Asian Meatballs

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Asian Meatballs with soy, ginger, cilantro, and Sriracha are easy to make, full fo Asian flavor, and great for leftovers.

224 CAL 11g CARBS 9g FAT 25g PROTEIN
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These Asian Beef Meatballs are packed with flavor and work for so many different dinners. Serve them with fried rice, Asian Noodle Salad, or Healthy Chow Mein.

These simple Asian meatballs (inspired by a Cooking Light article) are a great, simple weeknight meal. Served over teriyaki veggies and rice, this meal is easy and delicious.

The other great thing about these meatballs is that they are super versatile. Make them with ground pork, chicken, or turkey. Serve them as rice bowls or noodle bowls. Add any cooked vegetables, slaw, or salad greens you like.

Or turn this into a super delicious sandwich or lettuce wrap with pickled veggies and herbs. We also love making these Thai Baked Chicken Meatballs.

Asian meatballs with soy sauce, cucumbers, carrots, Daikon, and sesame seeds on lettuce wraps.

Ways to Serve Asian Meatballs

Here's where I challenge you to think about meatballs in a different way. They are not just for topping on pasta. These delicious balls of meat are also great on:

  • Adding to a tortilla, taco-style. (You knew I was going to go there though right?) Make an Asian-inspired taco by adding two or three meatballs (depending on how big they are) to a soft corn or flour tortilla. Top with some shredded cabbage, and sesame seeds for some crunch and then add some Sriracha for a little extra kick.
  • Make an Asian Meatball sub. Layer the meatballs on one side of a sub bun, then top with your favorite toppings. Anything goes here — kimchi, cabbage, pickled vegetables, bok choy — raid your fridge and see what you can come up with. I would eat this cold or warm.
  • Stir fry up some veggies and top with meatballs. It can be that easy!
  • Make up a big batch of this Asian Peanut Slaw and toss in a few meatballs for a delicious, low-calorie dinner. Slaw is just a fancy word for "salad" — it's okay to eat it in bigger portions.
  • Don't make meatballs with this mixture but instead make burgers! You've already got the meat combined, just patty it up a little bigger and grill. Top with anything mentioned above and you've got yourself an amazing Asian burger.
  • Make Asian lettuce wraps with big pieces of romaine. Top with meatballs and your favorite condiments for a low-carb dish.
  • Swap the chicken in this Asian Noodle Salad dish for meatballs.
  • Zoodles! Add meatballs to a big batch of warm Asian Zucchini Noodles. Regret nothing.

Side Dishes to Serve with Asian Meatballs

While you could make a whole meal out of sides (which I do quite often), it's good to include some protein in there to keep you full. If you're already making these meatballs, why not add one of the following side dishes to round out your meal?

  • The Asian Peanut Slaw (linked above) is a great side dish to add to these meatballs.
  • Cauliflower Rice is easy to make, low-carb, nutrient-dense and so easy!
  • I love fried rice, but I love it more when it's good for you, like this Healthy Fried Rice recipe that would go great with meatballs.
  • Grill up a side of vegetables with an Asian-inspired marinade.
  • Have some leftover Asian Meatballs? Add them to this an Asian inspired pasta salad and pack it all up for a healthy work lunch.
  • Love a little crunch with your protein? Try making these Baked Potato Chips for a healthier version of the typically fried potatoes.

Asian beef meatballs on lettuce leaves with chopsticks and a white napkin.

Why Do My Meatballs Fall Apart When Cooking?

Has this ever happened to you? You make the meatballs according to directions, only to have it completely fall apart when you're cooking them? If not, congrats! It's happened to me a lot. So much so that I felt the need to address it here. Usually, they fall apart because they are too dry and not bound together enough or mixed thoroughly. Or they could be too big. The smaller the meatball, the more likely it is to stay together.

If your recipe calls for a "binder" (like an egg) be sure to use it. I didn't feel the need to add one to this recipe because these have enough wet ingredients to hold together quite nicely without the egg. But feel free to add one if you are encountering difficulties.

However, it's important that you follow the directions, mixing up the ingredients before adding the meat. This will ensure your ingredients are thoroughly incorporated into the meat equally. Otherwise, you could end up with a big chunk of ginger here, too much soy there...or even, a messy meatball that falls right apart.

The Recipe
Asian meatballs with cucumbers, pickled carrots, and lettuce wraps.

Asian Meatballs

224 CAL 11g CARBS 9g FAT 25g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 15 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 30 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 lb 95% lean ground beef
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp cilantro, minced
  • 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1/4 cup green onions, minced
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar (or Stevia, honey, coconut sugar)
  • 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (GF if needed)
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha (or other Asian hot sauce)
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil

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Instructions

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1

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2

In a large mixing bowl, mixed together all of the ingredients except the ground beef.

3

Add the ground beef and mix together with your hands until just combined. Then roll out 20 meatballs. They will be about 1-1.5 inches in diameter.

4

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Spray with a touch of cooking spray. Add the meatballs and cook for 4 minutes until browned on all sides.

5

Finish cooking the meatballs in the oven for an additional 7-8 minutes or until cooked through. You can do this by placing your skillet in the oven if it is oven safe. If not, just pour the meatballs into a glass pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray and finish in the oven.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 5 meatballs (152g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 224
Calories from Fat 31
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g
14%
Saturated Fat 3g
15%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 70mg
24%
Sodium 537mg
23%
Total Carbohydrate 11g
4%
Dietary Fiber 0g
2%
Sugars 8g
Protein 25g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
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