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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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.
Andrew says
I just served these as an appetizer the first time. The second, I made sandwiches. Fresh Thai mint, bean sprouts, onions, cilantro, and fresh sliced birds eye chili's(love heat!), They were amazing! I used the sauce instead of mayo or other condiments. I didnt even toast the bread. That would have taken to the moon.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wow, Andrew, those restaurant-level gourmet sandwiches sound absolutely amazing!
Tanya says
I made this for an easy weeknight meal and it was great!! I added chopped cilantro into the sauce for an extra boost of flavor and doubled the garlic. Quick and yummy.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you for sharing your delicious tweaks, Tanya! Yum.
Mike says
The first time I made this recipe it was fantastic! the second time the meatballs fall apart and the sauce was not enough... I can't explain why
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hey Mike,
It's interesting how the same recipe can yield completely different results depending on the ingredients, equipment, even climate. It happens to me, too.
It sounds like the ground beef you used the second time had a higher water content, or perhaps the cilantro wasn't thoroughly dry. You can add an egg and 1/2 cup of almond flour (or breadcrumbs if you don't mind gluten/carbs) - those are effective binders.
As for the sauce, that's an easy fix - simply increase it by 50% next time. 🙂
Heather says
These meatballs are amazing! 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!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Basil sounds amazing, Heather! Thanks for the comment. 🙂
Cathy Chapman says
Very tasty, the sesame oil, soy mixture is great in most asian recipes. I served it over jasmine rice, yum 🙂
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed these meatballs, Cathy! Thanks for sharing how you served them.
Amanda T. says
I haven't made these yet, but curious how the meatball texture is without egg and breadcrumbs. I'm excited to try the recipe but I'm use to using eggs and breadcrumbs in my meatballs.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Amanda,
The texture is good - but a little denser than meatballs with eggs and breadcrumbs.
Alicia says
Amazing recipe. The sauce came out so tasty and perfect. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Alicia! Thank you for taking the time to write a comment.
Ruth says
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.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thanks for the feedback, Ruth!
Alvah says
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.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Sounds amazing, Alvah! Thank you for the comment!
Lily says
Is there any way this recipe can be made in advance?
Vered DeLeeuw says
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.
Darlene H. says
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.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you enjoyed these meatballs, Darlene! I think you'll find that sesame oil greatly enhances their flavor.