Hoisin Meatballs Recipe: Happy Hour at Home

Updated on May 26th, 2024

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.

Hoisin Meatballs Recipe

Save Recipe Recipe Saved

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

 

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.

 

• Author: Bobby
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: appetizers
• Method: baking
• Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 egg
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Glaze

• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Garnish (optional)

• 1 green onion, sliced, green parts only
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F or 204°C. Prepare a baking sheet or dish with foil and cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, sesame oil, breadcrumbs, ground ginger, eggs, 3 teaspoons minced garlic, Hoisin sauce, and 2 green onions, sliced. Mix together with your hands until well combined.
3. Scoop 3 tablespoons of meat into balls that measure about 1.5 inches in diameter. You can make them bigger or smaller if you are willing to adjust the cooking time.  (you can make them bigger if you want). Place meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into the heated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 145°F or 63°C).
4. While meatballs bake, whisk Hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, 1 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger in a medium bowl. Pour glaze into a saucepan and heat gently over low heat.
5. When meatballs are cooked, add them and the glaze into a large bowl and toss gently. Serve warm and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 469
• Sugar: 8.2 g
• Sodium: 698.7 mg
• Fat: 30.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 22.5 g
• Protein: 23.9 g
• Cholesterol: 129.1 mg