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You guys! These Vietnamese-style meatballs are perfect for summer and grilling season. They’re soft and juicy, and they pack a SERIOUS punch in the flavor department. If you’re not a fan of fish sauce, you might want to steer clear of this one! But if you’ve never had it before, I PROMISE you should give it a try! Fish sauce provides so much umami flavor and it makes this meatball really delicious. Pair this versatile main with rice or noodles + veggies, or eat it in a lettuce wrap. And a little drizzle of dipping sauce adds an extra punch. Let’s get into it, shall we?
What You’ll Need
Knife & Cutting Board – To prep your ingredients.
Measuring Cups & Spoons
Large Bowl – To mix the meatballs.
Small Bowl – To prepare the dipping sauce.
Grill or Grill Pan & Tongs – For cooking.
About the Ingredients & FODMAP Content
Main Ingredients
Ground Beef & Ground Pork – A mix is used to achieve the perfect meatball texture. I used 90/10% pork and 80/20% ground beef as that is what was available at my local grocery store! This mix worked well for me, so definitely use a combination where one is fattier and one is leaner.
Fine, Blanched Almond Flour – Adding almond flour adds softness to the otherwise very meaty meatball. Almond flour is low FODMAP in 1/4 cup servings, putting a serving of these meatballs well under the FODMAP threshold.
Egg – Added as a binder.
Aromatics & Flavor Enhancers
Green Onion (Green Tips only) – Added for flavor. Be sure to only use the green portion of the green onion, as the white portion is high FODMAP. Pro tip: stick the whole white portion with roots into a glass of water to regrow the greens for another bundle. There are no detectable FODMAPs in the green portion.
Cilantro & Parsley – A small amount is all you need for a boost of flavor. If you or your loved ones hate cilantro, feel free to omit it.
Ginger & Lemongrass – A small amount of these aromatics add depth. There are no detectable FODMAPs in ginger, and one full stalk of lemongrass is FODMAP-friendly.
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – Added for extra spice. Feel free to omit if spicy food does not agree with your tummy.
Coconut Sugar – Added to round out the flavors of the aromatics and the tanginess of the lime. Coconut sugar is low FODMAP in 1 teaspoon servings. The combined amount in the meatballs and the sauce puts each serving under the FODMAP threshold. Feel free to substitute for brown or regular sugar.
Gluten Free Tamari & Fish Sauce – Adds saltiness and incredible umami. If Paleo, swap out tamari for coconut aminos. While many versions of fish sauce are safe to use, I love to use the one by Red Boat as there’s no added sugar!
Garlic-Infused Oil – Although garlic is high FODMAP, FODMAPs are not oil soluble, so properly prepared garlic-infused oils are a way to add garlic flavor without the FODMAPs. I love to use the garlic-infused oil by Garlic Gold (available on Amazon).
Lime Juice & Sambal Oelek – Adds acidity and a little bit of spice. Sambal Oelek, by Huy Fong Foods, is a simple chili paste without garlic or onion. Find it at most standard grocery stores.
Enjoy! <3
If you try these Vietnamese-Style Meatballs, definitely let me know by dropping a comment! Or feel free to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram, @thefodmapfactor. I love it when you guys try my recipes. And I’d love to know your feedback and if you enjoy them as much as I do!
Looking for other dishes with Asian flavors? Pair this dish with my Sticky Peanut Green Beans. Or try out my Sambal Pepper Chicken Stir Fry. My Beef Sambal Noodles are also a hit!
Grilled Vietnamese-Style Meatballs – Low FODMAP, Paleo-Friendly
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ½ pound 90/10 ground pork
- ½ pound 80/20 ground beef
- ⅓ cup finely chopped green onion green part only
- ¼ cup fine, blanched almond flour
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 teaspoons minced lemongrass
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari substitute coconut aminos for Paleo
- 1 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Dipping Sauce
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari substitute coconut aminos for Paleo
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1½ teaspoons Sambal Oelek
- 1½ teaspoons fish sauce
- juice from one lime
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well, ensuring all ingredients are evenly distributed. Form 16 even meatballs, flattening the meatballs slightly to help decrease cooking time.
- In a small bowl, prepare the dipping sauce. Mix with a small whisk or fork to melt the coconut sugar. Set aside.
- If using an outdoor grill, preheat grill to medium heat. Brush meatballs with oil and cook on grill, covered, for 10-12 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Flip meatballs every couple of minutes to brown all sides evenly.
- If using a grill pan on a stove, add a small bit of oil and preheat the pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, cook meatballs on each side for 5 minutes, flipping once. Check for doneness by checking that internal temperature reaches 160°F, or that the middle is no longer pink.
- To serve, drizzle dipping sauce over meatballs and pair with rice, noodles or lettuce wraps.
Notes
- If using store-bought garlic-infused oil that is not certified FODMAP-friendly, make sure to use a brand that doesn’t list “garlic oil,” “garlic essential oil,” “garlic essence,” “garlic flavoring,” “natural roasted garlic flavor,” or anything similar in the ingredients list. There’s no way to know whether these ingredients are low FODMAP. More on that in this article on FODMAP Everyday.