Hoisin Meatballs Recipe: Happy Hour at Home

Sticky, sweet meatballs are a party favorite. If you’re having friends over for drinks or to watch the big game, these tangy meatballs will disappear faster than cold beers on a hot day. You can serve them as finger foods, with toothpicks as the utensil. I also like to make them for dinner alongside an Asian slaw or white rice.

Hoisin meatballs: What to expect

• Taste: Hoisin sauce and sesame oil carry the flavors here. Expect sweetness and tanginess combined, like teriyaki flavors.
• Texture: Ground pork has a tenderness to it vs. ground beef. The sauce adds a sticky component that feels very indulgent.
• Foolproof factor: These meatballs are easy to make. Even if you get the ingredient proportions wrong, the flavors and texture will probably still be on point.
• Timing: This recipe will probably take you 25 minutes to prepare.   

Ingredients and how to use them

• Ground pork: The recipe calls for 1 lb of ground pork, which you’ll combine with other ingredients to form the meatballs.
• Sesame oil: You’ll need 1 ½ teaspoons of sesame oil in total. 1 teaspoon goes into the meatball and ½ teaspoon goes into the glaze.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Add ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs into the meatball mixture as a binder.
• Ground ginger: You’ll add ground ginger to the meatball mixture (1/4 teaspoon) and the glaze (1/2 teaspoon) for flavor.
• Egg: One egg added to the meat helps hold the meatballs together and adds moisture.
• Garlic: Two garlic cloves, peeled and minced, provide a punch of flavor. Half the garlic goes into the meat mixture and the other half goes in the glaze.
• Hoisin sauce: This is your headlining ingredient. Add a tablespoon to the meat plus 1/3 cup to the glaze.
• Scallions: You’ll slice two scallions thinly and add them to the meat mixture. You can optionally slice another one, the green part only, and use it as a garnish.
• Rice vinegar: The glaze calls for 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar.
• Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon of soy sauce balances the sweetness and adds complexity to the glaze.
• Toasted sesame seeds: Optionally, you can top your prepared meatballs with toasted sesame seeds.

Equipment needed

You will need:

• Big bowl
• Baking sheet or large baking dish

Optional kitchen tools that will make this recipe easier are:

• Aluminum foil
• Mixing spoon
• Sharp knife
• Meatball scoop

Tips for success

For the best results:

1. Measure your meatballs so they are all the same size. You can use a meatball scoop that measures 3 tablespoons of meat to create a 1.5-inch meatball. You can also use the more common 2-tablespoon scoop and shorten the cook time slightly. Or, if you don’t have a good scoop, you could weigh each ball on a cooking scale. Equally sized meatballs deliver a more consistent result.
2. Use foil on the baking sheet or dish. This makes for easier cleanup.
3. Warm the glaze in a saucepan before tossing the meatballs. This preserves the temperature of the dish.
4. If presentation is important, dip meatballs individually in the glaze. I usually skip this step and toss the meatballs in the sauce in a bowl. You can see my meatballs got a bit misshapen, which is fine by me because they still taste amazing.

More party recipes

• Super Bowl party menus
• Lemon pepper boneless wings
• Chinese sliders
• Grilled jerk chicken wings

This recipe is adapted from GimmeSomeOven.

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