Teriyaki Meatballs with juicy seasoned meatballs simmered in sauce—serve over noodles, rice, or inside a roll.
Sticky-Sweet Teriyaki Meatballs for Busy Nights
Little turkey meatballs get a glossy, pantry-friendly teriyaki glaze—serve them over rice, noodles, or tucked into a roll for an easy, protein-forward meal.
These meatballs exist to solve a common weeknight problem: you want something satisfying and protein-packed without babysitting a skillet. Ground turkey mixed with panko, egg, scallion, garlic, ginger, and a touch of sesame oil makes for tender, juicy meatballs that bake hands-off at 400°F until they develop a light crust. Making 16 golf-ball–sized portions gives you perfect single-bite servings and fast, even cooking.
The sauce is where the magic happens—low-sodium soy, mirin, honey, and a splash of rice vinegar simmer into a balanced sweet-salty glaze, then a little cornstarch gives it that clingy, glossy finish. The aroma of fresh ginger and garlic is immediate; once you toss the hot meatballs in the skillet of sauce they pick up a sticky sheen and little charred nooks where the glaze caramelizes. Finish with the remaining green onion and a drizzle of sesame oil for a pop of brightness and nutty depth.
Practical notes: you can form the meatballs a day ahead or freeze them raw for quick meals later; bake from frozen a few extra minutes and proceed with the glaze. Serve over brown rice or steamed noodles with a side of quick-blanched greens or shredded cabbage for a balanced bowl, or slide the meatballs into a toasted roll for an irresistible handheld. This recipe doubles easily and is forgiving—perfect for meal prep, family dinners, or a simple weeknight upgrade.
Ingredients
How to Make Teriyaki Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
- Cook brown rice according to package directions (generally 1 cup dry to 2–2.5 cups water); bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer covered until tender (about 35–40 minutes) and keep warm.
- Prepare the meatball mix: finely chop the green onion and mince the garlic; grate the fresh ginger. In a large bowl combine ground turkey, panko, egg, half the chopped green onion, half the garlic, 0.25 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp sesame oil; mix gently until just combined.
- Form the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs (about 1.5 inches / golf-ball size). Place them on the prepared baking sheet spaced slightly apart.
- Brush or lightly drizzle the meatballs with the olive oil and bake for 16–20 minutes, turning once halfway, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and they are golden.
- While the meatballs bake, make the teriyaki sauce: in a small saucepan whisk together low-sodium soy sauce, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, remaining garlic and ginger, and cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water; bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- When meatballs are done, transfer them to the pan with the sauce (or pour the sauce over the baking sheet) and toss gently over low heat for 1–2 minutes to glaze; sprinkle with sesame seeds and remaining chopped green onion.
- Steam or blanch the broccoli until bright green and tender-crisp (3–4 minutes). Divide rice, broccoli, and 4–5 glazed meatballs per plate; spoon any extra sauce over the meatballs and rice and serve immediately.
Recipe Card
Teriyaki Meatballs
Teriyaki Meatballs with juicy seasoned meatballs simmered in sauce—serve over noodles, rice, or inside a roll.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
- Cook brown rice according to package directions (generally 1 cup dry to 2–2.5 cups water); bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer covered until tender (about 35–40 minutes) and keep warm.
- Prepare the meatball mix: finely chop the green onion and mince the garlic; grate the fresh ginger. In a large bowl combine ground turkey, panko, egg, half the chopped green onion, half the garlic, 0.25 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp sesame oil; mix gently until just combined.
- Form the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs (about 1.5 inches / golf-ball size). Place them on the prepared baking sheet spaced slightly apart.
- Brush or lightly drizzle the meatballs with the olive oil and bake for 16–20 minutes, turning once halfway, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and they are golden.
- While the meatballs bake, make the teriyaki sauce: in a small saucepan whisk together low-sodium soy sauce, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, remaining garlic and ginger, and cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water; bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- When meatballs are done, transfer them to the pan with the sauce (or pour the sauce over the baking sheet) and toss gently over low heat for 1–2 minutes to glaze; sprinkle with sesame seeds and remaining chopped green onion.
- Steam or blanch the broccoli until bright green and tender-crisp (3–4 minutes). Divide rice, broccoli, and 4–5 glazed meatballs per plate; spoon any extra sauce over the meatballs and rice and serve immediately.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 62
- Saturated Fat
- 4
- Sodium
- 650
- Fiber
- 5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 15
- Protein
- 32
- Fat
- 19
- Cholesterol
- 125
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 535
- Sugar
- 8