Delicious, juicy and flavorful Asian Pork Meatballs are just perfect! These are so light and tender. I love the combination of flavors and the meatballs and sauce go so well together. These are great as appetizers with the Asian Dipping Sauce below, or add Jasmine Rice and Quick Stir Fry for a hearty meal! You can prepare and freeze the meatballs ahead of time for an easy weeknight dinner. I made these two ways (pictured below) so you can see how versatile they are.
Whenever I’m mixing ingredients with ground meat, I like to grate as many ingredients as I can so it disappears into the meat. It helps keep the ingredients together and makes a more visually appealing meatball.
Note: I love to use Gourmet Garden’s stir-in-pastes (I’m not paid to say this) because it’s fresh, the quality is excellent, it stores well in the refrigerator and it saves me time in the kitchen. I always have the Basil and Ginger at home.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with the grated onion, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, soy sauce, cilantro and scallions with a fork. Add the panko crumbs and gently fold the meat and crumbs with a fork just until combined. You don’t want to compact the meat.
Note: If you know me, I don’t like the texture of ground meat and when overworked with your hands you end up with a compacted dense meatball that I don’t enjoy eating. I find that folding and mixing with a fork doesn’t compact the meat and it yields a lighter and more enjoyable meatball.
For appetizer size meatballs, scoop about a tablespoon and gently roll in the palm of your hands without compacting. Yields about 34 1-inch balls. For a heartier meal size meatballs, divide the meat in half and make 8 meatballs with each half for a total of 16 meatballs. Line a sheet pan with foil and evenly space them on the prepared sheet pan. Brush the meatballs with very little olive oil and bake the meatballs for 12 or 13 minutes then broil for about 2 minutes until you achieve the golden brown color on top. Watch the meatballs while they broil. Do not step away from the oven. The broiler can quickly burn the meatballs and we only want to add a golden color.
Freezing the Meatballs
Roll them up into meatballs and place them on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes to allow them to set. Remove from the freezer and place meatballs in a freezer safe plastic bag or container. Keeps for 3-4 months, but I would enjoy them before. Remember to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
The meatballs started to fly off the sheet pan before I got to take a picture. To make the Jasmine Rice, combine the water, coconut milk and salt in a medium size sauce pan (that has a lid) and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the rice, stir well, cover with the lid, reduce heat to low and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, add the lime juice, lime zest and butter. Toss with a fork until combined, cover and set aside. While the meatballs and rice cook, make the Asian Dipping Sauce by combining all the ingredients in a mason jar. Shake well and set aside. This sauce is on the sweet side, if you want heat, add more sriracha or red pepper flakes. I usually just top my serving with red pepper flakes since I’m the only one that likes spicy food at home.
Quick Stir Fry 
Salad and Garnishes
This quick stir fry is something that was just thrown together. If you don’t want to add rice to your wraps or meal, the stir fry is a wonderful addition. Just make more and use ingredients you have in the fridge. In a skillet coated with canola oil, saute red onions, shiitake mushrooms, baby spinach, kale leaves carrots, pre-shredded cabbage slaw and scallions with a little sesame oil over high heat. When done, add some Asian Dipping Sauce to coat. Don’t add the dipping sauce too soon as it has a lot of sugar and you don’t want it to burn.
Asian Meatballs with Jasmine Rice and Salad. 
Appetizer size in lettuce wraps with Quick Stir Fry.
(L) Rice bowl – meatballs with Jasmine rice and green lettuce with cilantro, basil, scallions and red chili. (R) Lettuce wraps – appetizer size meatballs with long grain rice, quick stir fry, lettuce , cilantro, basil, scallions, red chili, and sesame seeds. The fresh greens add aromatic flavors and brighten the dish. Drizzle with some dipping sauce and serve extra sauce on the side.
Asian Pork Meatballs with Jasmine Rice
Delicious and juicy Asian pork meatballs with a side of Jasmine rice. Perfect for a weeknight meal or a weekend lunch. Meatballs also work great as an appetizer with the dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1¼ lb. ground pork
- ½ yellow onion, grated or finely minced
- 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 Tablespoons ginger paste or fresh ginger, grated
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 large scallion, sliced in half the long side and finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 Tablespoons panko bread crumbs
Jasmine Rice
- 2 cups Jasmine rice (substitute with long grain rice like Uncle Ben's)
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 cup coconut milk, full fat
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
Asian Dipping Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons ginger paste or grated ginger
- 1½ Tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 4 garlic cloves grated or finely minced
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or red pepper flakes (add more to your person heat preference)
Quick Stir Fry (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil to coat skillet
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup Shitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup kale
- ½ cup carrots, julienne or thin strips
- ½ cup shredded cabbage
- 2 scallions, sliced diagonally
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Asian Dipping Sauce (above)
Garnish (optional)
- green lettuce, as a base layer or lettuce wraps
- scallions, sliced diagonally
- red chili, sliced thin
- basil leaves
- cilantro leaves
- sesame seeds
- red pepper flakes
Instructions
Making the Asian Meatballs
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Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
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In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with the grated onion, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, soy sauce, cilantro and scallions with a fork.
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Add the panko crumbs and gently fold the meat and crumbs with a fork just until combined. You don't want to compact the meat. Roll into balls and bake for 12-13 minutes. Broil for 2 minutes or until golden brown.
Note: Appetizers – roll into 1 inch balls, about 34 balls. Entree – roll 16 balls.
Making the Jasmine Rice
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In a medium sauce pan, combine water, coconut milk and salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
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Add the rice, stir well, cover with lid, reduce heat to low and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
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Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, add the lime juice, lime zest and butter. Toss with a fork until combined, cover and set aside.
Making the Asian Dipping Sauce
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Combine all the ingredients in a mason jar. Shake well and set aside. This sauce is on the sweet side, if you want heat, add more sriracha or red pepper flakes.
Quick Stir Fry (optional)
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In a skillet coated with canola oil, saute red onions, shiitake mushrooms, baby spinach, kale leaves carrots, pre-shredded cabbage slaw, and scallions with a little sesame oil over high heat. When done, add some Asian Dipping Sauce to coat.
Assembly
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Enjoy these meatballs as an appetizer with the dipping sauce, in lettuce wraps or in a rice bowl on a week night. How you layer and assemble the meatballs is completely up to you.
Garnish according to personal taste and serve the dipping sauce on the side.
Recipe Notes
Freezing the Meatballs
Roll them up into meatballs and place them on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes to allow them to set. Remove from the freezer and place meatballs in a freezer safe plastic bag or container. Keeps for 3-4 months, but I would enjoy them before. Remember to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
