We are utterly captivated by the sensational flavours of Korean BBQ, with its delightful dance of sweet, savoury, and a gentle kick of spice. It’s a taste that keeps you coming back for more. We’ve channelled that incredible profile into these succulent, tender meatballs that are simply divine. This Korean BBQ Meatballs Recipe lets you sidestep the hassle of a grill while still enjoying all the authentic flavour in a wonderfully easy and versatile dish. Whether you need a show-stopping appetizer for a party, a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner, or an exciting new addition to your culinary repertoire, these meatballs are the perfect solution. Each one is lavishly coated in a glossy, fiery-sweet glaze that promises a taste sensation in every single bite. Let’s head to the kitchen!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A True Flavour Explosion: These are far from ordinary meatballs. They’re brimming with classic Korean notes of ginger, garlic, and sesame, then enrobed in a sticky, rich gochujang glaze. It’s a sublime harmony of sweet, savoury, and spicy that will have everyone asking for the recipe.
• Effortlessly Simple: We’ve made this recipe as straightforward as possible. The meatballs are conveniently baked, which means less fuss and minimal mess. While they’re cooking, you can prepare the delectable sauce in just a few moments, making it a very efficient meal.
• Readily Available Ingredients: Though it delivers complex, layered tastes, this dish uses ingredients that are now very easy to source in most large supermarkets. Essential items like gochujang are commonly found in the world food aisle, making it simple to bring authentic Korean flavours home.
• Brilliantly Versatile: Present them with cocktail sticks for a fantastic party snack, serve them over a bowl of steaming rice for a hearty main course, or tuck them into a soft roll for an amazing sandwich. Their adaptability knows no bounds!

Ingredients

To create these wonderful meatballs, we have two groups of ingredients: one for the meatballs themselves and another for that signature, luscious sauce. Don’t let the list daunt you; you’ll likely have many of these items in your pantry already.

For the Meatballs:

• 500g pork mince (we find a 20% fat content works best for juicy results)
• 250g beef mince
• 100g panko breadcrumbs
• 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Korean BBQ Sauce:

• 80ml light soy sauce
• 60g gochujang (Korean chilli paste – adjust to your spice preference)
• 3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mirin (optional, but adds a lovely sweetness)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes, optional for extra heat)
• 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (a cornflour slurry)

For Garnish:

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced

Instructions

We find that the very best way to cook these meatballs is by baking them. This method ensures they cook through evenly while remaining moist and tender, and it saves your kitchen from any oil splatters! Follow our guide for perfect meatballs every time.

1. Get Ready to Bake: To begin, set your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to stop the meatballs from sticking and to make washing up much easier.
2. Combine the Meatball Mixture: In a spacious bowl, place the pork mince, beef mince, panko breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, chopped spring onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper. Gently mix everything together with your hands until just combined. Take care not to overmix, as this can result in tough meatballs.
3. Form the Meatballs: Moisten your hands with a little water to stop the mixture from clinging to them. Roll the mix into evenly sized balls, approximately 1.5 inches across. This should yield about 28-30 meatballs. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer with a little space between each one.
4. Bake Until Golden: Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are beautifully golden-brown and fully cooked. The internal temperature should be 74°C.
5. Prepare the Sauce: As the meatballs bake, you can craft the magnificent korean bbq sauce. In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, gochujang, honey (or brown sugar), rice vinegar, mirin (if using), minced garlic, and grated ginger. Place it over a medium heat.
6. Thicken the Glaze: Allow the sauce to come to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for 2-3 minutes so the flavours can meld beautifully. Give the cornflour slurry a quick stir, then pour it into the pan while whisking constantly. The sauce will thicken into a lovely, glossy glaze within a minute. Take it off the heat and stir through the toasted sesame oil and gochugaru (if you’re using it).
7. Coat the Meatballs: When the meatballs are cooked, take them out of the oven. You can either transfer them directly into the saucepan with the sauce or pour the sauce over them on the baking sheet. Gently toss until every meatball is generously coated in the sticky, flavourful glaze.
8. Garnish and Serve: Arrange the saucy meatballs on a serving dish. Garnish with a liberal sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and fresh, finely sliced spring onions. Serve at once while they are lovely and hot!

