Sweet And Tangy Asian Meatballs

These Sweet and Tangy Asian Meatballs are full of all things delicious.  With onion, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, Gochujang, and more.  These Asian Meatballs are so tender and jam-packed with flavor and so easy to make!

We’re all about meatballs... And this week it’s getting even sweeter around here with our Sweet and Tangy Asian Meatballs!  What can I say?  Sweetness is my weakness.

So if you’re looking for an easy and delicious and easy weeknight dinner, these Asian Meatballs are just for you.

You may not know this but I LOVE me some meatballs.  They are literally one of my favorite things to cook AND devour!  

Because of that, I'm always creating new recipes and trying to find new ways to enjoy these hearty balls of goodness.  

Our Favorite Meatball Recipes

There's my... Buffalo Chicken Meatballs that are hearty and delicious with a blue cheese sauce for dipping.  

Then there's my Italian Parmigiana Meatballs smothered in mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, coated in marinara sauce, and tucked into fluffy club rolls AKA pillows from heaven.

And of course, my French Onion Meatballs... tender, juicy, low-carb, gluten-free, homemade chicken meatballs simmered in a French Onion sauce, topped off with a combination of Havarti and Gruyère cheese. 

And we can't forget the most popular meatball recipe on the blog... Healthy Meal Prep Baked Turkey Meatballs!  They’re loaded with lean protein and lots of delicious flavors!  This recipe makes 45 meatballs and they freeze perfectly – a fabulous recipe to help you meal prep for the week!

So this week we’re bringing the sweet heat with these Sweet & Tangy Asian Meatballs.  There’s so much to love about these balls of goodness.  

They are jam-packed with flavor and so easy to make.

Let me highlight some of the drool-worthy ingredients in this Asian meatball masterpiece recipe.

Asian Meatball Ingredients

• Ground beef
• Ground pork
• Minced garlic
• Grated yellow onion
• Grated fresh ginger
• Chopped green onions
• Tamari Sauce which is gluten-free or soy sauce if you'd prefer
• Gochujang (a sweet and slightly spicy Korean chili sauce)
• Plus, eggs, salt, pepper, and almond meal – my substitute for breadcrumbs cause I’m all about more protein sans the gluten.

How to Make Asian Meatballs

First, add the ground beef, ground pork, almond meal or breadcrumbs, minced garlic, grated yellow onion, grated fresh ginger, chopped green onions, Tamari Sauce or soy sauce, Gochujang - Korean chili sauce, eggs, salt, and pepper, and to a large mixing bowl.

Next, form the meatballs.

You can spritz cooking spray cooking on your hands or dip them in water throughout the meatball forming process to keep the mixture from sticking to your hands.  I use an 11/2 inch scoop for mine.

When formed, place the meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 18-20 minutes.

How to make Sweet and Tangy Asian Sauce

So now you can make your sauce... in a small saucepan over medium heat, stir in hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, Gochujang sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder, and bring to a simmer. 

Let the sauce cook for 1-2 minutes and set aside until meatballs are ready.  Then place meatballs in a large bowl and gently fold in ¾ of the sauce.

What to Serve with Asian Meatballs

Serve these tangy meatballs with cooked jasmine rice or Asian noodles.  If using Asian noodles gently fold in ¼ of the sauce mixture to the noodles.  And for the rice, drizzle on the sauce before serving.

And if you're looking for a delicious veggies side dish to pair with this meatball recipe this Asian Cucumber Salad is super easy to make, tastes amazing, and is gluten-free.

Garnish this yumminess with pea shoots, scallions, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Here’s a little drill I like to do now and then... think about your favorite Asian restaurant, then think about your favorite dish and how happy you are eating it, now picture yourself in the comfort of your own home with your family having that same experience - but better,  because you paid a fraction of the cost and you know all the ingredients that went into the dish, AND, it's good-for-you!

Well, that is as long as you don’t eat all 34 meatballs in one setting!  (Proceed with caution my friends ‘cause they’re slightly addicting.)

These Sweet & Tangy Asian Meatballs are a slam dunk in the recipe department!  I know what you’re thinking…what would you do without me?  Good news - you’ll never have to find out!

Eat up, my friend!

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Yield: 10 servings

Sweet And Tangy Asian Meatballs

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These Sweet And Tangy Asian Meatballs are full of all things delicious.  With onion, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, Gochujang, and more.  They're jam-packed with flavor and so easy to make!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For The Meatballs:

• ½ cup almond meal, (or breadcrumbs)
• 16 ounces ground beef, 85 percent lean
• 16 ounces ground pork
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ small yellow onion, grated
• 3 green onions finely chopped, (whites + greens)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoon Gochujang Korean chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, (or reduced sodium/gluten free Tamari)
• 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper

For The Sauce:

• ⅔ cup hoisin sauce
• ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Gochujang Korean chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, (or reduced sodium/gluten free Tamari)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ginger powder
• Serve over fine Udon noodles (Asian pasta) or jasmine rice

For The Garnish:

• Toasted sesame seeds
• Scallions chopped on the diagonal
• Pea shoots
• Chopped peanuts
• Lime wedges

Instructions

For The Meatballs:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Gently mix together almond meal (or bread crumbs), meat, garlic, yellow onion, green onions, ginger root, eggs, Gochujang, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
3. Spray hands with cooking spray to make handling the meatballs easier. Use a 1 ½ inch scoop to ensure each meatball is the same size, and roll them by hand to give them a nice round shape before placing them evenly on the cookie sheet (this recipe should produce 34 meatballs).
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
5. While meatballs are baking steam the rice/cook the Asian noodles and set aside. If using Asian noodles gently fold in ¼ of the sauce mixture.
6. Once cooked, place meatballs in a large bowl and gently fold in ¾ of the sauce.

For The Sauce:

1. While meatballs are baking, in a small saucepot over medium heat, stir in hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, Gochujang sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder, and bring to a simmer.
2. Let cook for 1-2 minutes and set aside until meatballs are ready.

To Serve:

1. Place the sauce-coated Udon Noodles onto plates, top with sauce-coated meatballs.
2. Garnish with pea shoots, scallions, sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Nutrition Information

Yield

10

Serving Size

2 meatballs w/noodles
Amount Per Serving Calories 492Total Fat 24gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 127mgSodium 1446mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 4gSugar 12gProtein 35g

This nutrition card uses an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. This estimate is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice!

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