Teriyaki Meatballs

This Teriyaki Meatball Recipe is loaded with flavor! Homemade beef meatballs are baked until golden brown and tender then tossed with sautéed bell peppers and a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce! Serve as an appetizer or over rice to make it a meal. Ready in less than 30 minutes!

Love meatballs as much as I do? Then give my Turkey Asian Meatballs or my Best Italian Meatballs a try!

teriyaki meatballs with white rice in white bowl

Teriyaki Meatball Recipe

I love making meatballs for dinner. They are super easy to make and come together in minutes. I’ve made my share of meatballs, and now I can add these juicy, tender teriyaki beef meatballs to the list!

These teriyaki beef meatballs are baked then tossed with a homemade Teriyaki sauce. I really love making my own teriyaki sauce because it’s so much easier to control the sweetness and the salt level. All you need is soy sauce, water, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar to make your own teriyaki sauce at home. The sauce is thickened with a mixture of cornstarch and water also known as a “slurry”.

These teriyaki meatballs are super easy to make. Everything comes together in under 30 minutes. I like to saute the peppers and cook the sauce and let its simmer away while the meatballs are baking.

I prefer baking these beef meatballs versus pan frying. Baking is so much easier and ALOT less messy! It also uses less oil which means it’s healthier too! To ensure the meatballs get just as brown as they do when they are cooked on the stove top I bake them in a 400 degree oven on the bottom rack. The bottom rack is essential for getting that golden brown crust on the outside of the meatball!

This teriyaki meatball recipe makes a great appetizer or main dish served over rice or mashed potatoes!

teriyaki beef meatballs in saucepan with bell peppers

What is Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce is a thick, sweet and tangy sauce made up of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, water and brown sugar. I love making teriyaki sauce at home to control the saltiness and sweetness!

Tip for making Teriyaki Meatballs

  • Rack position is key! I tested this recipe at a couple different oven temperatures and at different positions in the oven. I found that cooking the meatballs in the middle of the oven gave them barely any browning. Where as the meatballs cooked on the bottom rack got perfectly golden brown. Just as brown as they would be if you cooked them on the stove top. Make sure to move the oven rack to the bottom of the oven before preheating.
  • Don’t over mix: Just like with baked goods it is possible to over mix meatballs! The more you mix the meatballs the tougher they will get. Mix with your hands until everything is combined.
  • If meatballs are sticking to your hands when rolling lightly wet your hands with water. You can also spray your hands with a little non stick cooking spray.
  • Use a cookie scoop: To portion out meatballs. It makes rolling a lot easier AND ensures that the meatballs will be a uniform size.
  • Mix up the meat: I used ground beef, however ground chicken, turkey, or pork would also work great.
  • Serve as an appetizer! This recipe makes 24-28 good size meatballs. If you are making these as an appetizer I would make them smaller.
  • Add pineapple: Unlike other teriyaki meatball recipes these meatballs are made without pineapple. The brown sugar in the sauce adds enough sweetness that pineapple isn’t needed! If you are a fan of pineapple though throw some in!

How To Make Teriyaki Meatballs

  • Add ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, pepper, salt, onion, ginger and garlic to a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hands or with a spoon until combined. Make sure not to over mix.

meatball ingredients mixed in white bowl

  • Portion heaping tablespoon size meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. I got about 26 meatballs.

meatballs portioned on baking sheet

  • Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake the teriyaki meatballs at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes flipping halfway through.

browned baked meatballs on white plate

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.

sauteed bell peppers in skillet

  • Add in soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer. Whisk 1 tbsp water and 1 tbsp cornstarch together in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce and simmer until thickened 1-2 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

stirring teriyaki sauce in skillet

  • Stir in the meatballs and toss to coat them in the sauce. Top with sesame seeds and green onions if desired. Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks or to make it a meal serve over rice!

tossing meatballs in teriyaki sauce

What to serve with Teriyaki Meatballs

Storage Instructions

Store any leftover teriyaki beef meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them in the sauce and reheat to enjoy later either in the microwave, on the stovetop in a pot, or in a slow cooker.

Can these be made in a crockpot?

Yes! To make crockpot teriyaki meatballs simply brown the meatballs in the oven for half the time to seal in moisture and keep them from falling apart. Make the teriyaki sauce on the stove and add it to the slow cooker along with the meatballs and raw bell peppers. Cook for 2 hours on low and serve!

teriyaki meatball recipe

More Meatball Recipes

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Teriyaki Beef Meatballs

5 from 6 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 meatballs
Super Easy Teriyaki Beef Meatballs. Serve as an appetizer or add rice to make it a meal. Ready in less than 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Beef Meatballs

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup green onion, diced
  • 2 tsp ginger, minced
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced

Teriyaki Sauce

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium orange bell pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger, minced
  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp water
  • green onions for garnish, if desired
  • sesame seeds for garnish, if desired

Instructions

Images:

Beef Meatballs

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Move oven rack to the bottom position. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
    Add ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, pepper, salt, onion, ginger and garlic to a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hands or with a spoon until combined. Make sure not to over mix.
  • Portion heaping tablespoon size meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. I got about 26 meatballs.
    Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes flipping halfway through.

Teriyaki Sauce

  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add in garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add in soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer.
    Whisk 1 tbsp water and 1 tbsp cornstarch together in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce and simmer until thickened 1-2 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Stir in the meatballs and toss to coat them in the sauce.
  • Top with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.
    Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks or to make it a meal serve over rice!
Nutrition Facts
Teriyaki Beef Meatballs
Amount per Serving
Calories
91
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Cholesterol
 
37
mg
12
%
Sodium
 
358
mg
16
%
Potassium
 
146
mg
4
%
Carbohydrates
 
3
g
1
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
25
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
10
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: Asian Beef Recipe, easy meatballs, Teriyaki

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