Description
These sticky, savory, and sweet Asian meatballs are ready in just 30 minutes, making them the perfect easy weeknight dinner. They are freezer-friendly, budget-smart, and crowd-pleasing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20) or ground turkey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, minced garlic, grated ginger, egg, Panko breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Mix gently with hands until just combined; do not overmix.
- Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (yields 20-24 meatballs). Place on the prepared baking sheet with space between each.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then flip meatballs and bake for another 5 minutes until browned and cooked through (160°F for beef, 165°F for turkey).
- While meatballs bake, whisk hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, water, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir sauce constantly until it thickens and becomes glossy (3-4 minutes).
- Remove meatballs from oven. Pour hot sauce over meatballs and toss gently to coat.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not overmix the meat to avoid tough meatballs. Use Panko breadcrumbs for a lighter texture. Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes for better flavor. Can be frozen raw or cooked. If using turkey, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to keep moist.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs per serv
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 580
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 18
Keywords: sticky sesame meatballs, easy weeknight dinner, 30 minute meals, Asian meatballs, hoisin sauce recipe, freezer friendly meals, ground beef recipes