Description
Delicious and tender Korean BBQ Meatballs glazed with a sweet and spicy sauce, paired perfectly with a creamy, zesty spicy mayo dip. This recipe combines classic Korean flavors like gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame oil, baked to perfection for a satisfying appetizer or main dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef (or beef/pork mix)
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Glaze
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water (for thickening)
Spicy Mayo Dip
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1–2 tbsp sriracha (to taste)
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make clean-up easy.
- Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, chopped green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat. Form mixture into evenly sized meatballs and place them spaced out on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs: Place the meatballs in the preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until they are cooked through and nicely browned on the outside.
- Make the glaze: While the meatballs cook, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, gochujang, and sesame oil in a small saucepan. Heat gently and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until the glaze thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Coat the meatballs in glaze: Remove the meatballs from the oven and toss them gently in the prepared glaze to coat evenly. Return the glazed meatballs to the baking sheet and bake for an additional 5 minutes to allow the glaze to caramelize and stick beautifully to the meatballs.
- Prepare the spicy mayo dip: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, and honey until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Adjust sriracha quantity to your preferred level of heat.
- Serve: Serve the Korean BBQ meatballs warm, drizzled with the spicy mayo or with the dip on the side for dipping. These meatballs make a perfect appetizer or a flavorful main course when paired with rice or salad.
Notes
- For best results, do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep the meatballs tender.
- You can substitute the ground beef with ground pork or a mix of both for additional flavor.
- Adjust the amount of gochujang and sriracha to control spice level according to your preference.
- If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and tamari in place of soy sauce.
- Make sure to line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
