Vietnamese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Nem Nướng (Grilled Pork Sausage)
Grilled Vietnamese pork sausage, often served with rice paper, herbs, and a special dipping sauce.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Make the Paste: In a food processor, combine the ground pork, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, baking powder, and black pepper. Pulse until the meat becomes a sticky, cohesive paste.
- 2
Chill: Transfer the meat paste to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This makes it easier to handle and improves the bouncy texture.
- 3
Shape: Oil your hands slightly. Take small handfuls of the meat paste and mold them around bamboo skewers into long, thin sausage shapes.
- 4
Grill: Heat a charcoal grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill the skewers, turning frequently, for about 8-10 minutes until deeply charred and cooked through.
- 5
Serve: Slide the meat off the skewers. Serve on a large platter with dry rice paper, a mountain of fresh herbs, lettuce, and cucumber.
- 6
Eat: To eat, dip rice paper in water, lay it flat, add herbs, a piece of Nem Nướng, roll it up, and dip into the warm peanut sauce.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
62/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving415
Calories
42 g
Protein
12 g
Carbs
21 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Nem nuong is a specialty of Ninh Hoa, a coastal town in south-central Vietnam, where it developed as a street food built around char-grilled pork sausage served deconstructed at the table. The dish belongs to a family of Vietnamese wrap-and-roll assemblies where the cook provides components and diners build each bite themselves. It became famous across Vietnam and in Vietnamese diaspora communities for its thick, slightly bouncy texture and the interplay of sweet char, fresh herbs, and the pungent peanut-hoisin liver sauce.
Listahan note
This version emphasizes the classic bouncy texture achieved with baking powder and adequate fat in the ground pork, and wraps the full herb-and-pickle accompaniment so every bite is balanced.
Technique cues
- The baking powder in the pork mixture is not a shortcut — it reacts during grilling to create the characteristic springy, almost snappy bite that distinguishes nem nuong from plain grilled sausage; skip it and the texture collapses into a dense patty.
- Fat content in the pork is non-negotiable: lean pork produces dry, crumbling sausage; a blend of about 70% lean to 30% fat keeps the mixture cohesive and allows the exterior to caramelize on the grill without the interior drying out.
- When grilling on skewers or patties, press the meat firmly and let it set on the hot grate for 2 minutes before moving it; premature flipping tears the crust before it can form and causes sticking.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- While the pork mixture chills (30 minutes firming time improves shaping), quick-pickle the carrots and daikon, and soak the rice paper stack in a covered plate so assembly flows without interruption.
- Make-ahead
- The pork mixture can be made and refrigerated up to 24 hours ahead, covered tightly; the cold rest actually improves the texture by letting the baking powder hydrate into the meat.
- Leftover move
- Leftover grilled sausage slices reheat well in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes per side, then use them in a banh mi sandwich with mayo, pickled carrots, and cucumber.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak skewers immediately after use; clean the grill grate while hot with a brush right after pulling the sausages off to prevent charred pork from bonding to the metal.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 lb ground pork (not lean, needs fat)
sausage base
Purpose: The fat carries flavor, holds the emulsified mixture together, and prevents the sausage from drying on the grill.
Handling: If your ground pork looks lean, pulse in 2 oz of pork fatback in a food processor before mixing.
Adaptation: Ground chicken thighs work in a pinch but produce a softer, less charred result.
2 tbsp fish sauce
seasoning and curing agent
Purpose: Fish sauce seasons evenly throughout the mixture and helps the proteins bind, contributing to the bouncy texture.
Handling: Mix into the pork first before adding sugar and baking powder so it distributes evenly.
Adaptation: Soy sauce plus a small pinch of MSG approximates the salt level but loses the umami depth.
2 tbsp sugar
caramelization agent
Purpose: Sugar accelerates Maillard browning on the grill, creating the dark, sweet-savory crust that defines the dish.
Handling: Use white granulated sugar; brown sugar adds molasses notes that compete with the dipping sauce.
Adaptation: Honey can substitute at 1.5 tablespoons but burns faster, so watch the grill closely.
1 tsp baking powder (for bouncy texture)
texture modifier
Purpose: Baking powder aerates the meat mixture slightly and changes the protein structure to produce the springy, slightly chewy bite.
Handling: Add last and mix quickly; overworking after adding baking powder can tighten the texture too much.
Adaptation: No direct substitute — omitting it gives a denser, more patty-like sausage.
Rice paper, lettuce, mint, cucumber, pickled carrots
wrap assembly
Purpose: The wrap components cool and balance the salty-sweet char of the sausage with crunchy, acidic, and herbaceous contrast.
Handling: Briefly dip rice paper in warm water just until pliable, about 5 seconds; over-soaking makes it tear.
Adaptation: Butter lettuce leaves alone work as a low-carb wrapper if rice paper is unavailable.
Technique notes
- Chill the shaped sausage patties or skewers in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before grilling — cold meat holds its shape better on the hot grate and reduces the risk of sticking.
- The dipping sauce (warm peanut-hoisin with pork liver) should be served slightly warm, not cold; a cold sauce congeals and the fat separates, making it gloopy rather than silky.
- Set up the herb plate and wet the rice papers just before everyone sits down — rice paper stiffens as it dries and becomes brittle; keep a bowl of warm water at the table so diners can re-dip.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Fish sauce and sugar are naturally gluten-free; confirm your hoisin brand is gluten-free (many contain wheat) or use a tamari-and-plum-sauce blend for the dipping sauce.
- Pork-free option
- Ground chicken thighs with 1 tablespoon neutral oil blended in replicate the fat ratio; season identically and grill at slightly lower heat.
- Indoor option
- A cast-iron grill pan over high heat for 3-4 minutes per side gives a good char when outdoor grilling is not possible.
Serve alongside
- pickled daikon and carrot (do chua)
- simple cucumber slices with rice vinegar and chili
- steamed jasmine rice for a more substantial meal
- iced Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk
- chilled jasmine green tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Cooked sausage keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or in a 350F oven for 8 minutes — avoid microwaving, which steams away the char.
- Uncooked shaped patties freeze well for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before grilling.
Equipment
- charcoal or gas grill, or cast-iron grill pan
- bamboo or metal skewers
- large mixing bowl for the pork mixture
- shallow dish for soaking rice paper
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