Makdob

Teriyaki Meatballs: a kitchen method

Teriyaki meatballs served over a bed of steamed rice and garnished with sesame seeds.
Teriyaki meatballs served over a bed of steamed rice and garnished with sesame seeds.

These straightforward teriyaki meatballs are coated in a sweet and savory sauce that’s always a crowd pleaser. This recipe can be on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes, making it reliable for busy nights!

Meatballs are always a hit in my house. When I need straightforward and kid friendly dinner recipes, I often make cheesy meatballs,meatball soup, or these unfussy teriyaki meatballs.

Teriyaki meatballs served over a bed of steamed rice and garnished with sesame seeds.

Some days I find myself scrambling to put dinner on the table. I like to keep my pantry and freezer well stocked for those days, which is where this teriyaki meatballs recipe comes into play. The recipe uses frozen meatballs paired with kitchen-made sauce for a tasty meal that everyone is sure to love. You can also serve these meatballs with toothpicks as a saory appetizer option.

Teriyaki Meatballs Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need frozen meatballs, soy sauce, water, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, cornstarch, sesame seeds and green onions.

How Do You Make Teriyaki Meatballs?

Bake the meatballs according to package directions. While the meatballs are in the oven, make the sauce. Place the soy sauce, water, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil in a pan, and bring it to a simmer. When the sugar is dissolved, bring the sauce to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with cold water, then whisk it into the sauce. When the sauce starts to thicken, it’s ready to use. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, then serve.

Meatballs topped with homemade sauce and sesame seeds.

Tips For The Reliable Dish

  • If you prefer to make your own meatballs, mix together in a bowl 1 pound of ground beef with 1 egg, 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons minced onion, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls, then broil the meatballs for 8-10 minutes or until browned.
  • The kitchen-madeteriyaki sauce will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so feel free to make it in advance.
  • Serve your meatballs over sushi rice, brown rice, or when I’m really in a hurry I grab frozen prepared rice from the grocery store. You can also serve a veggie on the side such as sauteed cabbage, Asian cucumber salad, or roasted green beans.

Quick Tip

Leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat the dish in a pan on the stove.

Recipe FAQs

Does teriyaki sauce go on before or after cooking?

Teriyaki sauce contains sugar, so it’s better to add teriyaki sauce after you cook your food. If you add it before you cook your food, the sauce could burn before the meat is done cooking.

Should I fry or bake meatballs?

I prefer to bake meatballs versus fry them. Meatballs contain fat because they are made with beef, so I don’t feel like they need the extra fat from frying. I also bake meatballs because you can fit a lot more meatballs on a sheet pan in the oven than you can in a pan on the stove, so baking tends to be faster because you don’t need to work in batches.

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Teriyaki sauce spooned over a pile of meatballs on a bed of rice.

Flavor Variations

This recipe is great as-is, but you can customize some of the flavors to your tastes.

  • Protein: I typically use beef meatballs with this recipe, but chicken meatballs or turkey meatballs also work great.
  • Vegetables: Add some vegetables to the pan when you bake your meatballs. Some great options that are quick cooking include broccoli, green beans or mushrooms.
  • Flavorings: Feel free to add extra flavorings to the sauce. Some great options include rice vinegar, red pepper flakes or sriracha. You can also use chopped cilantro or chives instead of green onions.

I make teriyaki meatballs on a regular basis. They’re fast, tasty and my kids enjoy them too!

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen These easy teriyaki meatballs are coated in a sweet and savory sauce that's always a crowd pleaser. This recipe can be on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy nights!These straightforward teriyaki meatballs are coated in a sweet and savory sauce that’s always a crowd pleaser. This recipe can be on the dinner table in less than 30 minutes, making it reliable for busy nights! Time Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes

Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Serves 5

Ingredients

  • 18 ounces frozen meatballs
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions

For the sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

  1. Bake the meatballs according to package directions.
  2. While the meatballs are in the oven, prepare the sauce.
  3. Place the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey and sesame oil in a small pot over medium high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Turn up heat to high and bring to a boil.
  4. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and boil for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
  5. Remove the meatballs from the oven. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions and serve.

Notes

  1. If you prefer to make your own meatballs, mix together 1 pound of ground beef with 1 egg, 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons minced onion, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls, then broil the meatballs for 8-10 minutes or until browned.
  2. The teriyaki sauce can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 294kcal
| Carbohydrates: 17g
| Protein: 15g
| Fat: 18g
| Saturated Fat: 6g
| Cholesterol: 57mg
| Sodium: 652mg
| Potassium: 280mg
| Sugar: 14g
| Vitamin C: 0.6mg
| Calcium: 54mg
| Iron: 1.5mg
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