Asian Pork Meatballs With Ginger Honey Sauce
These Asian Pork Meatballs With Ginger Honey Sauce are my favorite meatball to make! They are different and delicious and by default, they happen to be gluten-free meatballs too!
Love meatballs as much as I do?? If so, this recipe for Asian Pork Meatballs With Ginger Honey Sauce will become a new family staple!
If you follow my blog and recipes, you know just how much I love a good meatball! I seriously think I could write a cookbook filled with meatballs or write a song about them and sing it proudly...the second of the two would be easier for sure, I'm one that bursts into random songs quite often and somehow the words just flow...just ask my kids!
They say I am like a rapper that way...without the actual rapping skills, one of my few talents haha! I am a little nutty at times!
These pork meatballs are very flavorful, moist, easy to make and will impress anyone who's palate they cross! Peoples minds get blown every time I bring them places and then within a few weeks, they tell me they made them at home! Love that!
When it comes to pork meatballs, I try to not use any filling and that's part of the key of why they are so stinkin' good...in my opinion anyway so because of that, as a bonus these Asian Pork Meatballs With Ginger Honey Sauce are gluten-free!
Table of Contents
How to make
- I call these Asian Meatballs because of the flavor profile created by the ingredients I use. These are simple to make, all you need to do is combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl.
- I like to let the flavors develop for 30-60 minutes before I roll them into balls so I cover the mixture and place it in the refrigerator.
- Making the Ginger Honey Sauce is simple as well. The only time-consuming part is frying the meatballs in a pan.
- The larger the pan the better. You will have to do this in batches. You do not want to crowd these meatballs. Their delicious flavor comes in part from the crispy exterior, so oven cooking only is not recommended by me for this meatball recipe.
- Make extra sauce too, most people who have made this recipe want more sauce, so double it.
These are gluten free meatballs?
In my opinion, these meatballs do not need breadcrumbs. Just be gentle when you fry them up. Allowing them to set up in the refrigerator as formed meatballs is key. It holds together just fine without them. To stretch them further you can add in some breadcrumbs if you wish.
Can I freeze these meatballs?
- Yes, you can freeze these meatballs raw once you form them into balls (simple line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and freeze balls for 90 minutes, then transfer them to freezer containers or to freezer bags).
- You can also freeze them when they are cooked. Make the sauce the day you decide to enjoy the meatballs.
- Note: I am not a fan of frozen meats, no matter what I do, even using a vacuum sealer ice crystals will always form inside of the meat. Freezing raw meat will result in sharp crystals of ice forming within the meat which cause fibers to break down and some of the meat's natural flavors to escape once thawed. Which is why you always see liquid once thawed.
Tips
- The recipe as written was for just a bit of sauce. Just enough to glaze the meatballs. I now often double or even triple the sauce since people enjoy it so much.
- Allow the mixture to hang out for 30 minutes if you can to allow flavors to build.
- When cooking any meatball, always cookoff a small patty to taste before forming meatballs. That way you can TASTE it and decide if your seasoning was on point and adjust if necessary. You can't fix lack of flavor after its been cooked. (Same goes for burgers and meatloaf).
Meatball recipes you may enjoy
I wasn't kidding when I said I-love-meatballs!
Originally posted February 2014, updated May 2024.
Enjoy! XO - Colleen
Asian Pork Meatballs
Ingredients
- For The Meatballs
- 1 ½ pounds ground pork
- 2 TBS minced sweet or red onion
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- ½ TBS sesame oil
- Kosher salt & pepper
- Ginger Garlic Sauce
- 3 TBS sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 TBS minced ginger
- 1 ½ TBS rice wine vinegar
- 2 TBS honey
- 1-2 TBS Chili with Garlic Sauce depends on how much you enjoy heat
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- For Meatballs:
- Combine all ingredients together and form balls. They will be wet. It's fine, just get them to hold together. Place on a baking sheet until ready to cook.
- When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Use a small amount of olive or grapeseed oil (2-3 TBS or so) to fry the meatballs until nicely browned. Place on a baking sheet and bake another 10 minutes until cooked through.
- For Spicy Ginger-Honey Sauce
- In a frying pan with sides, combine sesame oil, garlic and ginger and saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add in vinegar, honey and chili with garlic sauce and bring to a boil. Add in cornstarch and whisk until combined and thickened. Taste & adjust. Place meatballs in your pan, coat with sauce, garnish with cilantro leaves (if you like)and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Updated August 29, 2019.
