Vietnamese Pork & Lemongrass Meatballs | Future Meals for Me
Series One
These Vietnamese pork and lemongrass meatballs are one of the five base recipes in Series One of Future Meals for Me, my freezer-friendly meal prep framework designed for cooking once and eating well all month.
This is one of those recipes that quietly does a lot of work. It’s fragrant, juicy, and incredibly versatile, while still being gentle enough to reheat beautifully from frozen.
If you’re new to Future Meals for Me, the idea is simple: instead of cooking something new every night, I cook a small number of well-designed base meals, freeze them in portions, and then build different dinners around them with fresh additions depending on what I feel like that day.
You can read the full framework and download the shopping list, Sunday prep guide, and remix guide here:
Future Meals for Me, Series One Framework
Why These Meatballs Work So Well for Freezing
Meatballs are naturally freezer-friendly, but what makes these especially reliable is the light savoury sauce they’re cooked in.
That sauce:
keeps the meatballs juicy
prevents them from drying out when reheated
makes them easy to remix into different meals
Rather than freezing them dry, they’re protected, which is exactly what you want in a base recipe designed to be pulled from the freezer weeks later.
The Flavours
These meatballs are inspired by Vietnamese flavours without being overly complicated.
Lemongrass brings freshness, garlic adds depth, and a balance of savoury seasoning keeps everything grounded. They’re fragrant without being overpowering, which makes them perfect for pairing with rice, noodles, bread, or fresh herbs.
This is a recipe that adapts to you, not the other way around.
How I Use These During the Week
Once cooked and frozen in portions, these meatballs become one of the most flexible bases in Series One.
Some of my favourite ways to serve them:
in a rice bowl with cucumber, herbs, and lime
as a noodle bowl with vermicelli and fresh herbs
stuffed into a banh mi–style roll with pickled carrot, cucumber, and plenty of herbs
or loosened with extra stock to make a light, brothy soup
Same base. Different dinners. No boredom.
Where This Fits in the Future Meals for Me System
These Vietnamese pork and lemongrass meatballs are one of the five hero meals in Series One.
Each hero meal:
makes around six portions
is freezer-friendly
is designed to be paired with fresh additions cooked on the night
I recommend cooking this recipe as part of the full Series One prep day so you can take advantage of the shopping list, freezer grid, and remix guide.
You can find the full system here:
Future Meals for Me, Series One Framework
This is meal prep designed for real life.
Frequently asked questions
-
Yes. These meatballs are cooked in a light sauce, which keeps them juicy and prevents them from drying out when frozen and reheated.
-
When stored in airtight containers, they’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
-
Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until just hot. Adding a splash of stock or water helps loosen the sauce if needed.
-
No. This is a base recipe designed to be paired with fresh additions like rice, noodles, bread, or herbs to create different meals.
Vietnamese Pork & Lemongrass Meatballs
Makes 6 serves
Protein or serve 130g-150g raw beef
Ingredients
Meatballs
900g pork mince
2 stalks lemongrass, very finely minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar (optional, for balance)
Cracked black pepper
1 egg
¼ cup breadcrumbs or almond meal
Sauce
1½ cups chicken stock
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar (optional)
Juice of ½ lime
Method
Make the meatballs
In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Mix gently until just combined.Form & cook
Roll into medium meatballs. Heat a little oil in a pan and brown the meatballs in batches until golden. They don’t need to be fully cooked through yet.Add the sauce
Return all meatballs to the pan. Add stock, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer.Simmer gently
Cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is lightly flavoured and fragrant.Cool & portion
Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before portioning.
Freezer Instructions
Portion meatballs with sauce into 6 containers
Freeze once fully cooled
Store for up to 3 months
Defrosting & Reheating
Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently
Or reheat straight from frozen on low heat
Add a splash of stock if needed
Finish with lime juice and fresh herbs after reheating
Keeping the meatballs in a light sauce is what prevents them from drying out.