These Sticky Mongolian Beef Meatballs pack the perfect flavors of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a few other pantry classics. The word “Mongolian” may conjure up images of a fantastic steak house, with huge meaty hunks of meat grilled over an open fire.
But what’s Mongolian about these meatballs? Keep reading to find out…
This week we are teaching you how to make a delicious ground beef meatball dish inspired by Chinese restaurants called Sticky Mongolian Meatballs. Cooking these meatballs at home is hands down so much better than takeout.
You’ll be able to skip the excessive amounts of sugar, oil, and MSG to this dish but still keeping that delicious sweet traditional flavor you crave.
What does Mongolian Sauce Taste Like?
Mongolian sauce is usually made up of a blend of brown sugar, low sodium soy sauce, ginger, and minced garlic. This brings about a delicate balance of sweet and sour.
This Mongolian glaze recipe also includes Hoisin sauce for more salt. Feel free to add Asian Chili Sauce for more sweetness or even Sriracha for more heat.
Meatball Ingredients
- Ground Beef: You’ll use about 2 pounds. You can also substitute beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: This breadcrumb-like ingredient helps keep the meatballs fused together.
- Sesame Oil: Add a bit of the “Asian” flavor to the meatballs. I find sesame oil to be very strong, so I use it sparingly. I have found it can absolutely destroy a dish if it’s out of balance.
- Seasonings: Ground ginger and minced garlic are classic flavors with the Mongolians.
- Large Eggs: And for obvious reasons, eggs are used to help bind it all together.
How to Make Sticky Mongolian Meatballs
- Make the meatballs by combining all the ingredients and roll into 1″ balls. These meatballs can be made to suit, meaning for dinner they can be mombo size or cocktail size for the football game on Saturday.
- Bake them in the oven for even and thorough cooking.
- Meanwhile, make the meatball sauce on the stovetop.
- Combine – how simple is that?
How to Serve Sticky Mongolian Beef Meatballs
- Over a Bed of Rice: You simply cannot go wrong by serving a nice helping of these glazed meatballs over a bed of white rice.
- Toppings: Just before serving, consider adding a sprinkle of sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and a dash of red pepper flakes.
- Sides: As with any Asian-inspired dish, stir-fry style vegetables would pair perfectly with with these Mongolian meatballs.
Recipe FAQs
How do I store leftovers? Add any remaining meatballs into an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Can I make this meatball recipe in a slow cooker? Absolutely! Once you’ve assembled the meatballs, brown them a bit in a skillet before adding them and the sauce to the crockpot. Cook the appetizer for at least 4 hours on high.
Is there a way to make this recipe sweeter (and spicier)? To make it sweeter, consider adding a tablespoon or so of honey. To make it spicy, add red pepper flakes into the sauce and/or add chopped red peppers.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest and if you’ve had a chance to make these delicious meatballs, then definitely leave me a comment and a rating below!
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Sticky Mongolian Beef Meatballs
Description
Delicious, moist meatballs in a sticky sweet Mongolian glaze. Perfect for dinner with a side of rice or game day!
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- 2 lbs. Ground beef (pork or turkey)
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- ½ Cup Panko or breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon Ground ginger
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. Ginger ( I buy mine in a tube similar to tomato paste)
- ½ Cup Organic Low Sodium Soy sauce (or Tamari or Amino Acids)
- ¼ Cup Water
- 1 Tbsp. Hoisin Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
- 1 – 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like your sauce)
- ¼ Cup Organic Corn starch (Amazon sells it) mixed with a teaspoon of water to dilute
Instructions
FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl and roll into 1″ balls. This recipe should make approximately 35 if they are rolled into 1″ balls. Larger balls will result in less quantity and will need to be cooked longer.
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
FOR THE SAUCE:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until just warm. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds – 1 minute.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir until dissolved.
- Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat and simmer until reduced by half, 10 to 12 minutes.
LOOKING FOR MORE GAMEDAY MEATBALLS:
Try our Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Meatballs – All the flavors of buffalo chicken with a surprising middle!
Or our Swedish meatballs in a creamy delicious sauce – just like IKEA – only better!
Great meatballs. I served them over jasmine rice. Keeper.
★★★★★
I’ve never made a bad recipe from this site. This is another winner. Great flavor!
★★★★★
Total flavor explosion! OMG. I made these for game day and everyone thought they were the usual boring grape jelly and bbq sauce meatballs. They are NOT! They are so addictive it’s insane! Great recipe and a I will be making these many many more times.
★★★★★
I made these to bring over a friends house for a football game and they were a huge hit! I made everything ahead of time (the night before because I wanted to taste them first) and then I reheated them in a slow cooker with a little water for about an hour and when I went to pack everything up I realized they were all gone! Great flavor and a change from everyday meatballs.
★★★★★
These look and sound delish. I’m going to try them soon!!
★★★★★
Can you make this without bread crumbs as we eat gluten-free?