Baked meatballs tossed in sticky teriyaki glaze.
Sweet & Sticky Weeknight Meatballs
Baked until tender and tossed in a glossy teriyaki glaze, these meatballs are a fast, kid-friendly dinner that doubles as party food and easy leftovers.
Think weeknight magic in bite-sized form: small, sweet-savory meatballs that vanish off plates because the glaze is irresistible. They solve the “what will the kids eat?” problem while still feeling a little special — glossy, caramelized, and just the right size for little hands or a rice bowl. Baking keeps prep simple and cleanup minimal, which is everything on a busy evening.
The trick to tender meatballs is simple — soak plain breadcrumbs in whole milk so the mixture stays moist, grate the onion so it melts into the meat, and mix the ground beef only until combined so they don’t get chewy. Forming them about 1 to 1¼ inches makes them cook quickly and uniformly; a parchment-lined rimmed sheet keeps the bottoms pretty and prevents sticking.
The teriyaki glaze is straightforward: low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, a touch of honey, rice vinegar and fresh ginger simmered to a glossy syrup. Toss the baked meatballs in the warm glaze so each one gets a sticky coating that clings to every bite; if you want extra shine, a quick broil or a minute in a hot skillet sets the sauce into little caramelized pockets.
Serve over steamed rice, on mini buns, or as an easy appetizer with toothpicks. These meatballs hold well — refrigerate for a couple days or freeze portions for later — and reheat gently in the oven or a skillet with a splash of sauce to revive the gloss. Prep is about 20 minutes and baking about 25, so you can have dinner on the table with minimal fuss and maximum kid-appeal.
Ingredients
How to Make Sweet Teriyaki Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush or rub with the vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let sit 2 minutes until absorbed; add the egg, grated onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, salt, and black pepper and mix gently to combine.
- Add the ground beef to the bowl and mix with your hands or a spoon until just combined; avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.
- Form the mixture into 18–22 meatballs (about 1 to 1 1/4 inches each) and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake meatballs 18–20 minutes, turning once halfway through, until they are cooked through and an instant-read thermometer reads 160–165°F in the center.
- While the meatballs bake, make the teriyaki glaze: combine 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and 1 minced garlic clove in a small saucepan and bring to a low simmer over medium heat.
- Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry, stir it into the simmering sauce, cook 1 minute until glossy and thickened, then remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil.
- When meatballs are done, transfer them to a large bowl, pour the warm teriyaki glaze over them, toss gently to coat, then return to the baking sheet and place in the oven 2–3 minutes to set the glaze. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallion and serve hot.
Recipe Card
Sweet Teriyaki Meatballs
Baked meatballs tossed in sticky teriyaki glaze.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and brush or rub with the vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk and let sit 2 minutes until absorbed; add the egg, grated onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, salt, and black pepper and mix gently to combine.
- Add the ground beef to the bowl and mix with your hands or a spoon until just combined; avoid overworking to keep meatballs tender.
- Form the mixture into 18–22 meatballs (about 1 to 1 1/4 inches each) and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake meatballs 18–20 minutes, turning once halfway through, until they are cooked through and an instant-read thermometer reads 160–165°F in the center.
- While the meatballs bake, make the teriyaki glaze: combine 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and 1 minced garlic clove in a small saucepan and bring to a low simmer over medium heat.
- Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry, stir it into the simmering sauce, cook 1 minute until glossy and thickened, then remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil.
- When meatballs are done, transfer them to a large bowl, pour the warm teriyaki glaze over them, toss gently to coat, then return to the baking sheet and place in the oven 2–3 minutes to set the glaze. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallion and serve hot.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 29
- Saturated Fat
- 8.3
- Sodium
- 700
- Fiber
- 1
- Unsaturated Fat
- 21
- Protein
- 24
- Fat
- 29
- Cholesterol
- 137
- Trans Fat
- 0.2
- Calories
- 495
- Sugar
- 17