Asian Meatballs

These easy Asian Meatballs are succulent, juicy and smothered with a sticky sauce that pops with vibrant flavors!

They’re super versatile too. Make bowl meals, toss them with Asian noodles, or just stick toothpicks in them for the perfect party appetizer.

If you’ve never made your meatballs in Asian style, you’re gonna wonder what took you so long!

Seriously, who doesn’t love meatballs?

From classic Italian Meatballs to decadent Swedish Meatballs, and even other Asian themed spheres like Sweet and Sour Meatballs and Vietnamese Bun Cha, we can’t get enough!

We LOVE these Asian Meatballs Because They’re:

1. Versatile: They’re great as a main dish, a starter, or a finger food for parties. Plus, we’ll give you a bunch more serving suggestions later in the post.
2. Healthy: Using ground turkey as the main ingredient makes these meatballs leaner. That being said, you can use beef or pork if you prefer.
3. Full of Flavor: These meatballs are packed with sweet, savory, and umami flavors. The Asian-inspired sauce provides a delectable balance that pairs perfectly with the turkey.
4. Easy to Make: Despite their complex flavor profile, these meatballs are surprisingly easy to make. They’re baked, which simplifies the cooking process and allows for an easy cleanup.
5. Great to Make-Ahead: These meatballs are great for meal prep. They can be made ahead, stored in the refrigerator or freezer, and reheated when needed, making them perfect for busy weeknights or sudden guests.
6. All-Age Friendly: The soft texture and balanced flavors make these meatballs a hit with both kids and adults. They are a great way to introduce young ones to new cuisines.
7. Crowd Pleasing: Whether it’s a quiet dinner at home, a festive party, or a potluck, these Asian Baked Ground Turkey Meatballs are sure to be a hit.

Asian Turkey Meatballs

This meatball recipe has two main components:

• Meatballs – Ground turkey, garlic, fresh ginger, egg, panko, soy sauce, cilantro, salt and pepper.
• Sticky sauce – Soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic and sesame oil.

Asian Meatballs Recipe

1. Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for meatballs until well incorporated. Roll the meatballs into 16-20 equal sized meatballs, and arrange them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

2. Bake: Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes at 400°F, or until the meatballs are cooked through and have an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

3. Make the sauce: While the meatballs are baking, combine all sauce ingredients together in a skillet. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Once meatballs are cooked, add them to the sauce and toss until well coated.

Meatball Making Tips

1. Choose the Right Meat: Ground turkey is a great lean choice, but make sure it’s not too lean, or your meatballs could end up dry. A good fat content is important for flavor and moisture. If you can, choose ground turkey that isn’t 100% breast meat.
2. Don’t Overwork the Meat: Mix the ground turkey and other ingredients just until they’re combined. Overworking the mixture can make your meatballs tough.
3. Test the Seasoning: Before you make all your meatballs, cook a small test patty in a pan. Taste it, and adjust your seasoning as needed.
4. Chill: Chilling the meatball mixture makes it easier to form the meatballs.
5. Uniform Size: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to ensure all the meatballs are the same size. This way, they’ll cook evenly.
6. Keep Your Hands Wet: When forming the meatballs, wet your hands with water. This prevents the mixture from sticking and makes forming the balls easier.

Serving Suggestions

As mentioned earlier, they’re great party appetizers. Just serve them with toothpicks and watch your guests gobble them up.

We love them in bowl meals. Fill the bottom of a bowl with rice, then add meatballs along with veggies like carrots, cucumber and edamame.

Top them on your favorite Asian noodles. You can call it Asian spaghetti and meatballs!

You can also make a mighty good Asian themed meatball sub. Add cucumber slices for some crunch.

Flavor Variations

The sticky sauce is the highlight of this dish. That being said, it’s fun to play around!

1. Korean Variation: Incorporate Gochujang (Korean chili paste) for heat and some grated Korean pear for sweetness.
2. Thai Variation: Use fish sauce instead of soy sauce. Swap the cilantro in the meatballs with fresh Thai basil, and give everything a squeeze of lime juice when serving.
3. Japanese Variation: Replace part of the soy sauce with Mirin (Japanese sweet cooking wine) and add a bit of Miso paste for depth.
4. Vietnamese Variation: Use fish sauce instead of soy sauce and add a little bit of finely chopped lemongrass for fragrance.

Leftovers and Storage

Asian baked meatballs are great as leftovers. As they sit for a few days in the refrigerator, all the saucy flavors seep into meatballs, making them extra delicious. Store them in an air tight container for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on stovetop or in the microwave.

You can also freeze the leftovers for 2-3 months in the freezer. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat when ready to serve.

You can even use them as meal prep and make a double batch, and store them in individual meal sized containers.

Whip up these easy Asian meatballs at your next get together, or just your next weeknight dinner. They’re a guaranteed hit!

Make sure to save or pin this recipe so you always know where to find it. Be sure to check our other cracking Ground Turkey Recipes on GypsyPlate, and come back again for all the new flavors coming to you…And don’t forget to subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new recipes for you!

Asian Meatballs, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other great meatball recipes!
Chicken Meatball Noodle Soup
Spanish Meatballs (Albondigas)
Creamy Chicken Meatballs
Meatball Minestrone
Greek Keftedes
Greek Soutzoukakia