Sticky sweet & sour meatballs

Sticky sweet & sour meatballs

These Asian-inspired meatballs are a delightful blend of sweetness, stickiness, and sourness—a perfect treat that satisfies all cravings for a flavourful meaty snack.

TOTAL TIME 45 Minutes/ MAKES 12 

INGREDIENTS

MEATBALLS

• 500 g ground beef mince 
• ½ cup breadcrumbs 
• ½ cup chopped spring onions
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1  egg  
• 2  garlic clove, minced 
• 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 

SWEET & STICKY GLAZE 

• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp hoisin sauce
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

TO SERVE

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• Handful freshly chopped spring onion

METHOD

MEATBALLS

COMBINE beef mince, breadcrumbs, spring onion, flour, egg, garlic, ginger, salt and black pepper together in a bowl and stir to combine. Form the meat mixture into 12 balls. 

HEAT the olive oil in a pan over low heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning often to brown evenly, for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

ONCE cooked, remove the meatballs from the pan and transfer to a plate.

SWEET & STICKY GLAZE 

REDUCE the heat of the pan to low and add the brown sugar, rice vinegar and hoisin sauce and stir to combine.

IN A SEPERATE BOWL, whisk the soy sauce and cornstarch together until well combined. Add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thickened.

SERVE

REMOVE the pan from the heat and add the meatballs, stirring gently to coat them in the glaze.

SERVE meatballs threaded onto skewers and topped with freshly chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

FOOD TEAM TIP: For juicy meatballs feel free to use a fattier mince and add a mixture of pork mince or bacon. Be sure not to over mix the mixture as it will result in a tough meatball

Print Recipe

Sticky sweet & sour meatballs

Serves: Makes 12 

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• Meatballs
• 500 g ground beef mince 
• ½ cup breadcrumbs 
• ½ cup chopped spring onions
• 1 tbsp flour 
• 1  egg  
• 2  garlic clove, minced 
• 1 tsp ginger, finely grated 
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp ground black pepper 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• Sweet & sticky Glaze
• ⅓ cup brown sugar 
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp hoisin sauce 
• ½ cup soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp cornstarch 

Instructions

For the meatballs

1

Combine beef mince, breadcrumbs, spring onion, flour, egg, garlic, ginger, salt and black pepper together in a bowl and stir to combine. Form the meat mixture into 12 balls. 

2

Heat the olive oil in a pan over low heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning often to brown evenly, for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

3

Once cooked, remove the meatballs from the pan and transfer to a plate.

Sweet & sticky Glaze

4

Reduce the heat of the pan to low and add the brown sugar, rice vinegar and hoisin sauce and stir to combine.

5

In a separate bowl, whisk the soy sauce and cornstarch together until well combined. Add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is thickened.

To serve

6

Remove the pan from the heat and add the meatballs, stirring gently to coat them in the glaze.

7

Serve meatballs threaded onto skewers and topped with freshly chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds.

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Recipes & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen

Photography: Callen Jefferson