Description
Teriyaki meatballs are our latest go to weeknight dinner — quick and easy to cook in the air fryer or oven, saucy and flavorful, and freezer-friendly.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or mirin)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- cooking oil spray
- 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with breadcrumbs, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, green onions, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly combined. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes.
- Take 2 spoonfuls of the beef mixture at a time and roll into meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs in the air fryer or in the oven:
- Cook in the air fryer: Place the meatballs in a single layer into the air fryer basket and lightly coat with some cooking oil spray to keep them from sticking. Air fry the meatballs at 350F for 13-15 minutes until browned nicely and fully cooked through, shaking the basket halfway during cooking to brown evenly. The internal temperature for the beef should reach 165F as read on a meat thermometer.
- Cook in the oven: Preheat oven to 400F. Transfer meatballs onto a parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and lightly coat with some cooking oil spray to keep them from sticking. Bake for 15 minutes until fully cooked through
- While cooking the meatballs, prepare the teriyaki sauce (if cooking from scratch). I made a batch of my homemade teriyaki sauce for this. If using storebought, heat it over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
- Add cooked meatballs to the pan and toss well to coat.
Notes
How to store: Cooked meatballs will keep for up to four days in an airtight container in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
How to freeze: Teriyaki meatballs freeze well either before or after cooking. Frozen meatballs are reheated best when un-sauced, but you still freeze saucy teriyaki meatballs.
- To freeze uncooked meatballs: Place the shaped meatballs on a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Transfer the pan to the freezer and freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then, transfer the meatballs into a freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook, allow the meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then cook as per recipe instructions on the stove.
- To freeze cooked meatballs: Once cooled, freeze the meatballs separately first on a parchment lined baking sheet (about 1-2 hours) before transferring to an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months in the freezer.
How to reheat: If frozen, allow the meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator first. Reheat teriyaki meatballs in a covered microwave-safe dish in the microwave on medium heat for 2-3 minutes until warmed through. Or, reheat in a covered pan over medium-low heat on the stovetop for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Marinate Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Japanese