Description
These Easy Mongolian Meatballs are a flavorful and simple take on the classic Mongolian style, combining juicy meatballs with a sweet and savory sauce. Perfect as a quick dinner served over rice or noodles, they balance tender ground meat with aromatic ginger and garlic, enhanced by a sticky soy brown sugar glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey for a healthier option)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (plus extra for garnish)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to get it ready for baking the meatballs.
- Mix the meatball ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, finely chopped green onions, milk, egg, garlic powder, ginger powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Form the meatballs. Shape the mixture into meatballs approximately 1 inch in diameter. Place them spaced out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Bake the meatballs. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until browned and cooked through. Use a meat thermometer to verify they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C) for safety.
- Prepare the sauce. While meatballs bake, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, water, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (if using) in a small saucepan. Heat over medium and whisk until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Coat the meatballs. Once baked, transfer the meatballs to a serving dish. Drizzle the prepared sauce over them and gently toss to ensure each meatball is well coated with the savory-sweet glaze.
- Serve and garnish. Serve the Mongolian meatballs warm over steamed rice or noodles. Garnish with additional chopped green onions for fresh color and flavor.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute ground turkey instead of ground beef.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to control the spiciness according to your preference.
- Make sure meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Can be served with steamed vegetables or a side salad for a complete meal.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian, Mongolian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approximately 4 meatballs with sauce)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: Mongolian meatballs, easy meatballs, Asian meatballs, baked meatballs, sweet and savory sauce, ground beef recipe
