These Asian pork meatballs combine ground pork with aromatic ingredients like ginger and garlic. Coated in a spicy ginger-honey sauce these meatballs are the perfect easy dinner.
For more Asian-inspired dinner recipes try these Thai red curry meatballs or this honey garlic pork belly recipe. And this crispy beef in oyster sauce is always a hit!
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Flavorful Combination: The mix of ginger, garlic, and sesame oil creates a robust, authentic Asian flavor.
- Simple Ingredients: Uses common pantry ingredients, making it easy to prepare without special shopping trips.
- Versatile Cooking Methods: The meatballs can be fried or baked, depending on what you prefer.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: These meatballs can be made in advance, stored, and reheated, making them ideal for busy schedules.
- Customizable Heat: The sauce allows for adjustable spiciness, suiting different taste preferences.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Mince/Ground Pork: The foundation of our meatballs, providing a juicy and tender texture.
- Ginger and Garlic: Crucial for the aromatic base that defines this dish's character.
- Sesame Oil: This imparts a nutty flavour to the meatballs, enhancing their savoury appeal.
- Red Onion: Lends a subtle sweetness that contrasts and balances the savoury elements.
- Honey: Sweetens the Ginger Honey Sauce, providing a counterpoint to the spice.
- Wine Vinegar: Adds a tart edge to the sauce, brightening the overall flavour.
- Hoisin or Chilli with Garlic Sauce: This brings heat to the dish. Adjust to your preference.
- Cornstarch: This acts as a thickening agent, ensuring the sauce generously coats each meatball.
- Coriander: This fresh herb provides a vibrant garnish and a refreshing taste contrast.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Asian Pork Meatballs With Sticky Ginger Glaze recipe step-by-step
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix ground pork, minced onion, garlic, ginger, egg, sesame oil, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Fry Meatballs: In a large frying pan, heat a little oil over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides for about 5 minutes.
- Bake Meatballs: Transfer the browned meatballs to the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until fully cooked through.
- Prepare Sauce: In the same pan, sauté garlic and ginger in sesame oil until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Add rice wine vinegar, honey, and Chili with Garlic Sauce to the pan, bringing it to a boil. Whisk in cornstarch until the sauce thickens.
- Glaze Meatballs: Return the cooked meatballs to the pan and toss them in the sauce until well-coated.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the glazed meatballs to a serving platter, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve warm.
📖 Variations
- Ground Meat: Substitute ground pork with ground beef, chicken, or turkey.
- Breadcrumbs: Add panko breadcrumbs if you prefer firmer meatballs.
- Soy Sauce: Replace salt with soy sauce for additional umami flavor.
- Vegetarian: Use a plant-based ground meat substitute.
- Alternative Sauces: Try using teriyaki or sweet and sour sauce instead of the ginger-honey sauce.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Crispier Exterior: For a crispier texture, coat the meatballs lightly in cornstarch before frying.
- Oven-Baking Alternative: For a healthier option, bake meatballs on a wire rack over a baking sheet to allow fat to drain.
- Flavor Boost: Marinate the meatball mixture for an hour before cooking for deeper flavors.
- Vegetable Addition: Finely chop and add vegetables like bell peppers or carrots to the meatball mixture.
🍯 Storage
- Fridge: Place any leftover meatballs in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days.
- Freezer: For long-term storage, freeze the uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet before transferring them to a freezer bag.
- Reheat: To reheat, place the meatballs in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until they are thoroughly heated.
❓FAQ
Yes, you can prepare the meatballs and sauce in advance. They can be refrigerated for up to a day before cooking.
Frying gives a nice crispy exterior to the meatballs while baking provides a more even, juicy interior. Both methods are delicious and can be chosen based on your preference.
Yes, the meatballs will continue to cook slightly in the sauce, so it's best to add them when they're just about done.
Looking for more Asian-inspired recipes? Try these:
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Sticky Asian Pork Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 680 grams of ground pork
- 30 grams of minced sweet or red onion
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 egg large size
- 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
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1-2 tablespoons Chili with Garlic Sauce, adjust based on preference for heat
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- Coriander for garnish
Instructions
Preparing the Meatballs:
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, minced onion, minced garlic, ginger, egg, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix until the ingredients are well combined.
- Form the mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Cooking the Meatballs:
- Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- In a large frying pan, heat a little bit of oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs, and fry until they are nicely browned on all sides. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the browned meatballs to your preheated oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Preparing the Spicy Ginger-Honey Sauce:
- In the same frying pan, add the sesame oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Sauté these until they are fragrant, which should take about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the rice wine vinegar, honey, and Chili with Garlic Sauce to the pan, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Sprinkle in the cornstarch, whisking continuously until the sauce thickens.
Glazing the Meatballs:
- Return the cooked meatballs to the pan and toss them in the sauce until they are thoroughly coated.
- Transfer the glazed meatballs to a serving platter and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve warm.
Notes
- These meatballs are delicate due to the absence of breadcrumbs, so handle them with care when frying.
- If you prefer a stronger flavour, consider doubling or tripling the amount of sauce. This recipe can be easily customized.
- Feel free to add finely chopped vegetables to the meatball mix or use homemade Teriyaki Sauce instead of Ginger Honey Sauce for a different flavour profile.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
Siobhan
I'm confused - your ingredient tray shows eggs and the image of the meatball ingredients in the bowl clearly shows at least an egg yolk (or whole egg) but there is no mention of the egg in recipe ??
Should I add egg or not ??
Deborah Rainford
Hi Siobhan! Yes. Thanks for catching that. I've recently updated the page and missed that out. I have just updated the the recipe now, so you'll be able to print it out or save it with the full (and correct) ingredients and instructions. 🙂
Anonymous
Since my oven is broken, how do I cook these meatballs without an oven? Example cooking with a Ninja 4 in one pressure cooker or stove only?
Deborah Rainford
You can cook these meatballs in an air fryer or in a pan on the stove top. Just be sure that they are cooked thoroughly before serving.
Lila
These meatballs make such a nice change from having them in tomato sauce. Absolutely love them served with rice and steamed veggies!
Harriet
Love everything about this recipe. Made it for my housemates and they devoured them in seconds!
Nancy Moshier
I need recipe in Farenheight & US mmeasurements, not metric, please. It sounds delicious. I've n ber made pork meatballs before & want to make these b
Amy
It's extremely easy to use Google to convert metric to imperial and celsius to fahrenheit.