Name: Korean BBQ Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1/2 cup breadcrumbs; 1 large egg; 2 green onions, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp ginger, grated; 1/4 cup milk; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste); 3 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; Sesame seeds, for garnish

Hey, Pull Up a Chair—Let’s Talk Korean BBQ Meatballs

Alright, so Korean BBQ Meatballs… where do I even start? Honestly, the first time I made these was on a totally random Tuesday night after I binged a ridiculous amount of Korean street food videos. My partner walked in, took a whiff, and said, “You made what now?” (He’s not normally a ground meat fan, by the way.) Now it’s basically our “should’ve gone to the grocery store but didn’t” fallback. Plus, there’s something about rolling up meatballs that I find kind of calming, if oddly sticky. Or maybe it’s just me. Anyway, these are packed with those sweet-savory vibes, a hint of ginger—oh, and they’re way easier than they look. Trust me.

Why You’ll End Up Making These on Repeat

I pull this recipe out whenever I need dinner that feels special but is, you know, actually doable. My family just plows through a plate of these; my oldest insists they’re better than takeout (no shade to our local Korean spot, but she swears by these.) Also, when I’m short on time, I just toss everything in a bowl, skip any fussy steps, and call it a win. Sometimes I mess up the sauce ratio and it’s still good—honestly, these are forgiving. Plus, cleaning the bowl at the end with a hunk of bread isn’t exactly traditional, but hey, don’t judge.

The Stuff You’ll Need (and the Stuff You Could Swap)

500g (about 1lb) ground beef (pork or a beef-pork blend if you want it extra juicy—my granny strictly used pure beef, but I’m a rebel!)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or regular old breadcrumbs in a pinch, but panko’s crunchier)
3 garlic cloves, minced (jarred works, but the fresh stuff really pops)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (scallions? You bet—but once I used chives and it was… fine)
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated (or about 1.5 tsp pre-minced from the jar)
1 egg (sometimes I skip it if I’m out. The texture’s a little looser but who cares, right?)
2 tbsp soy sauce (not the low-sodium stuff unless you want to add extra salt later)
1 tbsp sesame oil (smells so good, I’ve gone overboard here more than once though)
Salt and pepper (don’t go wild yet—taste after saucing)
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or full strength if you’re brave)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (white sugar works, but brown gives lovely depth)
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste – you find it here, or try sriracha if you’re desperate, but it’s not quite the same)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (apple cider vinegar’s okay in a jam)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (because can you have too much? Maybe.)
- 1 garlic clove, minced (just one more, promise!)
- Optional: 1 tsp grated ginger

How I Get These Meatballs Just Right (Well, Most of the Time)

Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking pan with parchment—unless you love scrubbing pans, but why would you?
Mix together the beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, green onion, grated ginger, egg, soy sauce, sesame oil, plus a pinch each of salt and pepper. I use my hands because it’s just the easiest. Don’t over-mix—unless you like rubbery meatballs, then go to town.
Sometimes I sneak in a taste (shh, don’t judge!) if I trust my butcher, but you didn’t hear it from me.
Roll into golf-ball-ish sized balls. Actually, do whatever size you want—just aim for somewhat uniform so they cook evenly. Arrange on your pan.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they look browned on top and a little sizzly on the bottoms. For extra tingle, give them a flip halfway through, but I usually forget and it’s fine.
While those cook, toss together all the sauce ingredients in a small pan. Gently simmer on medium-low, stirring every so often. After about 5-6 minutes it’ll get glossy and a bit thicker (if it looks thin, don’t fret—it thickens as it cools.)
When the meatballs are done, toss them right into the pan with the sauce. Swirl them around, and let them get all shiny and glazey for about 2 minutes. Don’t worry if they look over-sauced at first: actually, I find it balances out after a few minutes.

Notes That Only Years of “Umm… Oops” Can Teach

If your meat mixture seems dry, add a splash of milk. Once I panicked and overdid it—don’t do that. It’s just messy.
Let the meatballs sit a couple minutes after saucing. That sticky sauce really clings better after a short rest.
Grating ginger with a microplane makes life easier (but I’ve used a butter knife in a pinch… would not recommend.)

Variations I’ve Tried (the Good, the Bad, and the Spicy)

Tried turkey once—tasted lighter, kinda nice if you’re into that.
Added some chopped kimchi straight into the mix once. Actually, that might’ve been a mistake, it got soggy… Don’t do that.
If you want them spicier, toss some extra gochujang in the sauce. Or a little sriracha.
Vegetarian? I haven’t cracked that code—maybe try with Impossible Beef, though a friend swears by this vegan meatball recipe.

Gadgets I Use—and One Trick for When You Don’t Have ‘Em

Mixing bowl (giant, if you don’t want bits flying everywhere!)
Baking tray or sheet pan
Parchment paper is your best mate here, but you can use foil too. I admittedly sometimes just oil the tray… risky!
Grater or microplane for the ginger (or… not, if you really hate cleaning gadgets)
Tongs make tossing the meatballs way less messy, but forks work too. Just, you know, don’t fling sauce everywhere like I did the first time.

How to Store (If You Have Any Left—Rare in My House)

I put leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll keep for about 2-3 days, but honestly, it’s usually gone the next morning when my teen raids the fridge. They reheat best in a pan with a splash of water so things don’t get too sticky or dry. The microwave’s okay, but zaps the sauce away a bit.

How I Like to Serve These (Don’t Skip the Rice!)

Steamed short-grain rice is non-negotiable for me, but plain jasmine is fine if that’s what you’ve got. Sometimes I grab those frozen edamame bags from the store, or do quick cucumber pickles if I’m feeling ambitious (see this one—so easy!). My family likes a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top and way too much extra green onion. Oh, and we serve it all up family style if we’re feeling sociable—and from the pan if nobody’s watching.

What I Wish I Knew the First Time (A.K.A. Don’t Rush)

Once, I cranked the oven up to save time… burnt bottoms, chewy tops. Not worth it! Take your time, it’s quicker than scraping a tray anyway.
Mix gently. Over-working the meat makes them weirdly dense; I always think, “Eh, just one more stir,” and then regret it.
If you find the sauce splitting, just whisk in a drizzle of hot water and it’ll probably sort itself out.

FAQ: Stuff Folks Really Ask (or I Wish They Would!)

Can I freeze these? Yes, but do it before saucing for best results. I mean, you can freeze the sauced ones too, but they get a bit soggy. I still eat them though, not gonna lie.
What’s the best beef to use? I just use regular ground beef. But on second thought, if you want super tender ones, try a mix with pork—say 70 percent beef, 30 percent pork. Game changer.
Do I have to use gochujang? If you can’t get it, use sriracha or another chili paste, but the flavor’s definitely different. You really should try gochujang if you can track it down—it’s its own thing!
Is there a gluten-free option? Use gluten-free panko and double-check your gochujang and soy sauce are GF. Ask me how I found out the regular stuff isn’t… whoops.
What sides work? Rice, obviously, but also try lettuce wraps or even throw the meatballs onto a salad if it’s too hot for rice. That’s my summer move.

If you give these Korean BBQ Meatballs a go, I’d love to know what you think—unless you hated them, then, uh, maybe don’t tell me. Just kidding. Let me know! Happy cooking, mate.

Korean BBQ Meatballs