Description
These Easy Asian Pork Meatballs with Sticky Ginger Glaze combine tender pork meatballs with a flavorful spicy ginger-honey sauce. Perfectly browned then baked to juicy perfection, these meatballs are coated in a sticky, sweet, and spicy glaze, making them a delightful appetizer or main dish inspired by Asian flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 680 grams ground pork
- 30 grams minced sweet or red onion
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 large egg
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Spicy Ginger-Honey Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1–2 tablespoons chili with garlic sauce (adjust based on heat preference)
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- Fresh coriander (cilantro) for garnish
Instructions
- Preparing the Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, minced onion, minced garlic, minced ginger, egg, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated. Then, shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place them evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Cooking the Meatballs – Frying: Heat a small amount of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until they are evenly browned on all sides, approximately 5 minutes.
- Cooking the Meatballs – Baking: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Transfer the browned meatballs from the pan onto an oven-safe dish or leave them on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Preparing the Spicy Ginger-Honey Sauce: In the same frying pan used before, add sesame oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Sauté over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in rice wine vinegar, honey, and chili with garlic sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, then whisk in the cornstarch continuously until the sauce thickens to a sticky consistency.
- Glazing the Meatballs: Return the cooked meatballs to the frying pan with the thickened sauce. Gently toss the meatballs until they are fully coated with the sticky ginger-honey glaze.
- Serving: Transfer the glazed meatballs to a serving platter, garnish with fresh coriander leaves, and serve warm for the best flavor experience.
Notes
- Handle the meatballs gently as they are delicate without breadcrumbs.
- Adjust the spiciness by varying the amount of chili with garlic sauce to suit your preference.
- Feel free to add finely chopped vegetables to the meatball mixture for added texture and nutrition.
- You can substitute the ginger-honey sauce with homemade teriyaki sauce for a different flavor profile.
- This recipe yields approximately 16 meatballs, suitable as an appetizer or main dish component.
