Dive into a world of Asian flavors with these heavenly Asian Meatballs. They’re quick, they’re sensational, and they’re ready to wow your palate in just 30 minutes!
I always appreciate a quick and delicious meal, especially one that I know my kids will love, and that will potentially lead to leftovers for lunch the next day! The base of this recipe comes from my orange chicken meatballs; I just swapped out the chicken for pork and added a bit of grated carrots because I’m always sneaking in extra veggies here and there.
I really loved that the sauce wasn’t overly sweet (these are not teriyaki meatballs or sesame meatballs), but more garlicky and with a tiny kick from the red pepper flakes. These tasty morsels make an amazing appetizer or a perfect main dish served over rice or my Vegetable Stir Fry. They are sure to hit the spot!
Recipe Ingredients
- Soy Sauce: This umami-packed condiment brings saltiness and depth to this dish.
- Hoisin Sauce: Hoisin provides a sweet and tangy flavor with a thick, glaze-like texture.
- Sesame Oil: A small amount imparts a nutty, aromatic quality that adds richness to the sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Asian Meatballs
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius). Line a standard-size baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat, and set it aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and panko breadcrumbs. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Next, add the pork, egg, garlic, green onion, carrot, soy sauce, ginger, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, mix together just until combined (overworking it will cause the meatballs to be dense).
Step 4: Shape into meatballs and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until cooked throughout (internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius).
Step 5: Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the hoisin, vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a low simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Place the meatballs in a large bowl and cover them with the sauce.
Step 7: Toss to coat and serve hot. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion, if desired, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Meatball Sizing: If you are wanting to ensure perfectly sized meatballs I would recommend using a cookie scoop. This way you can ensure they are all the same size and will therefore cook evenly as well.
Breadcrumbs: I recommend using panko breadcrumbs because it gives the meatballs a more crisp flavor than compared to normal breadcrumbs.
FAQs
Yes, you can use freshly ground ginger, it will provide a more fresh and potent flavor.
Rice vinegar has a sweet and delicate flavor whereas white vinegar is harsh and sour. I suggest using rice vinegar because it’s an important Asian flavor to incorporate. White vinegar might overpower all of the other flavors, so if you need to substitute white vinegar, use slightly less than the recipe calls for.
No. You can use any ground meat you prefer! Some I would recommend would be ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef.
Storage Info
STORE the cooked Asian Meatballs in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days. To FREEZE, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
To REHEAT, thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then warm in the microwave or oven. In the microwave, heat for 1-2 minutes on high. In the oven, place them in a baking dish at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Asian Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 lb ground pork - or ground chicken
- 1 egg - lightly beaten
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 Tbsp green onion - minced
- 3 Tbsp carrot - finely grated
- 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Optional Garnishes
- sesame seeds
- sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius). Line a standard-size baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat, and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and panko breadcrumbs. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes.
- Add the pork, egg, garlic, green onion, carrot, soy sauce, ginger, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, mix together just until combined (overworking it will cause the meatballs to be dense).
- Shape into meatballs and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until cooked throughout (internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius).
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, combine the hoisin, vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a low simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Place the meatballs in a large bowl and cover them with the sauce.
- Toss to coat and serve hot. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion, if desired, and enjoy!
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The meatballs were probably double the size and so took a little longer to cook but were really good with some fried rice. Thanks for the recipe!
Just made this for dinner. Very easy, I made my meatballs too big and over baked them but they were delicious. I would definitely try this again and obviously make smaller meatballs. We had it with jasmine and broccoli, great dinner
Can you replace the hoisin sauce with something else?