Crispy Sweetbread Skewers
Crispy Sweetbread Skewers are a popular street food dish featuring marinated and deep-fried sweetbreads (typically thymus or pancreas glands from young calves or lambs) threaded onto skewers. The meat is often coated in a light batter or seasoned flour before frying, resulting in a crispy exterior and a tender, creamy interior. This dish is a beloved delicacy in various cuisines, particularly in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Vietnam, as well as in some European and Latin American culinary traditions.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is high in protein and fat, with minimal carbohydrates unless a heavy batter is used. It provides key nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and selenium, and a typical serving of two skewers (about 100g) contains roughly 250-300 calories.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 275 kcal |
| Protein | 16 g |
| Carbs | 3 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Sodium | 380 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 8.5 mcg |
| Iron | 3.2 mg |
| Selenium | 25 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 280 mg |
| Zinc | 2.1 mg |
| Vitamin A | 120 mcg RAE |
| Copper | 0.4 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 4.8 mg |
Per 2 skewers (100 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Nutritionally, sweetbreads are a dense source of high-quality protein and certain minerals, making them a traditional 'nose-to-tail' food that utilizes less common parts of the animal. Culturally, their preparation varies widely, from simple salt-and-pepper seasoning in European bistro fare to complex, spicy marinades in Asian street food stalls.
