Pork Recipe Ideas is an Amazon Associate and may receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links.
Whip up an incredibly easy, delicious, ultra-flavorful dinner with my Korean Meatball Recipe! These easy meatballs take under an hour and come together with a delicious, one-step homemade bulgogi sauce for an explosion of sweet and tangy flavor.
Jump to:
Korean Meatball Recipe
One of my favorite types of meals are the ones I barely need to think about at all. When I'm tired and the week has been hard, what I want is a warm, flavorful, satisfying meal everyone will love- that WON'T put me in the kitchen for hours.
That's where these incredible Korean pork balls come in. With simple ingredients and even simpler steps, all I need to do is whip up the meatballs, put on the rice cooker, and dinner is served. It's so easy, I can't help but top it off with extra sauce and steamed vegetables!
And the best part is, pork meatballs are budget friendly by using pork vs. more expensive beef, and make-ahead friendly by letting you easily cook up a bunch of meatballs to defrost at any time. It's a win-win!
Pork Meatballs Ingredients
- Ground pork
- (Optional) Ground beef
- Egg
- Panko
- Bulgogi Sauce
Homemade Bulgogi Sauce Ingredients
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Sesame oil
- Apple juice
- Green onions
Note: The ground beef is optional! You can use all pork or half beef and half pork depending on the flavor profile you like the most!
How to Make Ground Pork Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, and panko, and mix them together for 30-40 seconds. Don't over-mix!
- Cover the bowl in plastic wrap, then let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Set the oven to preheat to 425°F. Remove the meat mixture from the fridge, and roll the meat into 1" balls, setting each one on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the interior temperate reaches 165°F minimum.
- Remove the meatballs and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine all bulgogi ingredients in a bowl and whisk well.
- Toss the meatballs in the bulgogi sauce, then serve over rice and enjoy!
Pork Meatball Recipe Tips
- You can also use a beef and pork blend for this recipe! Adding in beef will adjust the flavor, so use what you prefer. The panko and egg will keep the recipe nice and tender no matter what!
- Make sure to use panko, not breadcrumbs. If you need to, you can also use white bread soaked in milk and torn into small pieces.
- Don't over-mix the meat. Just mix it for 30-40 seconds, then form it into balls. Over-mixing makes the meat dense and tough!
- The most important part of this recipe is really the bulgogi! I love making my own so I can adjust the flavors, but feel free to use your favorite jarred sauce, too.
- I like serving this meatballs over rice with a topping of Kimchi Mayo! Just blend together equal parts of kimchi and quality mayonnaise for this delicious sauce!
- Extra meatballs can easily be stored either fully cooked or raw in the freezer.
Korean Meatball FAQ
Korean meatballs are simple pork meatballs made from ground pork, egg for binding, panko for filler, and bulgogi sauce! The bulgogi is the key ingredient that gives these meatballs their unique flavor, inspired by Korean cuisine.
Meatballs can be cooked many ways, depending on what appliances you have access to. Crock pots, air fryers, ovens, and skillets are all excellent ways to cook meatballs. I like to bake them on a sheet pan for even cooking and a nice crisp crust.
Korean BBQ sauce, or bulgogi, is made from soy sauce, apple juice, sugar, and seasonings like ginger and sesame. This sweet and savory mix makes for a delicious sauce on any meat or vegetable and is just thick and sticky enough to bind well to the surface of whatever it's cooked with.
Asian Pork Meatballs Dietary Substitutions
- Gluten Free: For easy gluten free pork meatballs, swap out the panko for gluten free panko. For gluten free bulgogi, swap the soy sauce out for tamari.
- Soy Free: Swap the soy sauce out for your favorite soy-free soy sauce, or coconut aminos! Just be warned that coconut aminos are very sweet, so reduce the sugar by half.
- Egg Free: Replace the egg in the meatballs with 4 tablespoons of plain yogurt.
Ground Pork Recipes
Did you enjoy this recipe? Try more of my best pork recipes, and leave a comment and rating below! We love to hear from you.
Save the Pin! 📍
Did you enjoy this recipe? Share it on Pinterest!📖 Recipe
Korean Meatballs
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Small mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
Pork Meatball Ingredients
- 2 lb Ground pork
- 1 large Egg beaten
- ½ cup Panko
- 1 cup Bulgogi sauce see below
Bulgogi Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup Soy sauce
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 3 cloves Garlic crushed
- 1 inch Fresh ginger grated
- 1½ Tablespoons Sesame oil
- ¾ cup Apple juice or pear juice
- 3 Green onions finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, and panko, and mix them together for 30-40 seconds. Don't over-mix!2 lb Ground pork, 1 large Egg, ½ cup Panko
- Cover the bowl in plastic wrap, then let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Set the oven to preheat to 425°F. Remove the meat mixture from the fridge, and roll the meat into 1" balls, setting each one on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the interior temperate reaches 165°F minimum.
- Remove the meatballs and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine all bulgogi ingredients in a bowl and whisk well.1 cup Soy sauce, 1 cup Brown sugar, 3 cloves Garlic, 1 inch Fresh ginger, 1½ Tablespoons Sesame oil, ¾ cup Apple juice, 3 Green onions
- Toss the meatballs in the bulgogi sauce, then serve over rice and enjoy!1 cup Bulgogi sauce
Notes
- You can also use a beef and pork blend for this recipe! Adding in beef will adjust the flavor, so use what you prefer. The panko and egg will keep the recipe nice and tender no matter what!
- Make sure to use panko, not breadcrumbs. If you need to, you can also use white bread soaked in milk and torn into small pieces.
- Don't over-mix the meat. Just mix it for 30-40 seconds, then form it into balls. Over-mixing makes the meat dense and tough!
- The most important part of this recipe is really the bulgogi! I love making my own so I can adjust the flavors, but feel free to use your favorite jarred sauce, too.
- I like serving this meatballs over rice with a topping of Kimchi Mayo! Just blend together equal parts of kimchi and quality mayonnaise for this delicious sauce!
- Extra meatballs can easily be stored either fully cooked or raw in the freezer.
Nutrition
» About Me
- Carnitas Tacos - October 5, 2023
- Korean Meatballs - September 28, 2023
- Pork Carnitas Recipe - September 21, 2023
Comments
No Comments