Tips for Success

To ensure this recipe is an absolute triumph, we’ve compiled a few of our most helpful pointers:

• A Gentle Touch is Key: As we noted, it’s important not to overwork the meat mixture. A light hand when combining the ingredients is all that’s needed to keep your meatballs tender and juicy.
• Keep Them Consistent: For even cooking, try to make all your meatballs a similar size. A tablespoon or a small cookie scoop is a great tool for portioning the mixture perfectly.
• Customise the Flavour: Feel free to tweak the sauce to suit your taste. If you love things extra spicy, add a bit more gochujang or gochugaru. For a sweeter note, a little more honey will do the job nicely.
• Ensure They’re Cooked Through: The most reliable way to check if meat is cooked is by using a meat thermometer. Alternatively, you can slice one meatball in half to check that it is no longer pink inside.

Serving Suggestions

These Korean BBQ Meatballs are incredibly adaptable. For a delightful party appetizer, simply arrange them on a platter with some cocktail sticks. To create a well-rounded and satisfying dinner, serve them over a portion of fluffy jasmine rice with a side of steamed pak choi or broccoli. They are also fantastic in a sandwich, stuffed into a brioche bun with some crunchy coleslaw. While these meatballs are always a crowd-pleaser, if you’re putting together a party spread, our Bacon Brown Sugar Chicken Tenders would make a wonderful sweet and savoury companion. And for a different kind of comforting family dinner another night, why not try our popular Cheeseburger Lasagna Recipe?

Frequently Asked Questions

And there we have it – a wonderfully simple yet impressive recipe for Korean BBQ Meatballs that is sure to become a firm favourite. The marriage of tender, flavourful meatballs and that unforgettable sweet and spicy glaze is simply heavenly. This dish is proof that you don’t need to spend all day in the kitchen to produce something truly memorable. We are so excited for you to give this a go. When you do, please pop back and leave a comment to let us know how you got on! If you fancy a sweet treat afterwards, why not try our simple yet elegant Biscoff Truffles?

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Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500g pork mince (we find a 20% fat content works best for juicy results)
• 250g beef mince
• 100g panko breadcrumbs
• 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 80ml light soy sauce
• 60g gochujang (Korean chilli paste – adjust to your spice preference)
• 3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mirin (optional, but adds a lovely sweetness)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes, optional for extra heat)
• 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (a cornflour slurry)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced

Instructions

1. Get Ready to Bake: To begin, set your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to stop the meatballs from sticking and to make washing up much easier.
2. Combine the Meatball Mixture: In a spacious bowl, place the pork mince, beef mince, panko breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, chopped spring onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and black pepper. Gently mix everything together with your hands until just combined. Take care not to overmix, as this can result in tough meatballs.
3. Form the Meatballs: Moisten your hands with a little water to stop the mixture from clinging to them. Roll the mix into evenly sized balls, approximately 1.5 inches across. This should yield about 28-30 meatballs. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer with a little space between each one.
4. Bake Until Golden: Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are beautifully golden-brown and fully cooked. The internal temperature should be 74°C.
5. Prepare the Sauce: As the meatballs bake, you can craft the magnificent korean bbq sauce. In a medium-sized saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, gochujang, honey (or brown sugar), rice vinegar, mirin (if using), minced garlic, and grated ginger. Place it over a medium heat.
6. Thicken the Glaze: Allow the sauce to come to a gentle simmer and let it bubble away for 2-3 minutes so the flavours can meld beautifully. Give the cornflour slurry a quick stir, then pour it into the pan while whisking constantly. The sauce will thicken into a lovely, glossy glaze within a minute. Take it off the heat and stir through the toasted sesame oil and gochugaru (if you’re using it).
7. Coat the Meatballs: When the meatballs are cooked, take them out of the oven. You can either transfer them directly into the saucepan with the sauce or pour the sauce over them on the baking sheet. Gently toss until every meatball is generously coated in the sticky, flavourful glaze.
8. Garnish and Serve: Arrange the saucy meatballs on a serving dish. Garnish with a liberal sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and fresh, finely sliced spring onions. Serve at once while they are lovely and hot!

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