Spicy Sriracha Beef Meatballs (Printable)
Tender beef meatballs with garlic, ginger and Sriracha, glazed with a sweet-spicy sauce and topped with sesame seeds.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
06 - 2 tbsp green onions, finely sliced
07 - 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
08 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
→ For the Glaze
11 - 3 tbsp Sriracha sauce
12 - 2 tbsp honey
13 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
14 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
15 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
→ Garnish
16 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
17 - 2 tbsp green onions, sliced
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger, green onions, Sriracha, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined—do not overwork.
03 - Roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared tray.
04 - Bake for 15–18 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
05 - While meatballs bake, whisk together Sriracha, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 2–3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
06 - Toss the hot meatballs in the glaze until evenly coated.
07 - Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These meatballs hold their shape beautifully while staying tender inside - a trick I learned after many batches of crumbly disasters.
- The glaze creates this perfect balance of sweet and spicy that keeps everyone guessing what the secret ingredients might be.
02 -
- Letting the meat mixture rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before rolling makes the meatballs much easier to form and helps them hold their shape.
- The glaze will thicken considerably as it cools, so if it gets too thick, simply warm it again with a splash of water.
03 -
- Test the seasoning by cooking a tiny portion of the meat mixture before rolling all your meatballs - this lets you adjust salt and spice levels perfectly.
- Brushing a thin layer of glaze on the meatballs halfway through baking, then finishing with a full toss at the end, creates an incredible depth of flavor and beautiful caramelization.