Korean Meatballs
These Korean meatballs are juicy beef meatballs made with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce then baked and simmered in a sweet and spicy sauce. Serve as an appetizer or over rice!
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger , or paste
- 3-4 cloves minced garlic , or 2 teaspoons
- ⅓ cup panko crumbs
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
Sauce
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce , or coconut aminos
- ¼ cup water , more if desired
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
- crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Mix meatball ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add 1 pound ground beef, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1/4 cup sliced green onions, and 1/3 cup panko crumbs. Mix with a fork until combined.
- Rest: Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Form meatballs: Form 12 meatballs and place in a cast iron skillet.
- Bake: Bake for 20 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a plate as you will use the skillet for the sauce.
- Make sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 3-4 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add more if you like spice.
- Cook sauce: Drain grease from the meatballs. Add sauce to skillet. On the stove over medium-high heat, bring to a light simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more water if needed to thin or cornstarch to thicken.
- Serve: Add meatballs back into the skillet and gently baste with the sauce. Simmer until meatballs are heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.
Notes
Heat: If you want to take the heat up a little add in gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) or sriracha sauce.
Sauce: If you want extra sauce for rice, double the sauce. Make sure you're using low-sodium soy sauce, so these aren't too salty. We retested this recipe and it is best with brown sugar not honey.
Serving: This dish tastes great with rice and steam vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 361kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 115mg, Sodium: 2587mg, Potassium: 532mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 149IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