Looks delicious! It's perfect for us that they are gluten free too. Will have to try this soon!
Thanks and enjoy!!
Hello I'm actually making these right now! I'm a little confused because in your article before the recipe it says you let the meat mixture sit for an hour in the fridge before forming into balls. Then later it says letting them set in the fridge as formed meatballs is key. Do you put them in the fridge both times? If so for how long after they are formed into balls?
Do you serve these with rice or what?
You totally could, with Basmati, that would be perfect. We just eat them as is with a salad or on a roll. Or mini as an app.
I'm literally obsessed with meatballs of all types! love these!!
Oh gosh, these look SO good! Pass the plate!!!
What is the green garnish? cilantro? parsley?
Cilantro. I love it....my husband hates it, lol! He can taste a single leaf in something. He has THAT genetic predisposition for sure!
me too -- was hoping it would be parsley 🙂 To me, cilantro has an "aluminum" taste and I avoid it. We'll make some with and I'll pull out a few for myself to make w/o. Thanks!
My daughter loves meatballs, hates burgers. I can't win! But these meatballs would be a great addition to our rotation. MY husband loves the heat, but me not so much. We'd have to compromise on the chili pepper sauce.
I made my own out of Anaheim Peppers to knock back the heat but keep that pepper flavor!
How awesome that they're naturally gluten-free! I've never had any Asian meatballs. Time to change that, I see! 🙂
My kids both love meatballs, but especially when I made it Asian style! These look great, Colleen!
I can tell just by looking at them just how delicious your Asian pork meatballs are. I can't wait to try these and I know my husband will love them too. Pinning!
I do love me some meatballs - I have a whole pinterest board dedicated to them (which these are going on)! Awesome flavors in the sauce, too.
I do too! I am so checking yours out!
If my boys had their way, we'd eat meatballs 3 to 4 times per week. I'm always looking for new ways to prepare them. The garlic ginger sauce sounds so good! I'll definitely be putting this into the meatball rotation. I may even rap a little myself!
I like how they think! And sing it girl!
Those look like some of the most flavourful meatballs I've ever seen!
Awww, thanks!!! They really are delicious!
Oh my goodness. I need these in my life, like, now! Drooling!
Girl! My husband would devour these! Meatballs are so good when they're homemade and these look great. That sauce looks perfect too!
I know meatballs are often thought of a great appetizer but I would seriously eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Plus all that flavor you have packed into these babies are making me crazy (in a good way!) Please pass the whole pan my way 🙂
These meatballs sound delightful! What a great flavor combination.
That looks AMAZING!
These sound delish! And easy! I like the heat and so does my hubby, extra chili sauce for us! I can't wait! Thanks!!
My kinda taste buds! Enjoy!!
This is a seriously amazeball recipe! The sauce is sooooo yummy. I made my balls small for my toddler too. Im going to double the sauce next time!
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thank you! So glad you and your family are enjoying the recipe, and yes...the sauce IS good!
can i sub beef for pork? tia
You could however you may need a bit of a bonding ingredient like some breadcrumbs and maybe 1-2 TBS milk or 1/2 an egg. The pork just gives such an interesting flavor. If you d try it, with beef I'd love to know how it goes.
Hi, I found your recipe and your photos sold me! Made it last night and it was delicious. I put the recipe up on my site and linked back to you. Hope that's fine - please let me know if not. Cheers, Deb
Hi, thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I made these last night and my husband liked them so much and already asked me to make them again.
Not only are they tasty but so simply and easy to make. Thank you!
Yay!! SO good to hear!
I made these today. They are restaurant quality delicious! I added a bit a fresh squeezed orange juice to the sauce while. Served Thai jasmine rice. Amazing
Wonderful and yum! Love the addition of orange!
These are absolutely delicious!! These have become the most favorite menu at home.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Thanks so much for letting me know! Love hearing that!
These were awesome! Saved half to let marinade over night in the sauce. Plan to drop them into some gingery garlicky broth with some nappa cabbage and cilantro. Thanks for the recipe.
I'd like to make these tomorrow for a party on Friday... Will they be ok to warm and serve the next day?
Thanks!
We made these with 2 tablespoons of chili sauce, but the sauce was still lacking heat for our taste. We added a tablespoon of chili paste to it and then they were delicious!
