Description
Delicious Korean BBQ Meatballs glazed with a sweet and spicy sauce, served alongside a creamy and zesty spicy mayo dip. Perfect as an appetizer or a flavorful main dish, featuring tender ground beef or chicken infused with classic Korean flavors like gochujang, garlic, and sesame oil.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1½ lb ground beef or chicken
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped red onion
- 1-inch piece ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Korean BBQ Glaze
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2½ tbsp water (cornstarch slurry)
Spicy Mayo Dip
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Garnish
- Sesame seeds
- Chopped green onions
Instructions
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, brown sugar, gochujang, minced garlic, chopped red onion, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently just until combined to keep the meatballs tender.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into 1 to 1½-inch meatballs and place them aside on a plate or tray.
- Cook Meatballs: Choose your preferred cooking method: Pan-fry the meatballs in a skillet with oil over medium heat, turning occasionally, for about 10–12 minutes until fully cooked and browned; or bake them on a lined baking sheet at 400°F (200°C) for 18–20 minutes; or air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking.
- Make Korean BBQ Glaze: While meatballs cook, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, gochujang, honey or brown sugar, minced garlic and ginger in a small saucepan. Simmer gently, then add the cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Glaze Meatballs: Place the cooked meatballs in a bowl and toss with the warm Korean BBQ glaze until they are evenly coated.
- Prepare Spicy Mayo Dip: In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, honey, sweet chili sauce, garlic powder, and lime juice until smooth and well combined.
- Serve: Arrange the glazed meatballs on a serving platter, garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, and serve the spicy mayo dip on the side.
Notes
- You can substitute ground chicken for beef for a lighter option.
- To keep meatballs tender, avoid overmixing the meatball mixture.
- Adjust the spiciness by altering the amount of gochujang in the glaze and meatballs.
- Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated gently.
- Serve as an appetizer or with rice or noodles for a complete meal.
