Spicy Asian Meatballs
These spicy Asian Meatballs are great as an appetizer, or you can serve them with jasmine rice and vegetables for a complete meal!
Since I have started working from home there have been a lot of things that have changed around here. Some of the changes have been good, like our house. It is now spotless. All of the time. That is not a humble brag by any means, but I have found that I am not productive if my environment isn’t in order. Actually, it makes a ton of sense. At my office job, my desk was always neat and clean and things had to be put away. It’s just how I work best.
And some of the changes are not so good. We are going through coffee like you wouldn’t believe it. Since I’m here all day I find myself heading to the coffee maker a little too often. And I am fighting going stir crazy just a little bit!
But the best part of my new job is that date night has reappeared. Before, life was a little hectic. We had opposite work schedules and the very limited time we did have I usually needed to spend working on the website. Now, there is balance. And balance is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
We had a date night where we stayed in rented some great movies and I made a nice dinner and opened a bottle of Crios Rosé of Malbec wine. Talk about a great way to unwind!
For dinner, I made these Spicy Asian Meatballs. These meatballs are super addictive. They are baked and then simmered in a spicy Asian sauce that includes toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, sriracha and honey. While the meatballs simmered in the sauce, I whipped up some jasmine rice and sautéed a few vegetables to make it a full meal, but you could definitely enjoy these meatballs on their own or as an appetizer.
I paired our Asian-style meatballs with Crios Rosé of Malbec because the flavor notes pair very well with the spicy meatballs.
If you have never tried Crios Wines, they are family-owned by Susana Balbo, Argentina’s leading and most innovative winemaker. The story behind this company is very unique, Crios means “offspring” in Spanish, and was created by Susana to honor her son Jose, and daughter, Ana.
Crios Wines are harvested from specific areas in Mendoza and Salta in Argentina, where grapes are optimal for the fruit-forward style of Crios. Crios Wines have a background behind each wine, with an inspirational message that also represents either a milestone in Susana’s personal and professional life or the story about how the wine was made.
The Crios Rosé of Malbec has an inspirational message to look at life differently. The story that inspired this wine is when Susana Balbo revolutionized the face of Malbec by taking a classic red wine and imagining something new.
It is a one-of-a-kind dry wine filled with notes of wild strawberry, red cherry, and hints of spice. It is vibrant, dry and full-bodied. It pairs perfectly with roasted chicken and spicy Asian foods, like these meatballs!
Just in case date night needs to make a reappearance in your home, I’ve got you covered!
Ingredients in Asian Meatballs
The ingredients list for these Asian-style meatballs is simple:
- Ground pork
- Chili garlic sauce
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Honey
- Sesame oil
- Sriracha
How to Make Asian Meatballs
Making homemade meatballs is simpler than you may think! Here are the basic steps for making the Asian meatballs and the spicy Asian sauce:
- Combine the ground pork, chili garlic sauce, breadcrumbs and garlic and mix until completely combined.
- Roll into golf ball-sized balls with your hands and place on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake until they are cooked through.
- In a mixing cup, combine all the ingredients for the Asian meatball sauce.
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat and place the meatballs in the skillet. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and cover, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Can I Use Another Ground Meat?
Yes! You can also make this recipe as Asian turkey meatballs (I bet ground chicken would work too!).
Can I Freeze These Meatballs?
Definitely! You can roll and freeze the raw meatballs and cook them off later, or you can make the entire recipe as written and freeze the meatballs once cooked. To thaw, place in oven (from frozen) and bake at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through.
Tips for Making Asian-Style Meatballs
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and soy sauce.
- You can adjust the spicy Asian sauce as you see fit. Add more sriracha for a spicier sauce, and use less for a milder sauce.
- This recipe is great for meal prep! You can gently reheat the meatballs, veggies, and rice in the microwave throughout the week.
More Easy Asian Dinners:
- Chili Garlic Salmon and Broccoli Bowls
- Asian Steak Rolls
- Spicy Kung Pao Chicken
- Keto Sesame Chicken Stir-Fry
- Teriyaki Pork with Pineapple and Peppers
Get the Recipe: Spicy Asian Meatballs
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground pork, ground chicken or turkey will also work
- 2 teaspoons sweet chili garlic sauce
- 1/2 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic
For the Spicy Asian Sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons sriracha, just use one if you prefer a mild taste
- sesame seeds and red pepper flakes to taste, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Combine the ground pork, chili garlic sauce, bread crumbs and garlic in a medium size mixing bowl and mix until completely combined.
- Roll into golf ball size balls with your hands and place on a greased baking sheet. This made 16 meatballs for me.
- Bake 30 minutes or until they are cooked through.
- In a mixing cup combine all the ingredients for the sauce and microwave for 30 seconds and stir to make sure the honey has dissolved.
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat and place the meatballs in the skillet, pour the sauce over the meat balls and cover, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes if desired.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
What a fun and easy weeknight dinner! Love that you served these with rice 🙂
Thank you Medha!
This sounds like the perfect date night Annie! I feel like I’m constantly in a battle with the dishes, and the laundry, and the dust…one day I’ll get it all in check! 🙂 I need put these meatballs on our menu – they’re so our style!
I like to make a batch of meatballs and stick them in the freezer! It is so nice for busy nights!
These would be a huge hit in my house. My husband loves anything spicy!
Mine too! Thanks Jen!
I am a meatball addict and these babies look beyond perfect! Sticky, spicy and seriously delicious! I would and WILL eat these as a meal! Glad you are enjoying working from home (minus the excess coffee consumption) and made time for a date night – I can imagine these went over excellently! Cheers and thanks for sharing the YUM! 😉
Oh YUM. These meatballs with that delicious Crios wine sound amazing! I love the description of the food pairings for that varietal and definitely need to try it next!
Oh these meatballs would be perfect for date night! The wine sounds delicious with the Spicy Asian flavors!
Sounds like a perfect evening! Those meatballs look fantastic! I love anything spicy!
Those meatballs look amazing! I’m with you on the drinking too much coffee when at home. Once I stayed home with the kids we started going through it at an alarming rate – it’s just too easy to head for a cup of coffee way more often when you’re home all day! 🙂