It’s no secret that I love Vietnamese-style foods. My long stint in Hawai’i gave me ample time to explore the many offerings of this cuisine. I keep returning to the dishes that cool me off when it’s warm—the salads and cool noodle bowls with plenty of fresh herbs to flavor them.
It’s not that warm yet, (technically, it’s still Winter!) though we’ve had a few spring-like days lately. Those lovely days make me think of the foods I enjoy so much, inspiring me to make something like this.
These meatballs are easy to make and versatile. They can be wrapped in lettuce and herbs, served over rice, or placed in broth. Best of all, they can be cooked and frozen, ready for use on a rainy day when you don’t feel like cooking.
Pork Meatball Lettuce Wraps
For the Meat Balls
- 1 lb ground pork
- ½ cup crushed butter-flavored crackers (such as Ritz)
- 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- A handful of finely chopped cilantro
For Serving
- Lettuce leaves for wrapping
- Rice vermicelli noodles, cooked
- Cucumber slices
- Julienne Carrot
- Thai basil leaves
- Mint leaves
- Cilantro
- Radishes
Preheat oven to 425º F.
Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
Using your hands, combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Shape the mixture into 1-½” balls and place them on the sheet.
Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. This makes about 20 meatballs.
Serve as desired.
I love a good dose of veggies, so I served them as lettuce wraps. No matter how you serve them, they are excellent with this traditional Vietnamese sauce.
Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce)
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 Thai chili, finely sliced or a squeeze of sriracha
Place the sugar in a small bowl and pour the warm water over it. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Stir together the remaining ingredients and serve. This makes over a cup.