Mmmm, bacon would be good! I have a recipe on here from Chicken & Bacon Meatballs. I am going to make these as burgers this week. Hoping they come out just as good! Those Kebabs do look good! Like a Lamb Kofta, mmm!
Just finished making these, and they are awesome. This is a must try recipe, you will not be disappointed.
Thanks Patricia! They are one of my family/friends favorites!
How much sauce did you get in the end? I’ve done something wrong because there’s not much sauce to sit them in?
I made these delicious morsels this morning using ground chicken. I did need a bit of bread crumbs and 1 egg to hold together but them held nicely. The sauce alone is to die for!!
I'm actually scared I'll become a kitchen slave to make these little gems night after night if I introduce my family to them. There so good.
Thanks for the comment! You just might, people ask me to make these often...I actually just turned them into a burger...which you can see here - https://soufflebombay.com/2017/05/asian-burgers-ginger-honey-glaze-burgermonth.html They did not disappoint!! Now I'm hungry just thinking about it, lol!
It was very delicious and other than adding chopped water chestnuts, I followed recipe to the letter. I didn't give it 5 stars b/c of the "messy" factor. Did not like having to pan fry then bake. Can we not skip the pan browning and just bake it longer?
HI,
I think what gives these pork meatballs such good flavor is the browning from pan frying, that crispness is delicious. I am sure you could simply bake them, I just have not made them that way. if you do try it that way, let me know how they turn out. Thanks for the comment!
Hi, can I omit the sesame oil and use just plain oil?
Hi Betty,
You could, it would just lack the flavor that sesame oil imparts. If you do substitute use olive oil or grapeseed oil (not vegetable oil).
Hi! Where do I get the ingredient "chili with garlic sauce"? What is that?
Hi Melissa, I get it at my local supermarkets in the "ethnic" aisle by the Mexican and Asian Food products. It is in a clear jar with a green lid and white writing. THIS is the best ingredient for so many things! Here is a link to it on Amazon so you can see what it looks like - https://www.amazon.com/Chili-Garlic-Sauce-Huy-Fong/dp/B000Z4JISQ
Hi, I am preparing to make these meatballs. I have everything except the rice wine vinegar. I have red wine vinegar, white vinegar and apple cider vinegar. Would any of these be suitable replacements?
Hi Daniel, The white wine vinegar will work just fine. Hope you enjoy!
Nice post, very interesting, thank you, james is right http://chefclub.stream has great stuff about asian recipe too but your style is definetely better.
Thanks Leonard!
Hi they look delicious!-can I substitute the pork for Turkey? But we are paleo..
I would think so, let me know how it goes.
I made these for a quick weeknight dinner with rice and steamed broccoli. They were SO good! I will definitely be making them again soon, and will probably even add them into my regular rotation. I'd also like to see if I could tweak the recipe to make a big batch in the crock pot for a crowd. But this recipe is so perfect as written.
I was pleasantly surprised with how well these held together with none of the traditional "binding" ingredients I normally see in meatball recipes, like egg or milk.
I made your meatballs tonight, they were so yummy. I MADE Indian fry bread, split them, and put the meatball inside, with the sauce. Oh My!
I made these today and yum! I served it with fresh green beans and water chestnuts. I would make more sauce next time.
These were really yummy. My only complaint is there is not enough sauce. I will double it next time.
Glad to year. I double it as well sometimes.
Curious why you fry and then bake them. I made them last night~ fried then poured a store bought sauce and done. They were delicious.
I like the crisp exterior and then pop them in the oven to make sure they are cooked through. You can also cook them through in the sauce if you make extra. I have not made these with red sauce, glad to hear it tasted good! Thanks for the update!!
Hi Colleen
I’m going to try and make these tonight, however I can’t eat anything spicy. Is there a non spicy substitute I could use in place of the chilli garlic sauce mentioned in the sauce ingredients? I did consider just omitting it, but I don’t know if I could get the same result with a non spicy substitute?
Thank you in advance for your help
Hmmm, you can use less. That way you get the depth of flavor without much heat, Or maybe just use 1 TBS minced garlic mixed with white wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar and salt? That should do it.
Yum! You had me at gluten free. I was looking for a pork meat ball recipe to do something with ground black bear. Yes, bear. I was stumped but thought that pork would be a good compliment and I could wrap my head around the idea better. Really tasty. Used 2 pounds of 1:1 mix and upped your ingredients proportionally. Served these at a game night here that also featured venison in a garlic marinade. A little weird for me after decades vegetarian!
