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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.

Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American, Asian
Keyword Asian Meatballs, Asian Rice Bowl, Ginger Pork, Ginger Pork with Jasmince Rice, Jasmine Rice, Pork Meatballs
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author The Tiny Fairy

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.

  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with the grated onion, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, soy sauce, cilantro and scallions with a fork.

  3. 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

  1. In a medium sauce pan, combine water, coconut milk and salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

  2. 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.

  3. 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

  1. 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)

  1. 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

  1. 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.