Mongolian Meatballs
These quick and easy Mongolian meatballs are coated in a flavorful sticky-sweet sauce—perfect for weeknights or entertaining.
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If you’re a fan of ordering Mongolian beef from your neighborhood Chinese restaurant, you’re going to love this recipe. Here, the sweet and savory flavors of this classic takeout dish merges with the comfort of bite-sized meatballs.
Ingredients and Substitutions
• Hoisin sauce: This Chinese condiment is thick, rich, savory, sweet, and tangy. It’s the foundation of our meatball sauce.
• Panko breadcrumbs: This Japanese breadcrumb is light and airy. The larger crumb size traps more moisture, which keeps things juicy. Regular breadcrumbs or fresh homemade breadcrumbs work too.
• Ground beef: I recommend 80% lean 20% fat. A leaner variety is fine, too. Or swap in any ground meat (such as pork, chicken, or plant-based meat).
• Less sodium soy sauce: This is much less saltier than regular soy sauce. Keep in mind that light soy sauce is essentially regular soy sauce. And dark soy sauce is more viscous with a richer color. Feel free to use tamari or coconut aminos.
• Sesame Oil: This adds a whisper of nuttiness to the sauce. Feel free to swap in any oil you have. Or simply leave it out.
• Scallions: This contributes a dose of fresh, mild onion flavor. Feel free to swap in substitutions (you can eyeball it) or omit altogether. Chives, shallot, or any finely diced onion works too. So does onion powder.
• Red pepper flakes: For a little kiss of heat. If you’re worried about the spice level, reduce the amount or leave it out. You can always garnish individual servings with red pepper flakes.
What to Serve with Mongolian Meatballs?
You can serve this with noodles, rice, or turn them into lettuce wraps. Any simple roasted vegetable makes a nice pairing. Chinese Garlic Roasted Green Beans, Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets, and Crab Rangoon Dip are excellent menu additions.
How Should I Store Mongolian Meatballs?
Leftovers can be stored, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you want to store for longer, you can freeze the meatballs (baked or unbaked) without the sauce. Place the meatballs on a parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the frozen meatballs to a freezer-safe bag.
Let the frozen meatballs thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking or reheating. To bake raw meatballs from frozen, you may need to add a couple minutes to the cook time.
Can I Make Mongolian Meatballs Ahead of Time?
Yes. While you can certainly make this straight through and reheat when you’re ready to serve, I suggest the following sequences for better results:
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃) and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the egg, hoisin, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and scallions. Stir with a fork. Then stir in the panko.
- Add the ground beef (the texture is better if you tear it into small pieces as you add to the bowl). Mix together, by hand, until combined.
- Using a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop, scoop the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan. Roll between your palms to form smooth balls.
- Bake until just cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes (do not overbake!!).
- In a 3.5-qt braiser or large saute pan, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is dissolved and sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
- In a small liquid measuring cup, combine the cornstarch and water. Stir this into the simmering sauce.
- Bring the pan back to a simmer and cook until thick and glazey, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked meatballs toss to coat. Sprinkle with more scallions and red pepper flakes.
Notes
- Do not overbake the meatballs! This is the worst thing that can happen. So keep an eye on your oven and start checking at 5 minutes.
