tbsp water
Substitutions & Add-Ins:
- Swap fish sauce for tamari or soy sauce for a milder flavor.
- Use ground beef if you prefer a heartier meatball.
- Add rice noodles for a more filling version.
Instructions
-
Make the Meatballs:
- In a bowl, combine ground pork, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper.
- Mix gently until just combined, then form into small 1-inch meatballs.
-
Cook the Meatballs:
- Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Cook the meatballs for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
-
Prepare the Salad:
- In a large bowl, toss together shredded cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and fresh herbs.
-
Make the Dressing:
- Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, chili, and water until well combined.
-
Assemble:
- Place the cooked meatballs over the salad.
- Drizzle with the nuoc cham dressing and toss gently.
-
Serve & Enjoy:
- Garnish with crushed peanuts and extra herbs before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh lemongrass for the best flavor; if unavailable, use lemongrass paste.
- Don’t overwork the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- Let the meatballs caramelize properly for extra depth of flavor
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (~1.5 cups)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg