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Check out this easy recipe for delicious, well-seasoned Asian meatballs with a marvelous sauce – sticky, with just a hint of sweetness, and very flavorful.
I make them with ground beef, but the same recipe works beautifully with ground pork as well.
These meatballs are the best! They combine the fun of eating meatballs with the extra fun of a sweet, sticky sauce. My kids adore them and love helping me make them.
But just as importantly, the grownups love them too! The meatballs themselves are very well seasoned - their flavor is quite complex and the Asian-style glaze greatly enhances them.
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- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Expert tips
- Frequently asked questions
- Variations
- Serving suggestions
- Storing leftovers
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Ingredients
Here's an overview of the ingredients you'll need to make these Asian meatballs. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef in this recipe (85/15). I find that leaner than that tends to be too dry.
- Cilantro: If you dislike cilantro, you can use parsley instead. Though it really does add a unique flavor to the meat.
- Garlic and ginger: You can mince them yourself, which would be the best option. But it's also fine to use the stuff that comes in a jar.
- Red pepper flakes: They don't make the meatballs very spicy. They merely add a hint of spice.
- Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free alternative.
- Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil is very flavorful. If you'd rather avoid heating sesame oil, you can simply omit it.
- Cornstarch: Just a little to thicken the sauce.
- Honey: Only 1 tablespoon. The sauce is not very sweet, and the dish remains fairly low in carbs (about 7 grams per serving).
- Hot sauce: Just 1 teaspoon, to add a hint of spice without overwhelming the dish.
Instructions
Making these Asian meatballs is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
You start by mixing the meatball ingredients and shaping the mixture into 24 small meatballs.
Now, bake them for 10 minutes in a 400°F oven.
While they bake, heat the sauce ingredients in a saucepan until they thicken. Turn the heat off as soon as the sauce thickens but leave it on the burner to keep it warm.
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, add the meatballs to the sauce and turn to coat.
Expert tips
- To ensure the meatballs are fluffy and tender, work the meat lightly - both when you mix the ingredients together and when you form the meatballs.
- If you're out of fresh herbs, you can simply use dried spices. In the video below, I used what I had on hand, which was garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. So as you can see, even when I make my own recipes I tweak them according to what I have.
Frequently asked questions
Should I add eggs or breadcrumbs to the mixture?
There's actually no need for any fillers or binders in this recipe. The meatballs are great when made with just beef and seasonings.
Can I use extra-lean ground beef?
I don't recommend that. It's too dry. An 85/15 ratio is the leanest you should go.
Can I skip the sauce?
Yes, you can. The meatballs are very tasty even without sauce. However, they ARE considerably better with the sauce, so I do highly recommend that you make it.
Variations
- You can use ground pork instead of ground beef. Ground chicken might also work, but if you opt for it, make sure to use ground chicken thighs and not ground chicken breast, which is too dry.
- You can use chopped parsley instead of cilantro. Chopped scallions will also work (green parts only).
- It's fine to use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. Try using ½ teaspoon. You can also add some onion powder if you'd like.
Serving suggestions
You can serve these tasty meatballs over rice, cauliflower rice, or spaghetti squash. They are also very good with shirataki noodles and with cauliflower fried rice.
When I serve them over spaghetti squash, I give the entire dish an Asian flavor by cooking a small spaghetti squash in the microwave, then sauteing the strands in a large skillet.
I add a little bit of avocado oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, a little black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger, and - off heat - 1 teaspoon of sesame oil.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, in the microwave on 50% power. They are also good cold! I love to snack on them.
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Recipe Card
4.98 from 1115 votes
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Easy Asian Meatballs
Check out this easy recipe for delicious, well-seasoned Asian meatballs with a marvelous sticky sauce.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 293kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground beef 85/15
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Sauce:
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce such as sriracha
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper.
Place the meatball ingredients (ground beef, cilantro, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and sesame oil) in a medium bowl. Use your hands to combine them.
Shape the mixture into 24 meatballs, each weighing about 20 grams.
Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake them until they are cooked through, for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the honey, hot sauce, garlic, and ginger.
Heat the sauce over medium heat, whisking constantly until it thickens into a rich glaze. This should take 3-5 minutes. Turn the heat off as soon as the sauce thickens, but leave it on the cooling burner. Stir in the sesame oil.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the baked meatballs into the saucepan. Gently turn them in the sauce until well-coated.
Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- To ensure the meatballs are fluffy and tender, work the meat lightly when you mix the ingredients and form the meatballs.
- If you're out of fresh herbs, you can simply use dried spices. In the video below, I used what I had on hand: garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. So, as you can see, even when I make my own recipes, I tweak them according to what I have!
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. They are also good cold!
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Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 6meatballs | Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 724mg | Sugar: 4g
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Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
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About the Author
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Ruth
The sauce is too salty for my taste, in spite of using low-sodium soy sauce. I added water, chile sauce, more honey, and cornstarch. It turned out very well. Thank you for sharing.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Thanks for the feedback, Ruth!
Reply
Alvah
Had the odd, yet wonderful, situation where I only had wagyu beef available. The drippings were incredible over white rice. Highly recommend.Also, I subbed red pepper for freshly cracked black pepper. Got the job done.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Sounds amazing, Alvah! Thank you for the comment!
Reply
Lily
Is there any way this recipe can be made in advance?
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Yes. You can make these meatballs, then keep them in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave, covered, at 50% power.
Reply
Darlene H.
I tried this recipe, and it was really good; however, next time, I won't flavor the ground beef with soy sauce. The soy sauce in the meatballs' sauce is enough.
I made this recipe without sesame oil since I didn't have any. I would make it again as it was quick and easy and tasted good. I just gotta make sure I have a bottle of sesame oil.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you enjoyed these meatballs, Darlene! I think you'll find that sesame oil greatly enhances their flavor.
Reply