A package of ground pork from a local farm is thawing for the next batch, bear-free!
Really!! I have never tasted bear, and have limited experience with venison (however just had a venison chili that was amazing...mixed with a bit of other meats as well). Thanks for letting me know!
What could i use instead of rice wine vinegar?
You can use apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar instead.
I made a double batch of these delicious meatballs for a Potluck we attended. Several restaurant owners, one well known chef , two caterers and lots of foodies in attendance. Everyone raved about them.
These meatballs were the hit of the day and I was the star of the moment. Great recipe. Didn't have to add the thickening agent since I used honey from my hives that is thicker and bonded with the other ingredients perfectly.
Super great recipe and very easy. Thank you!!
Fantastic to hear! And don't you just love that?? When what you bring somewhere is "the" hit! I know I do! YOu raise bees?? That is SO cool!! #goals
Meatballs totally fell apart without some sort of binder to hold them together. A single egg would solve this problem, otherwise it’s a pretty silly oversight.
Sorry to hear that, I never use egg with the particular recipe since I don't use breadcrumbs for this one. The pork is wet enough and holds up well after chilling when gently pan sauteed. You are the first to say they fell didn't work out.
These were excellent and exactly what I was I was looking for for my extra pound of ground pork. I followed the recipe exactly for the meatballs, but realized I was out of chili sauce with garlic, so I had to substitute sriracha for the sauce. Still delicious. Thanks so much!
Wonderful!! Glad to hear!
Meatballs are my favorite food. I am always on the lookout for the new recipes to add variety. This will do just fine!
Hope you love these!
Hey there,
I made these tonight and loved them but had something strange happen to my sauce. All ingredients except the oil binded together and formed this weird hard mass. Any idea what went wrong? Thanks so much.
That is so odd, I really have no idea. I am assuming no substitutions correct? I have made this many times and never had anything other than a glistening sauce.
These are absolutely amazing! I made the recipe to the letter... perfect heat if you like it medium-ish.
Great to hear Nanci! They are always a hit when I make them!
These were very tasty! However, I thought they did lack moisture and would want to tweak it next time with maybe a milk and bread component. Another thought are grated onion with its juices. I included green onion inside the balls in lieu of the cilantro on top. Also, I thought the sauce was too sweet, so I added a good amount of tamari. Overall, very yummy base recipe!
Hi Colleen, These sound delicious… and very Vietnamese inspired- yum. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Colleen- excited to these for a party! Can you freeze the sauce? Just looking to whatever prep in advance as possible?
I have never frozen the sauce. Hope they turned out well for you.
I made these for dinner last night, and they turned out very tasty! My only issue was that the recipe for the sauce didn't yield very much. I had to quadruple the recipe to make them saucy. I also added a little bit of tamari (to keep it gluten free) to the sauce for a little bit of extra flavor. Overall, really great recipe!
Hi Meg, Glad you enjoyed them! I d say that in my post, that the recipe as written has a small amount of sauce. And often I double or triple the sauce ingredients. Just depends on how much sauce a person enjoys. I've often thought about changing the ingredients to double the sauce.
HI there,
Looking to make these for my lunch for the week! Can I just ask approx how many meatballs does this recipe make?
thanks!
This recipe looks delicious! Approximately, how many meatballs in the recipe? Thank you.
Thanks! Really depends on the pork package (running over or under the weight) as well as the size meatball you roll. Since there is no filler, I'd say approximately 12 meatballs. Hope you enjoy!
Wow. These were delicious! I don't like any kind of meatball, but I really did like these! Thank you! I'm just curious what to serve them with. Steamed vegetables and rice?
Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Kelli, great to hear that! YOu can serve with sticky rice like a Jasmine or plain white rice (make 3x the sauce so the rice can have a bit). I also like serving with steamed green beans. You could also turn this into a fun sandwich nestling the balls onto shredded coleslaw (and maybe a handful of thin jalapenos slices). Toss the slaw with either some of the sauce first or use a sesame ginger dressing or something similar to toss it with. This would be yummy
Have you or anyone made these, and held warm in a crockpot? Spinds great for a appetizer! Thanks
I have not had them in a crockpot, I typically use a very large nonstick pan and cook them just before serving (at my home or where I am visiting) I can't see why they wouldn't work in a crockpot...You may just want to add some breadcrumbs if you are going to do that since these are a bit delicate without them. Just thinking about them being stirred in the crockpot and possible falling apart without them. Let me know how it goes.
