Hanoi-Style Grilled Pork Meatball Vermicelli Bowl

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-26 · Updated 2026-06-26

A northern Vietnamese classic featuring grilled pork meatballs served over vermicelli noodles with fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and savory fish sauce dressing. This Vietnamese recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs ground pork, shallots, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground pork
• 2, finely minced shallots
• 3, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles
• 1 medium, julienned carrots
• 1/2 cup, julienned daikon radish
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup (see notes) nuoc cham dipping sauce

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 1 lb ground pork, 2 finely minced shallots, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Mix thoroughly and form into small meatballs about 1 inch in diameter.
2. Step 2: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and grill meatballs for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through and slightly charred.
3. Step 3: Prepare pickled vegetables by mixing 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt until sugar dissolves. Soak 1 medium julienned carrot and 1/2 cup julienned daikon radish in mixture for 20 minutes.
4. Step 4: Cook 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 4-5 minutes until tender, then drain and rinse under cold water.
5. Step 5: Assemble bowls by placing noodles in the bottom, topping with grilled pork meatballs, drained pickled vegetables, and a handful of 1/4 cup each fresh mint and cilantro leaves. Sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts and drizzle 1/2 cup nuoc cham sauce over the top.