Sticky honey garlic meatballs are a delicious and flavourful 30-minute meal to add to your weekly dinner rotation. These tender and juicy Asian meatballs are baked, tossed in a sweet and sticky honey garlic sauce, and topped with green onions and sesame seeds. They are a quick and easy weeknight dinner to prepare over a bowl of steamed rice, or on their own as a bite-sized appetizer on game day. They are seriously so good and loved by everyone who tries them. A total crowd pleaser.
Meatballs are always a go-to weeknight dinner because they are so quick and easy to make and are ready in under 30 minutes. Some of our other favourites for busy weeknights are classic Spaghetti and Meatballs and Baked Turkey Meatballs.
Ingredients
To make sticky honey garlic meatballs, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- ground beef - you can also switch things up and easily substitute the ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
- breadcrumbs
- onion
- green onions
- egg
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- honey garlic sauce - the honey garlic sauce takes less than 5 minutes to make with a combination of rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, cornstarch (or flour), and water.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, large half sheet baking pan, meat thermometer, and a shallow saucepan.
How to Make the Best Sticky Honey Garlic Meatballs
- Prepare the meatballs. In a large mixing bowl, combine beef with bread crumbs, onion, green onions, egg, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well to form into a uniform consistency. Take 2 spoonfuls of beef mixture at a time and roll into 1.5-inch thick meatballs. Transfer the meatballs into a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper and lightly coat with some oil to keep them from sticking, if needed.
- Bake the meatballs. Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 15 minutes until fully cooked, and set aside. The internal temperature should reach 160F, as read on a meat thermometer.
- Prepare the honey garlic sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, add vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, cornstarch and water. Whisk well to combine until cornstarch and sugar dissolves. In a shallow saucepan, stir in sauce mixture and heat over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring until thickened to a desired consistency.
- Serve. Add the meatballs to the saucepan and toss well to coat evenly. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds and serve warm on its own or over a bowl of steamed rice or fried rice.
How to Cook Honey Garlic Meatballs in the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 375 F, about 3 minutes. Place meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and lightly spray with cooking oil to coat evenly. Air fry the meatballs for 12-14 minutes until browned and the center of the meatball reaches 160 F as read on a meat thermometer. Shake the basket halfway during cooking to brown evenly.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- How to store: Store sticky honey garlic meatballs in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply reheat in a shallow saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through (or in the microwave). You may need to add a little water if the sauce thickened up too much in the refrigerator.
- How to freeze: You can freeze the meatballs before tossing them into the sauce. Bake and let them cool down, then transfer into a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to reheat from frozen: Allow the meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. Prepare the honey garlic sauce and toss the meatballs in.
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Ground Beef Meat Pie
- Beef Potstickers (Dumplings)
- Easy Meat Lasagna
- Sheet Pan Nachos
- Beef Cabbage Barley Soup
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Classic Juicy Hamburgers
Tried this recipe?
I'd love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and rating below to share your feedback. Your reviews help others discover this recipe and help me keep creating more free recipes for you. Snap a photo and tag me on social media @aheadofthyme too.
Recipe
Sticky Honey Garlic Meatballs
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 15 meatballs 1x
Description
Sticky honey garlic meatballs are a delicious and flavourful 30-minute meal to add to your weekly dinner rotation. A total crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon green onions, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- sesame seeds (for garnish)
For the honey garlic sauce:
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons liquid honey
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch (or flour)
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
Prepare the Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine beef with bread crumbs, onion, green onions, egg, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well to form into a uniform consistency.
- Take 2 spoonfuls of beef mixture at a time and roll into 1.5-inch thick meatballs. Transfer the meatballs into a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper and lightly coat with some oil to keep them from sticking, if needed.
- Bake for 15 minutes until fully cooked, and set aside. The internal temperature should reach 160F, as read on a meat thermometer.
Prepare the Honey Garlic Sauce:
- In a medium mixing bowl, add vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, cornstarch and water. Whisk well to combine until cornstarch and sugar dissolves.
- In a shallow saucepan, stir in sauce mixture and heat over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring until thickened to a desired consistency.
Serve:
- Add the meatballs to the saucepan and toss well to coat evenly. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds and serve warm on its own or over a bowl of steamed rice or fried rice.
Notes
Air fryer instructions: Preheat the air fryer to 375 F, about 3 minutes. Place the meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and lightly spray with cooking oil to coat evenly. Air fry the meatballs for 12-14 minutes until browned and the center of the meatball reaches 160 F as read on a meat thermometer. Shake the basket halfway during cooking to brown evenly.
How to store: Store sticky honey garlic meatballs in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply reheat in a shallow saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through (or in the microwave). You may need to add a little water if the sauce thickened up too much in the refrigerator.
How to freeze: You can freeze the meatballs before tossing them into the sauce. Bake and let them cool down, then transfer into a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to reheat from frozen: Allow the meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through. Prepare the honey garlic sauce and toss the meatballs in.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Ground Beef
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Asian
Tracy Ray says
Wanna know what I LOVE about cooking? Placing a meal in front of the people I love the most and having them enjoy every bite.
I served the dish in a white bowl. I made a well in the middle of a batch of white rice, then I put the meatballs in the middle with sesame seeds sprinkled on top and steamed broccoli sprigs around the outside edges. This made for a lovely presentation. Then we slammed it like a WWE wrestler.
This recipe made me look like a ROCK STAR tonight!
Jen Iglar says
These came out great! I added a little extra onion but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I thought about doubling the sauce but I'm glad I didn't - it was the perfect amount as written. Served them with riced cauliflower and snow peas.. yum!! Thank you 🙂
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you Jen! So happy you liked the recipe!
Mar says
Needed a quick recipe using hamburger. Delicious! I didn’t use any oil on the pan. Instead I used non stick foil and absolutely no mess! I did double the sauce and it was perfect. Cooked them at 500 because my daughter was baking something at that temperature. It didn’t burn them and they were delicious. Will definitely make this recipe again!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
So happy to hear that it turned out! Thank you!
sheri says
These meatballs are a hit, delish, even my picky eaters liove them! they have an irristable flavor and you cant stop eating them. thank you and great jb
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much!
Cel says
WOW absolutely wonderful recipe!! Definitely keeping this one for the future
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much! Enjoy!
Bethany says
O
M
G
!!!!!!!!!!
These are amazing!!
I had most of the ingredients already and decided to go ahead and try. I had to substitute the onions with onion powder and omit the green onions and Used panko Italian breadcrumbs. Cooked them in my Ninja Foodi 5 in 1 grill on air crisp at 390 for 11 minutes, stirring them half way through. I did spray them with olive oil prior to cooking.
My boyfriend, who loves meatballs, especially enjoyed these.
Thank you for this recipe. Will for sure be on my rotation list.
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Bethany! You totally made my day!
Brad Grant says
The bomb!!! I made a double batch of sauce Change nothing else served over rice and it is awesome I think I'm going to use the sauce recipe just for chicken also. I cooked the sauce a little longer to make it thicker Other than that didn't change a thing 5 stars definitely recommend
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Brad! So glad you liked the recipe!