Sesame Ginger Meatballs
These Sesame Ginger Meatballs are bursting with fresh ginger and garlic flavor! They’re made with a mix of pork and chicken for maximum flavor and tenderness and are coated in a sticky honey-soy-ginger sauce.
It’s an easy meatball dinner that doesn’t make a huge mess to prep. It’s honestly my favorite go-to weeknight dinner hack! Serve with some steamed rice and veggies for a complete meal.
“These meatballs were delicious! The sauce alone is worth 5 stars.” – Leah, So Much Food reader
Table of contents
These Asian-Style Meatballs Are Ready in 30 Minutes!
I always aim to have a home-cooked meal prepped for dinner each night, but I just don’t have the time or energy to spend even a full hour in the kitchen making dinner most nights. That’s why so many of the dinner recipes on my site involve minimal prep and even less hands-on cooking — and these sticky Asian-style meatballs are no exception!
The best part about these sesame-soy-ginger meatballs is that you cook them under the broiler and then in the sauce! There’s no fussing with searing the meatballs (which always makes a mess!). Cooking meatballs under the broiler is my favorite trick because you don’t have to deal with messy oil splatter. I use this technique in my spaghetti and meatballs, ricotta meatballs, and my Thai curry meatballs, too.
Cooking meatballs under the broiler is a great way to keep them from overcooking and it’s much easier when cooking leaner meats that tend to stick to the skillet.
These sticky meatballs are crisp on the outside, super tender on the inside and packed with flavor! They also freeze like a dream and are perfect for weekly meal prep.
Jenny’s Tips for Making Perfect Meatballs Every Time
Mix well, but don’t over work the meatballs. Over-mixing meatballs can make them tough and chewy. Mix the ground meat gently with the other ingredients and the beaten egg just until everything holds together.
Use a scoop for even cooking. I love using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop so that I can ensure the meatballs are all the same size and that they cook evenly.
Use damp hands to roll the meatballs. Using damp hands keeps the meat from sticking and keeps them nice and smooth.
Broil the meatballs. Broiling your meatballs instead of browning them in the pan makes for way less mess! You get the nice browning without all the messy work.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground pork/chicken. I love the combo of lean ground pork and ground dark meat chicken. It adds so much flavor and prevents the meatballs from being either too fatty or too lean. You could easily use all pork or all chicken, however.
- Fresh ginger and garlic. I don’t suggest using ground ginger or garlic powder in this recipe; you really want that fragrant, fresh flavor from both of the aromatics.
- Panko. Panko is my usual go-to for meatballs, but you can use any breadcrumbs.
- Egg. One egg helps bind the meatballs together.
- Green onion and cilantro. Fresh minced cilantro and green onion add freshness.
- Soy sauce. Soy sauce is the base of the ginger-garlic sauce. You can use low sodium, tamari, or coconut aminos.
- Mirin. Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine.
- Honey. Honey helps balance the sauce out and keep it from being too salty.
- Sesame seeds and oil. For flavor and texture.
- Cornstarch. Cornstarch helps thicken the sauce.
Useful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Sesame Ginger Meatballs in 5 Steps
- Mix together the meatball mixture. I prefer using my hands for this rather than a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Using my hands allows me to work the aromatics into the ground meat without accidentally overmixing it (and overmixing results in tough meatballs).
- Portion the mixture into balls. I suggest using a large cookie scoop to make quick work of this. Plus, this ensures the meatballs are all the same size.
- Broil for 8 minutes. Place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the upper third of the oven. I always rotate my baking sheet halfway through the broiling time and never stray far from the oven — just in case!
- Make the sticky ginger sauce. I do this while the meatballs are cooking. Just add the sauce ingredients to a large skillet and simmer until thickened.
- Simmer the meatballs in the sauce. This will only take 6 to 8 minutes, and in this time the meatballs will finish cooking and they’ll absorb some of that flavorful, savory-sweet sauce.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
We do a lot of meal prep in our household, and this recipe is perfect for planning out my weekday meals and lunches.
If you plan to freeze these meatballs, freeze the meatballs and sauce separately. After broiling the meatballs, let them cool to room temperature. Lay them on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight container or ziplock bag and label. You can keep them for up to 6 months.
To freeze the sauce, simmer the sauce until thick. Let it cool to room temperature, transfer to a freezer-safe ziplock bag and store flat.
To defrost the meatballs and sauce, transfer them to the fridge overnight and let them defrost. You can also defrost them under cold water while in their respective bags.
To reheat, bring the sauce to a simmer and then add the meatballs. Simmer until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
I always serve these meatballs with steamed rice (brown or white!). I also like to add some fresh sliced cucumbers on the side, fresh herbs, lime wedges, and I like to add a veggie like steamed broccoli, green beans, or snap peas.
Some side dish ideas include:
- Takeout-Style Fried Rice
- Gochujang Cucumber Salad
- Miso Glazed Brussels Sprouts
- Asian Chopped Chicken Salad (omit the chicken to make as a side salad)
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More 30-Minute Dinners to Make
- Spicy Salmon Sushi Bowls
- Red Pumpkin Curry
- Thai Panang Pork Curry
- Gochujang Glazed Salmon
- Easy Hibachi Bowls
- Harissa Chicken Bowls
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Sesame Ginger Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground pork (90/10)
- 1 lb ground chicken (93/7)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 4 scallion stalks, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/3 cup honey
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 teaspsoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Combine all the meatball ingredients together in a mixing bowl and mix gently by hand until well-mixed.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the meatballs evenly and then use roll by hand into smooth balls. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Adjust the oven racks so that one rack is closer to the broiler. Set the broiler on high and place the meatballs under the broiler. Broil for 8 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- While the meatballs cook, combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour them into a large nonstick skillet and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thick.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer another 6-8 minutes, tossing to coat the meatballs in the sauce. Serve over steamed rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
Just made theses meatballs for dinner and they are delicious. I didnt have mirin so I subbed for Hoisin Sauce. Everything turned perfect! This will be a staple from now on.
These meatballs were delicious! The sauce alone is worth 5 stars. I think next time I might skip broiling the meatballs and just drop them directly into the warm bubbling sauce to fully infuse all the flavors. I had them with white rice, shiitake mushrooms that I pan fried in about a Tbs of the sauce, cucumbers & shelled edamame. Topped everything with extra sauce, cilantro and scallions. Absolutely delicious.
Could I make the meatballs in a crockpot instead of on the stovetop or broiling them? If so, would I just put everything, including the raw meatballs, in the crockpot and let it cook for an appropriate amount of time?
Yes, that should work fine
These were absolutely delicious and I will be making them again.