Sticky Asian Meatballs recipe is made with a slightly spicy, seasoned turkey meat mixture and simmered on the stovetop in a sweet and savory sauce. Serve over steamed rice or noodles for a hearty homemade meal.
Easy Asian Meatballs
Our easy Asian Meatball recipe turns my Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs into a spicy, gluten free turkey meatball meal by replacing the soy sauce and sugar with pepper paste and preparing it all in one pot. (Becauce why use both a baking sheet and a skillet?)
Asian turkey meatballs are a healthier alternative to most Homemade Meatballs made with lean ground beef; they’re tender and juicy on the inside with a sticky exterior from simmering in the from-scratch sauce.
Serve your Asian meatballs with rice and steamed veggies on the side and you’ve made a complete family-friendly meal of freshly cooked meatballs covered in a sticky, stir fry flavored glaze. (They’re finger licking good if you eat them without a fork!)
Why We Love Asian Meatballs Recipes
- Quick and easy to make.
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- Moist and tender meatballs tossed in a super simple homemade sticky sauce are delicious!
- Healthy, hearty, and satisfying supper for any night of the week.
- Asian meatball sauce has a savory and sweet flavor profile similar to glazed Korean meatballs but is made without beef or garlic.
- It can be prepared in a slow cooker, baked in the oven, or simmered on the stove.
- Perfect to serve as a side dish, appetizer, or part of the main meal.
Asian Meatballs Ingredients
- Ground turkey
- Egg
- Panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
- Pepper paste or gochujang paste: If you don’t like spicy food use a mild pepper paste to make your Korean meatballs.
- Ginger powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Chicken broth
- Rice vinegar: White vinegar will also work.
- Hoisin sauce
- Cornstarch
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)
- Green onions (optional garnish)
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Additions
- Make With Other Meat: I used ground turkey to make my meatball mixture, but you can use ground chicken, ground beef, or ground pork.
- Change The Chicken Broth: Chicken broth can be replaced with vegetable broth or water.
- Create Without Cornstarch: Use arrowroot powder or tapioca flour to thicken your sauce.
How to Make Asian Meatballs
- Make The Meatballs: Mix together all of the meatball ingredients until combined. Scoop the meat mixture into balls and set aside.
- Make The Sauce: Mix together the broth, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce and pepper paste.
- Brown The Meatballs: Cook the meatballs over medium-high heat until browned on each side.
- Simmer In Sauce: Pour the sauce over the meatballs, reduce the heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with water and add it to the skillet during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Serve: Garnish and serve hot. Enjoy!
Tips For Making Asian Meatballs
- Hoisin sauce is a sweet and savory sauce that can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores. Rice vinegar can also be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores.
- Ginger powder can be found in the spice aisle of your local grocery store.
- I prefer to lightly beat my egg before I add it to the meatball mixture. This helps ensure the egg is evenly distributed, and you do not end up with clumps of yolk.
- I like to use a small cookie scoop to help form my meatballs to ensure they are equal in size.
- Wetting your hands before forming the meatballs will help keep the mixture from sticking to you.
- Sesame seeds are optional but add a nice flavor and texture to the dish.
How to Store Asian Meatballs
- To Store: Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your meatballs in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat: Reheat your meatballs in the microwave or oven before serving.
How To Serve Asian Meatballs
These Asian meatballs make a great party appetizer or side dish, but especially taste great served over rice with a side of steamed vegetables for dinner. They are a quick and easy weeknight meal idea that are picky eater approved!
- Appetizer: Serve these meatballs as an appetizer in a big bowl with toothpicks.
- Side Dish: These meatballs make a great side dish for a holiday buffet or potluck dinner.
- Dinner: Serve the meatballs on top of white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles for an easy make-ahead meal.
More Easy Meatball Recipes
Other Easy Party Food Recipes
- Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket
- Sheet Pan Quesadillas
- Homemade White Queso Dip
- Cheesy Taco Dip
- Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs
If you tried this Asian Meatballs Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Asian Meatballs
Serves — 4
Toss your Asian Meatballs in a sticky homemade sauce for a sweet, savory, and spicy taste with a juicy, tender texture.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
For Meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoons pepper paste or gochujang paste divided (if you don’t like spicy food use a mild pepper paste)
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon pepper paste or gochujang paste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mix with 2 tablespoons water
For garnish
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 2 Green onion chopped
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients of the meatball in a medium bowl, and mix everything until it’s well combined.1 pound ground turkey, 1 egg, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoons pepper paste or gochujang paste, 1 teaspoon ginger powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Shape the meatballs using 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture. Set aside
- In another bowl mix broth, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce and pepper paste.⅓ cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon pepper paste or gochujang paste
- Place the meatballs in the skillet, add cook over medium-high heat until the meatballs are browned on each side.
- Pour sauce into the skillet with the meatballs, reduce heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes
- To thicken the sauce, mix the cornstarch with water and add it to the skillet during the last 5 minutes of cooking.1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Serve hot garnish with sesame seeds and green onion if desired.1 teaspoon sesame seeds, 2 Green onion
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- To Freeze: You can freezer your meatballs in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Hoisin sauce is a sweet and savory sauce that can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores. Rice vinegar can also be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores.
- Ginger powder can be found in the spice aisle of your local grocery store.
- I prefer to lightly beat my egg before I add it to the meatball mixture. This helps ensure the egg is evenly distributed and you do not end up with clumps of yolk.
- I like to use a small cookie scoop to help form my meatballs to ensure they are equal size.
- Wetting your hands before forming the meatballs will help keep the mixture from sticking to you.
- Sesame seeds are optional, but they add a nice flavor and texture to the dish.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 623mg | Potassium: 414mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 154IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
