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Asian pork meatballs on a plate
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4.80 from 10 votes

Asian-inspired Pork Meatballs

Asian-inspired pork meatballs are light, tender, and bursting with savory, satisfying flavor. They're great on their own and also make an amenable addition to everything from salads to noodles to sandwiches.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Pork
Cuisine: American
Keyword: asian pork meatballs
Calories: 113kcal
Author: Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
  • 4 scallions thinly sliced
  • 2- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and minced
  • 8 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 2 pounds ground pork

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F with two racks close to the center. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment.
  • In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. 
  • Add the breadcrumbs, cilantro, scallions, ginger, garlic, Tamara, toasted sesame oil, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Use the fork to mix well.
  • Add the pork. Using the fork, gently but thoroughly mix, without packing the ingredients together.
  • Using a two-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the mixture into 32 balls, rolling each lightly between your hands to make it round. Arrange on prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, until cooked through and still very tender.

Notes

  1. Toasted sesame oil has a deep, savory flavor. It's not the same as the regular sesame oil that you might use for cooking.
  2. Making fresh breadcrumbs is as simple as cutting the crusts off a couple of slices of standard sandwich bread and whizzing them in a food processor. Two slices of bread tends to make about a cup of crumbs. If you like, you can substitute ¾ cup panko. To make this recipe gluten-free, use GF breadcrumbs and soy sauce.
  3. Scallions are ideal, but you can substitute a large, minced shallot if that's what you've got. Cilantro contributes moisture as well as flavor, so if you're a detractor, don't skip it entirely. Substitute flat-leaf parsley instead.
  4. These meatballs can be made in advance, and they will keep well tightly sealed in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 183mg