Korean BBQ Meatballs are delicious homemade meatballs smothered in from scratch Korean BBQ sauce you can whip up in no time at all. Serve them over noodles or rice – your family will go crazy for their dinner!
In case you haven’t noticed yet, I’m pretty into meatballs in BBQ sauce. Sticky BBQ Slow Cooker Meatballs or Pineapple BBQ Meatballs, anyone?
So, naturally, I had to use my Homemade Korean BBQ Sauce to make Korean BBQ Meatballs, too.
I shared these on my IG story a while ago and apparently you love BBQ meatballs as much as I do, because you really wanted the recipe.
So, here it is, in all its glory 🙂
Why you and me and everyone loves these Korean BBQ Meatballs:
- These are SO easy to make. Once you know how to make meatballs from scratch, you’ll be whipping these up in 30 minutes.
- You can freeze them. Yes, that’s right! I freeze the sauce and meatballs separately, then put them in one large freezer bag to make a sort of meal kit. If you wanted, you could even add some parboiled rice and stir fry veggies in there, too!
- You can customize them. Add some chili or sriracha for heat, use ground pork or turkey in place of the beef… You can totally make this your own!
- They’re made from real food. They’re even refined sugar free! I know meatballs get a bad reputation, but these can 100% be part of a healthy diet.
We love serving these over noodles with heaps of stir-fry vegetables and a fresh coleslaw. They’re also very nice with rice and steamed greens.
If you’re looking for a lower carb, lower calorie dinner, they’re super delicious with zucchini noodles or in lettuce wraps, too.
If you need more meal ideas, I have an entire post on side dishes for BBQ meatballs!
And if you’re generally curious about what turns meatballs into a meal, I’ve got ideas for sides for all kinds of meatballs in this post.
Now that’s it for sides, let’s chat about making the actual meatballs. It’s not like they’re difficult, but there’s a few tips I want to give you to make sure you don’t run into any issues.
How To Make Korean BBQ Meatballs:
- Start with the meatballs: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix/knead until quite smooth and sticking together. I generally like doing this with a hand mixer because I don’t enjoy doing it with my bare hands. I have step-by-step photos for this in this post on how to make homemade meatballs, if you need them.
- Shape the meatballs using about 1.5 teaspoons of meat mix per meatball. You can freeze them for 10 minutes now to help them firm up. Totally optional, but it helps them to keep a better shape. In the meantime, preheat the oven.
- While the meatballs are freezing/baking, whisk together all sauce ingredients in a large skillet. It’s important to whisk well now, otherwise you’ll end up with a lumpy sauce. Boil until thickened, whisking constantly. This is important, otherwise you could end up with a lumpy sauce.
- Add the baked meatballs to the finished sauce. Carefully toss on low heat until the meatballs are nicely glazed.
P.S: If you’re using a nonstick skillet, you’re going to have to use a silicone whisk like this one on Amazon to keep the skillet’s coating from getting scratched. FYI, I make a commission for purchases made through this link.
FYI, if you like these, you’ll also love my Teriyaki Meatballs. And Honey Garlic Crockpot Meatballs (which you could also make on the stove if time is tight!) – Asian-inspired meatballs for the win!
And keep watching those IG stories of mine – I love every view and DM ❤
Get the printable Korean BBQ Meatballs recipe:
Korean BBQ Meatballs
Recipe details
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- 1 pound lean ground beef turkey or pork work too
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 scallion finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 handful cilantro chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Oil for baking
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1 cup low sodium chicken or beef stock
- 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons runny honey
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon dried garlic powder
- 1-2 scallions finely chopped
Instructions
MAKE THE MEATBALLS:
- Mix the ingredients: Place all ingredients EXCEPT for the oil in a large bowl. Using a handheld mixer, mix very well until everything is evenly incorporated and sticks together. If you don't have a handheld mixer, you'll have to use your hands to knead the ingredients together very well.
- Shape meatballs: Using about 1.5 teaspoons of meat mix per meatball, shape meatballs and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. For a nicer shape, freeze them for 10 minutes (but this is entirely optional! Just for looks).
- Bake meatballs: Preheat the oven to 410°F. Bake the meatballs for 10-12 minutes or until browned and no longer pink in the middle.
WHILE THE MEATBALLS ARE BAKING, MAKE THE SAUCE:
- Whisk all ingredients for the sauce together in a large skillet. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Simmer for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Set aside.
FINISH THE DISH:
- Place the baked meatballs in the skillet with the sauce and put it back over low head. Gently toss the meatballs with the sauce until they're nicely glazed.
Add a Review or Ask a Question