These Teriyaki Pork Meatballs are excellent for meal prep and pair beautifully with rice. They’re seared in a skillet, finished in the oven, then tossed in a sticky, sweet teriyaki sauce for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Perfectly cooked: Browning the meatballs on the stove and finishing them in the oven ensures they stay tender and cook through evenly.
Big flavor: The teriyaki sauce is sweet, savory, and made from simple pantry ingredients.
Versatile sides: Serve these meatballs with rice, steamed vegetables, or roasted greens for a complete meal.
Recipe highlights:
- Servings: Makes about 18 meatballs (roughly 4–5 servings)
- Method: Stove-top sear, then oven bake
- Tool: Oven-safe skillet recommended
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Teriyaki pork meatballs are a reliable meal-prep option. Once made, they reheat well and make lunches or dinners simple and satisfying.
These meatballs use ground pork and a simple sauce made with soy, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and a touch of cornstarch to thicken. The combination gives a glossy, sticky coating that complements the pork.
Pork Meatball Ingredients
- Pork: Ground pork is recommended, though ground beef, turkey, or chicken can be used instead.
- Soy sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce is preferred. Use tamari for a gluten-free option or coconut aminos—if using coconut aminos, reduce the maple syrup slightly to avoid excess sweetness.
- Breadcrumbs: Plain panko helps bind the meatballs and adds light texture. Regular or gluten-free panko both work; plain breadcrumbs are fine as a substitute.
- Maple syrup: Adds sweetness and balances the soy sauce. Honey can be used instead if you prefer.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce when heated. Arrowroot is a suitable substitute.
- Egg: Binds the meat mixture. For an egg-free option, use a flax “egg” (1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 2.5 tbsp water, let sit 5–10 minutes).
How to Make Teriyaki Pork Meatballs
Step 1: Cook rice if serving with the meatballs, following package instructions. Preheat the oven to 400°F (about 200°C).
Step 2: In a large bowl combine the ground pork, minced yellow onion, chopped scallion, minced garlic, egg, and panko breadcrumbs. Mix gently with a spoon or your hands, taking care not to overwork the meat.
Step 3: Form the mixture into about 18 meatballs using your hands and place them directly into a large, oven-safe skillet. Work in batches if needed depending on skillet size.
Step 4: Spray or lightly oil the skillet and sear the meatballs for 3–5 minutes, turning so all sides brown. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15–20 minutes or until cooked through.
Step 5: While the meatballs bake, whisk together the sauce ingredients (soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, grated ginger, cornstarch) in a bowl or measuring cup.
Step 6: After baking, return the skillet to the stovetop over medium-low heat. Sauté the minced garlic for 1–2 minutes, add the whisked sauce, and stir until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the meatballs. Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Erin’s Expert Tips
- Taste test the seasoning: Form a small test meatball and cook it quickly to check seasoning before shaping all the meatballs. The sauce will add much of the final flavor, but small adjustments to salt or spice beforehand help.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze cooked meatballs without sauce to prevent sogginess. Cool completely, layer with parchment in a freezer-safe bag or container, and freeze up to 2 months. Add sauce after reheating.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Don’t over-mix: Overworking the meat makes dense, dry meatballs. Gently combine ingredients and form the balls without packing them tightly.
Yes. Mix the meat and refrigerate the mixture for up to 12 hours before shaping and cooking. Or fully cook the meatballs, refrigerate for up to 3 days, and add the sauce just before serving.
These meatballs are classic with steamed white or brown rice and go well with steamed broccoli, roasted vegetables, or a simple side salad.
More easy pork recipes
Ground Pork Stir Fry
Banh Mi Bowl (Paleo, Whole30)
Cream of Mushroom Pork Chops (Whole30)
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks!
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in February 2020 and updated with new text in September 2024.
Teriyaki Pork Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
for the meatballs:
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 2 tbsp yellow onion, minced
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs, regular or gluten free
for the sauce:
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch, or arrowroot
- scallions and sesame seeds, optional; for garnish
Instructions
- If serving with rice, cook it according to package instructions. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Combine pork, onion, scallion, garlic, egg, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Mix gently to combine without overworking the meat.
- Form the mixture into about 18 meatballs and arrange them in a large, oven-safe skillet.
- Lightly oil or spray the skillet and sear meatballs for 3–5 minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake 15–20 minutes, until cooked through.
- While meatballs bake, whisk the sauce ingredients (except the garlic) in a bowl or measuring cup.
- Return the baked meatballs to the stovetop over medium-low heat. Sauté the minced garlic for 1–2 minutes, add the sauce, and stir until it thickens and coats the meatballs.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this?Leave a comment and star rating below!
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in February 2020 and was updated with new text in April 2022.