Our teriyaki meatballs are so freakin’ delicious that it might be better to serve them as an entrée; otherwise, people will stand over the appetizer tray shoving them in as quickly as they can (like we did), which isn’t exactly ladylike.
These meatballs are a smooth mix of sweet and savory. The sauce is thick and flavorful, making them taste perfect alone, but are also a tasty treat served on a bed of rice or noodles. We love the versatility!
Keep this ace in the pocket for potluck events and holidays, but also remember this is a fabulous dish for the everyday. We’re all about little tricks, so keep in mind—if the sauce becomes too thick while you’re making it, add a little water to thin it out.
Teriyaki Meatballs Recipes
- meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef, or chicken
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 large egg, well beaten
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sriracha sauce, or hot sauce, optional
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- teriyaki sauce
- 2/3 cup soy sauce, reduced-sodium
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water, cold
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees then coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, gently mix ground beef or chicken and pork until well combined. In a separate small bowl, mix beaten egg, green onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and hot sauce until well combined.
- Add egg mixture and panko breadcrumbs to the meat and mix as gently and as little as possible to bring everything into a homogenous mixture. Form golf ball-sized meatballs using a cookie scoop then place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15–18 minutes just until meatballs are barely cooked through.
- Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add soy sauce, water, ginger, garlic, brown sugar and honey then whisk until completely combined. In a separate small bowl or cup, stir together the cornstarch and ¼ cup of cold water.
- Bring liquid to a boil then remove from heat. Whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce then return to heat. Return liquid to a boil, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once liquid reaches a boil and has thickened nicely, reduce heat to low and let sauce simmer.
- Transfer meatballs from baking sheet into sauce, turning or stirring to coat in sauce. Allow meatballs to simmer in the sauce until they are heated through then garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds.
We like to use panko breadcrumbs because they add a bit of lightness to the meatballs and keep them from becoming too dense!
