These Asian meatballs are bursting with flavor and coated in a savory sauce with just a hint of sweetness. I usually use ground beef, but ground pork works too.
These Asian meatballs combine the fun of bite-sized meatballs with the extra fun of a sweet, sticky sauce. My kids adore them and love helping me make them, and the grown-ups love them too. The meatballs are well seasoned, with surprisingly complex flavor, and the rich glaze adds the perfect finishing touch.
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Ground beef: I use lean ground beef (85/15). Please don't use extra-lean ground beef. It's too dry and can make the meatballs crumbly.
- Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce. You can use a gluten-free alternative if needed
- Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil is very flavorful. If you'd rather avoid heating sesame oil, you can omit it from the meatballs and double the amount used in the sauce.
- Honey: Just one tablespoon. The sauce is not overly sweet, and the dish remains fairly low in carbs (about 7 grams per serving).
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix the meatball ingredients and shape the mixture into 24 small meatballs. Bake them for 10 minutes at 400°F.
While they bake, heat the sauce ingredients in a saucepan until they thicken. Turn the heat off, add the meatballs, and turn to coat.
Serve immediately. It's fun to eat them with chopsticks!
These Asian meatballs are amazing! The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow. I didn't have cilantro, so I used basil, and they were delicious. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Heather
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Recipe Tips
- To make sure the meatballs are fluffy and tender, work the meat lightly when mixing the ingredients and forming the meatballs.
- There's no need for fillers or binders such as eggs or breadcrumbs. The meatballs are great when made with just ground beef and seasonings.
- You can use ground pork instead of ground beef. Ground chicken can also work, but please use ground chicken thighs and not ground chicken breast, which is too dry.
- Some readers have commented over the years that the meatballs were too salty. If this is the case for you, I recommend swapping 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for 1 tablespoon of water or reduced-sodium beef broth.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can use chopped parsley instead of cilantro. Chopped scallions will also work (green parts only). You can also skip the fresh herbs entirely. In the video below, I used what I had on hand: Garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
Not to my palate. The red pepper flakes and hot sauce don't make the meatballs very spicy. They merely add a hint of spice.
They are, but not as good. I intentionally under-season them, assuming the sauce will be used, so their flavor is mild.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge (as shown in the photo below) for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave at 50% power. They are also good cold! I love to snack on them.
You can also freeze the cooled meatballs in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Serving Suggestions
Asian meatballs can be served over rice, cauliflower rice, mashed cauliflower, or spaghetti squash. They are also very good with shirataki noodles or cauliflower fried rice.
When I serve them over spaghetti squash, I give the entire dish an Asian flavor by microwaving the spaghetti squash, then sautéing the strands in a large skillet. I add avocado oil, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, a pinch of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of garlic, 1 teaspoon of ginger, and, off heat, a teaspoon of sesame oil.
Another option is to quickly stir-fry vegetables such as peppers, snow peas, and mushrooms, and serve the meatballs over them, as shown in the image below.
Recipe Card
Saucy Asian Meatballs
Video
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 the 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.1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup cilantro, 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 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 until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Gradually whisk in the honey, hot sauce, garlic, and ginger.¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root
- 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 burner. Stir in the sesame oil.1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Using a large spoon or tongs, transfer the baked meatballs into the saucepan. Gently turn them in the sauce until well-coated.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Seasonings, especially saltiness and sweetness, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
- Some readers have commented over the years that the meatballs were too salty. If this is the case for you, I recommend swapping 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for 1 tablespoon of water or reduced-sodium beef broth.
- To make sure the meatballs are fluffy and tender, work the meat lightly when mixing the ingredients and forming the meatballs.
- Please don't use extra-lean ground beef. It's too dry and can make the meatballs crumbly.
- If you're out of fresh herbs, use dried spices. In the video below, I used what I had on hand: Garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave at 50% power. They are also good cold! You can also freeze the cooled meatballs in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Beth Cann says
These meatballs are restaurant-level good!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you liked them, Beth! Thank you very much for the review.
Lyn Damant says
Is this recipe very spicy? Can you rate with the number of chilies? 1, 2, or 3?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Lyn,
I would say it's one chili. However, heat tolerance is personal. Feel free to skip the red pepper flakes in the meatballs and use just the hot sauce.
Jo says
Can the meatballs be made ahead of time and frozen. Then mix the sauce and pour over the frozen meatballs to reheat in a crock pot?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Jo! You can definitely make the meatballs ahead, cool, and freeze them. The only catch is reheating: slow cookers heat very gently, so starting with frozen meatballs keeps them too long at unsafe temperatures. Because of that, it's best to freeze the cooked meatballs, then thaw them overnight in the fridge when you're ready to use them.
From there, add the thawed meatballs to the slow cooker, mix the sauce, and pour it over the meatballs. Cover and heat everything on HIGH for 1.5 to 2 hours. That should be enough time to heat the meatballs through and let the cornstarch thicken the sauce. If the sauce seems thin after 1.5 hours, stir in extra cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water), cover, and cook on HIGH for the remaining 30 minutes.
lisa says
These meatballs are amazing!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Lisa! Thank you for the review.
Nancy says
Hello! I’m Curious how the recipe might turn out depending which sesame oil was used -roasted vs toasted? The recipe ingredient list doesn’t specify which should be used, however, I did notice in the description of ingredients you mention ‘toasted’. I only have roasted on hand right now, should I adjust the amount used?
Thank you!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Nancy,
Both work!
Peaches says
Second time I make this, it’s so delicious, served over rice with steamed broccoli!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Your meal sounds amazing! Thank you very much for the review.
Reno Collins says
I have used this recipe several times. It will not disappoint. I haven’t made the meatballs from scratch, I get the bulk pack from Sam’s Club. It makes a super quick dinner. I totally recommend this 10/10.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Reno! I'm so glad you like this recipe. Thank you very much for the review.
Linda says
Tender and delicious!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Linda! Thank you very much for the review.
Alice says
love these. question about freezing them: can they be frozen already coated in the sauce?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Alice,
I'm glad you like these meatballs! Yes, they can be frozen already coated in the sauce. Thank you for this question! I updated the instructions to say they can be frozen in a freezer-safe container, as that would work better with the sauce than freezer bags.
Brian says
I made a triple batch with 1lb beef, 1lb pork, 1lb venison for a potluck. Wow, I got more requests for the recipe than for any other dish I've ever brought. These were awesome, no leftovers!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Brian! I'm so glad these were a success. I like how you combined several different ground meats.