Hi!
Can I just bake them completely instead of frying them? If so, what temp would I bake them on,
Thanks so much!
You could, but remember pork can dry out quickly. I would bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes ago from there. I do like the crisp outside from pan-frying as well. Good luck!
I had a little bit of trouble keeping my meatballs together, but it worked out. Taking the advice from other comments, I increased the amounts for the sauce and it was delicious. Even though I dirtied a lot of dishes I'll make this again.
Great Emme! Yes these are delicate since there is no filler. I always double or triple the sauce...I should just go ahead and up the sauce ingredients. Thanks for the reminder!
What garlic sauce . . . .? Do you have to add
Chili with garlic sauce is one of my favorite ingredients (I find it in the Asian section of the grocery store). Here is a link to what it looks like. You could sub garlic and some sriracha. https://amzn.to/358efMv
Can I make this recipe and use it as stuffed peppers?
As the filling for stuffed peppers? If so, I can't see why not!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made them a couple of months ago, my son devoured them. I am making them again tonight for New Years. Have a safe and Happy New Year!
Glad to hear! These are a NYE staple for me!
These were sooo delicious! I am a HUGE fan!
For the meatballs, I free styled added 2-3 spring onions and coriander powder too - held together with 2 tbsp of flour.
For the sauce, I didn’t have chilli and garlic sauce so I did extra garlic + sriracha!!!
Everyone commented on how divine these meatballs were and how they could eat them for every meal. Thanks for the recipe. These are going to be a regular occurrence now.
LOVE hearing this!! Thanks for the comment & the stars!!
Hi,
Is the sesame oil GRILLED sesame oil or just plain? Does it make a difference? I have grilled sesame oil.
Thanks
Just a plain bottle of sesame oil for the Asian foods aisle at the grocery store. They typically have a few brands.
Great receipe’s can’t wait to try them
Thanks Patty and enjoy!
I also added like a tablespoon of sautéed garlic, onions and oregano instead of using onion powder ! 🙂 and please visit us: https://www.beckandbulow.com
Mmmmm!
This Asian Pork Meatball is so delicious and very flavorful. I used Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Tamari Soy Sauce for an added twist of flavor. Yummy! Best paired with my favorite Vita Sugar Cane Flavor Vita Juice.
I liked these for the flavor, but I wished there was more sauce because they seemed dry when served with rice and a vegetable. I would have liked to make it more saucy so that I could coat the rice and veg with it as well. I was going to add water or soy sauce but I didn't dare.
Glad you enjoyed. As I point out in tips if you enjoy sauce or want sauce for rice/veg, double or triple recipe 🙂
Kind of a silly question but......when you say ground pork, is that something different than ground sausage? I haven't been to the grocery yet and may could answer this on my own when I do go, but just thought I would ask...
Yes, you can find ground pork (which isn't sausage...not seasonings added and less fat). Typically in square packages near the pork. Hatfield and Smithfield make it.
I made the sauce last night to dress up some purchased pre-made chicken/pork meatballs. An excellent easy supper. I air-fried the frozen meatballs to heat them up and give them some texture, then mixed them into the sauce. It's an excellent sauce, but I did add soy sauce to accent the flavor. Served with rice and stir-fried green beans, yummy!
This goes on our go-to list and I'll make the meatballs next time, too, probably. Thanks for a very useful, tasty and workable recipe!
Awesome Carolyn!!
So easy and delicious. The kids loved it
Fantastic!!
where do you get ginger garlic sauce? Is there a particular brand that you use?
I didn't have any rice, so I used stir fry noodles & tossed in a handful of cashews. YUM.
In the Asian section of your grocer. I have a TikTok on how to make it as well. Here is a link to one on Amazon so you can see. https://amzn.to/3XVGbhW (This is my favorite brand) Prices are still a bit higher at the moment from the shortage that affected this and Sriracha in 2022.
What is the chilli with garlic sauce. Do you make it yourself or is it something already made ?
Either. It is wonderful! I use in in so many marinades and sauces! Find it in the Asian food section of your grocer or on Amazon - here is a link so you can see it - there are a few brands. This one is my favorite. https://amzn.to/4duIGwc
Made this and found it to be really tasty and moist! Great recipe! Thx so much!
Wonderful!