Honey Garlic Meatballs
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These honey garlic meatballs are sweet, sticky, and always a hit! Juicy baked meatballs are coated in a homemade honey garlic sauce. They're easy to make, and they're ready in just 30 minutes!
Meatballs are perfect as a party appetizer or casual weeknight dinner. Try our sweet hoisin meatballs, tex-mex meatballs, and buffalo turkey meatballs.
You've probably caught on by now, but we have a thing for meatballs. We've made them so many different and delicious ways over the years that we thought we had exhausted all the possible ways to prepare them.
Until we made these Asian-inspired honey garlic meatballs, that is. They're sweet, sticky, incredibly juicy, and an absolute crowd-pleaser.
They're super straightforward to make, too. Simply mix all the meatball ingredients together with your hands and get rolling. While they're baking, prepare the homemade honey garlic sauce. When the meatballs are cooked through, place them in the pan with the sauce to coat them. That's it!
Serve them as an appetizer with tiny forks or toothpicks, or serve them with a side of rice to turn them into a satisfying meal the whole family will enjoy.
Honey garlic meatballs ingredients
With basic ingredients, you can make these sticky meatballs at home, too! Here's everything you'll need to make the meatballs:
- Ground beef and pork – we like a mix of both beef and pork but you can use one or the other if you prefer. You can also use other ground meat like chicken or turkey, but they're leaner so the meatballs will be less juicy.
- Rolled oats, breadcrumbs, or almond flour – either one of these ingredients works well as a binder so use what you have on hand.
- Onion – grating the onion ensures it gets well distributed throughout.
- Soy sauce – for saltiness and flavor.
- Ginger + garlic – fresh grated ginger and garlic add a flavorful kick to these Asian-inspired meatballs.
- Eggs – help to keep everything stuck together.
- Sea salt – for seasoning.
Here's what you'll need for the homemade honey garlic sauce:
- Butter – butter is a key component of a rich-tasting honey garlic sauce. If you use unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Garlic – a generous amount for lots of the tasty flavor we love!
- Honey – honey gives this sauce its signature stickiness. Other sweeteners simply won't do!
- Soy sauce – use a gluten-free option if needed.
- Apple cider vinegar – balances the sweetness.
- Cornstarch – thickens the sauce and helps it to coat the meatballs.
You'll also need green onions and sesame seeds, for serving.
Quick tip
If you're in a hurry, use a bag of store-bought meatballs. While they're never quite as good as homemade, they'll do the trick when you need to save some time!
How to make honey garlic meatballs
This honey garlic meatballs recipe is incredibly delicious and it's quick and easy to make. Here's how we make them in a few simple steps:
- Use your hands to mix all the meatball ingredients. You don't want to work the meat any more than necessary so stop mixing them as soon as the ingredients are combined.
- Roll the meat into even-sized balls (we like to use a medium-sized cookie scoop to measure) and place them on a prepared baking sheet then pop them into the oven.
- While they're baking, it's time to start the sauce. Melt the butter, then add the garlic, followed by the honey, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar.
- Before adding the cornstarch, mix it with a tablespoon of water to dissolve it, then pour it into the hot sauce, and stir until it thickens.
- When the meatballs are done, add them to the pan with the sauce and mix to coat. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, and either serve them on their own or over a bed of rice. Yum!
Tips for making the best honey garlic meatballs
- Use a cookie scoop to make them evenly sized.
- To serve them as an appetizer, roll them smaller and serve them with a tiny fork or toothpick.
- Use your hands to mix the ingredients, it helps incorporate everything evenly.
- Don't roll them too tight like snowballs, just enough so they hold together.
Recipe FAQs
How long do honey garlic meatballs keep in the fridge?
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
What's the best way to reheat them?
The best way to reheat meatballs is in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.
Can I freeze them?
If you're planning on freezing them, freeze the meatballs alone without the sauce. When you're ready to eat them, thaw the meatballs and make the sauce so it tastes super fresh.
Can I prepare the honey garlic sauce ahead of time?
Definitely! The honey garlic sauce will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
Love honey garlic? Try these honey garlic recipes!
What to serve with honey garlic meatballs
This versatile recipe is both the perfect party appetizer and casual family dinner. Serve them as a starter with little forks or toothpicks, or transform them into a meal with a side of our favorite coconut rice and a simple steamed vegetable like garlic sugar snap peas or roasted broccoli.
More meatball recipes
Honey Garlic Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb lean ground pork
- ½ cup rolled oats, breadcrumbs, or almond flour
- ¼ cup grated onion
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Honey Garlic Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons EACH: soy sauce and apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water)
- Green onions and sesame seeds (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl.1 lb lean ground beef, 1 lb lean ground pork, ½ cup rolled oats, breadcrumbs, or almond flour, ¼ cup grated onion, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 2 large eggs, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Roll the meat into 38 balls (a medium-sized cookie scoop works great for this) and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute, until soft. Then, add the honey soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar.1 tablespoon butter, 4 cloves garlic, ½ cup honey, 2 tablespoons EACH: soy sauce and apple cider vinegar
- Mix the cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water in a cup or small bowl. Pour this into the hot sauce and stir until it thickens, about 2 minutes.1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- When the meatballs have finished baking, add them to the pan with the sauce and mix so that they are coated in the sauce. Serve the meatballs with some green onions and sesame seeds sprinkled over the top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our meatball recipes!
Great tasting, but that was waaaay too much cornstarch!! It was a gluey mess. I had to throw it out and start again. When I made the second batch I used just 1/2tbsp and it was perfect, thick enough to stick to the meatballs but not glue.
Awesome, delicious recipe and a huge hit with my family!
I love your recipes and I love how you repeat the amount of ingredients needed in the steps. Makes life easier when using your phone vs a recipe card. Thank you!!
Just give the recipe. THEN give me all the photos,explanatory garbage or those who have no idea what they are doing in a kitchen. I know where the kitchen is. Just give me the recipe.
There’s a jump to recipe button at the very top of the page. Just click on that and it will take you straight to the recipe. 🙂