These mini Asian pork meatballs make the perfect party food or dinner appetizer! They are packed with bold spices and aromatics like chilies, fresh ginger, garlic and fresh herbs. Serve these tender and juicy bake pork meatballs in a sweet and spicy sauce, and get ready to watch them disappear quickly!
Meatballs are the perfect party appetizer! They’re fun, bite-sized, simple, and delicious finger food that everyone will want seconds of.
These Asian pork meatballs are no exception. Just like our Asian Teriyaki Meatballs, they are juicy meatballs with loads of flavor.
Plus, this recipe is versatile, too! Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce or create larger meatballs and enjoy them over white rice (or low-carb cauliflower rice) for a delicious main dish and quick weeknight dinner.
Why You Will Love Them
Ground pork is nice and flavorful, and even better loaded up with savory and spicy aromatics.
Bold Asian flavors pair well with the tender pork, and also go with a variety of different sauces. Enjoy it with soy sauce or a Thai peanut sauce or a spicy sweet chili sauce. Or all three! It’s a great way to add even more flavor to the cooked meatballs and let guests choose their own favorites too.
Our Asian pork meatballs are:
- incredibly tasty and irresistible
- packed with Asian flavors you’ll love
- simple to make (you can also prep it in advance, too)
- delicious finger food that makes the perfect party starter.
Ingredients for Asian Pork Meatballs
The meatball ingredients are pretty simple, and all the ingredients should be easily available at your local grocery store. Definitely at an Asian market.
You will need:
- shallots
- Panko breadcrumbs
- ground pork
- lemongrass paste (usually kept near the fresh herbs at the grocery store)
- fresh ginger, grated
- garlic cloves, grated or minced
- Thai basil leaves, chopped
- birds eye chilies, seeds removed and finely chopped
- green onions
- sugar
- salt
- fish sauce
- egg
- vegetable oil
Our Asian Pork Meatballs Recipe
Preparing the meat mixture is super simple, and you can even make it ahead of time and fry them when it’s time to serve.
This recipe is especially convenient because the meatballs are baked instead of pan-fried, which means less active time in the kitchen and more time for other things. There’s no need to hover over a frying pan!
Here’s a quick look at our Asian pork meatball recipe. Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the page to view the printable recipe card.
Preheat the oven and place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Mix all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure the meat mixture is well combined.
Use a small cookie scoop or teaspoon to scoop and shape the small meatballs. They should be about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.
Place them on the wire rack and brush with oil.
Transfer to the oven and bake until lightly browned.
Serve the mini Asian pork meatballs with your favorite dipping sauce. Some yummy sauce ideas are a sweet chili sauce, Thai peanut sauce, hoisin sauce or Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese fish sauce).
You can also garnish the meatballs with sesame seeds or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for an extra touch of heat.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Grating the shallots is a technique that allows their juice to absorb into the breadcrumbs. This will give your Asian style meatballs even more flavor.
- Lemongrass paste is typically found in a soft tube in the produce section of most grocery stores. If you can’t find paste, you can swap in fresh lemongrass. Peel off the outer layer and grate only the white portion of the stalk.
- To make these delicious baked pork meatballs in advance, mix and shape the meatballs. Freeze them in an airtight container or in freezer bags. When ready to cook, thaw them in the refrigerator and bake them just before serving.
- These ground pork meatballs are also delicious when shaped into larger meatballs. You can enjoy them as an entree in a curry sauce, with hot rice or fresh pasta. Top them with fresh veggies and toppings to create your own epic Asian pork meatball bowls.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:
Tom Kha Soup is brothy, rich and flavorful! Savory chicken broth, mushrooms, and chilis give this soup its distinct flavor, while rich coconut milk adds a touch of sweetness and creaminess.
These Traeger jalapeno poppers are stuffed with a savory, creamy cheese mixture then wrapped in bacon. After getting smoked on the pellet grill they get finished with a sweet maple glaze.
Korean Cucumber Salad is fresh, sweet, and spicy! Crisp cucumber slices are coated in a delicious sauce for a unique and versatile salad that’s ready in 20 minutes.
More Meatball Recipes
- Moroccan lamb meatballs
- Beef and sausage meatballs
- Keto Italian meatballs
- Italian sausage meatballs
- Asian teriyaki meatballs
- Turkey meatballs
- Wagyu meatballs
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Asian Pork Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 medium shallots
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 3 garlic cloves grated or minced
- ¼ cup chopped Thai basil leaves
- 4 birds eye chilies seeds removed and finely chopped
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Coat the wire rack with no-stick oil spray and set aside.
- Grate the shallots into a large mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs and stir with a fork to combine and moisten the breadcrumbs. Add the ground pork, lemongrass paste, ginger, garlic, Thai basil, chilies, green onions, sugar, salt, and fish sauce. Whisk the egg together to break it up, then pour into the bowl of ingredients.
- Mix the ingredients to combine, then using a small scoop or teaspoon shape into small meatballs about 1-½ inches in diameter.
- Place the shaped meatballs on the wire rack and brush with the oil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly browned.
- Serve immediately with your favorite Asian dipping sauce.
Notes
- Grating the shallots allows their juice to absorb into the breadcrumbs for more flavor.
- Lemongrass paste is packaged in a soft tube and can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. If unable to locate the paste use fresh lemongrass, peel off the outer layer and grate only the white portion of the stalk.
- For advance planning, mix and shape the meatballs and freeze them in a covered container. When ready to serve, thaw them in the refrigerator and bake them just before serving.
- These baked pork meatballs can be shaped into larger portions and served as a meal entree in a curry sauce with hot rice or noodles.
- Serve with your favorite Asian sauce recipe, a spicy Thai peanut sauce or store-bought sweet chili sauce.
