Honey Garlic Party Meatballs

Name: Honey Garlic Party Meatballs
Prep time: 24 min
Cook time: 23 min
Total time: 47 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; 2 lb (900 g) 80/20 ground beef, cold from the fridge; 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, lightly beaten; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 3 whole (30 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced; 2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ cup (170 g) honey; ⅓ cup (80 ml) soy sauce; 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 2 tbsp (30 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch; 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water; 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil; ¼ tsp (½ g) red pepper flakes (optional); 1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds; 2 whole (20 g) scallions, green parts thinly sliced

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender oven-baked beef meatballs, flavored with garlic and scallion, then tossed in a sticky honey-garlic-soy glaze. No browning in batches, and they hold warm for a party.

Prep: 24 min
Cook: 23 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 52 min
Makes: About 40 meatballs (10 appetizer servings of 4)

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Ingredients

10 servings

For the meatballs
1 cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
2 lb (900 g) 80/20 ground beef, cold from the fridge
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, lightly beaten
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
3 whole (30 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the glaze
½ cup (170 g) honey
⅓ cup (80 ml) soy sauce
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tbsp (30 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp (6 g) cornstarch
1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil
¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
To finish
1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds
2 whole (20 g) scallions, green parts thinly sliced

Equipment (7)

2 rimmed baking sheets, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Large mixing bowl
2-tablespoon cookie scoop (about 30 g; optional, for even meatballs)
Small saucepan, 2-quart (2 L)
Instant-read thermometer
Large bowl or 12-inch (30 cm) skillet for tossing

Steps

Before you start

Use 80/20 ground beef; leaner beef makes drier meatballs.
Mince all the garlic and grate the ginger before you start. You will need it for both the meatballs and the glaze.
Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment so cleanup is easy and the glaze won't stick.
The glaze is made while the meatballs bake, so read steps 5 to 7 first.

1
Heat oven, line pansOven 400°F / 205°C
- Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 400°F (200°C) by the time the meatballs are shaped.
2
Soak the panko
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the panko and milk.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes, until the crumbs have absorbed the milk and look like a thick, damp paste.
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Ready when: No dry crumbs remain and the mixture is thick and pasty.
3
Mix the meatballs
- Add the beaten eggs, minced garlic, sliced scallions, soy sauce, salt and pepper to the soaked panko and stir.
- Add the cold ground beef.
- Using your hands, mix gently for about 30 to 45 seconds, only until the ingredients are evenly combined and no streaks of egg remain.
- The mixture will weigh about 1.25 kg (2¾ lb).
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform and slightly sticky, not smooth like a paste.
Tip: Overmixing makes the meatballs tough and rubbery.
4
Shape the meatballs
- Wet your hands with cold water.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons (roughly 30 g) of mixture and roll it into a smooth ball about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide.
- Place the balls about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the lined pans, 20 per pan, in 4 rows of 5.
- You should get about 40 meatballs.
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Ready when: Meatballs are similar in size so they cook at the same rate.
Tip: Wet hands keep the mixture from sticking to your fingers. If you have a scale, weigh the first few to learn what 30 g looks like.
5
Bake the meatballsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Put both pans in the 400°F (200°C) oven, one on each rack.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, swapping the pans' positions and turning them front to back after 10 minutes.
- The meatballs are done when they are browned on top and the center reads 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- Start the glaze while they bake.
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Ready when: Browned on top, firm to the touch, and 160°F (71°C) in the center.
Tip: Check one meatball from each pan so you know both are done.
6
Simmer the glaze
- In a small saucepan, combine the honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, rice vinegar and red pepper flakes if using.
- Set over medium heat and stir until the honey dissolves.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic smells fragrant and the sauce has a few small bubbles across the surface.
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Ready when: Honey is fully dissolved and the sauce is gently bubbling.
Tip: Don't let it boil hard. Honey can foam over and burn quickly.
7
Thicken the glaze
- Stir the cornstarch and cold water together in a small cup until smooth.
- Pour it into the simmering glaze while stirring, and cook for 1 minute more.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
- The glaze should coat the back of a spoon and leave a clear line when you drag a finger through it.
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Ready when: Glaze is glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: Stir the slurry again right before adding it, since cornstarch settles quickly.
8
Toss in the glaze
- Transfer the hot meatballs to a large bowl or a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet set over low heat.
- Pour over about three-quarters of the glaze and gently turn the meatballs with a spatula for 2 to 3 minutes, until each one is evenly coated and shiny.
- Keep the remaining glaze for dipping.
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Ready when: Every meatball is glossy and sticky, with no pale spots.
Tip: Toss gently so the meatballs don't break apart.
9
Garnish and serve
- Pile the meatballs on a platter, drizzle with any glaze left in the pan, and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and sliced scallion greens.
- Serve warm with toothpicks and the extra glaze alongside.

Good to know

Tips

Use a 2-tablespoon scoop or a kitchen scale (30 g each) for same-size meatballs so they finish baking together.
Keep the glaze at a gentle simmer; high heat scorches the honey and makes it bitter.
For a stickier, slightly caramelized finish, brush the glazed meatballs with extra glaze and broil on a lined pan for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch closely.
To keep warm for a party, put the glazed meatballs in a slow cooker on the warm setting for up to 2 hours.

Make ahead

Shape the raw meatballs up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate on the lined pans. Or bake them up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Make the glaze up to 3 days ahead. Reheat both, then toss just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours (including time on the party table). Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months, frozen on a tray then bagged with the glaze. Reheat from the fridge in a covered skillet over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until steaming hot and at least 165°F (74°C). Thaw frozen meatballs overnight in the fridge first.

Substitutions

80/20 ground beef → Half ground beef and half ground pork, or ground turkey (thigh meat). Pork adds richness. Turkey bakes up drier, so keep the milk and panko and do not skip the glaze. Cook poultry to 165°F (74°C).
panko breadcrumbs → Plain dry breadcrumbs (¾ cup / 85 g) or gluten-free breadcrumbs. Fine dry crumbs absorb more, so use a little less.
soy sauce → Tamari or coconut aminos. Tamari keeps it gluten-free (use it in the meatballs too). Coconut aminos is sweeter and less salty, so you may want a pinch of salt.
unseasoned rice vinegar → Apple cider vinegar or fresh lime juice. Use the same amount for a similar bright tang.