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30-Minute Mongolian Beef Meatballs

Mongolian beef meatballs with a sticky soy-garlic glaze are ready in about 30 minutes. Tender ground beef meatballs get lacquered in a dark, caramelized sauce and topped with sesame and green onion.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 0.33 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger, grated
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste
Mongolian Sauce
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp hoisin
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 3 garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
Garnish & Serving
  • green onions
  • sesame seeds
  • steamed rice

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, salt, and pepper until evenly incorporated, then roll into 1.5-inch balls.
  2. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then sear meatballs 2–3 minutes per side until browned all over, working in batches as needed.
Simmer and glaze
  1. Whisk together the Mongolian sauce ingredients until smooth.
  2. Pour the sauce into the pan with the meatballs and simmer 4–5 minutes, turning the meatballs to coat, until the sauce thickens and glazes each one.
Finish and serve
  1. Top the meatballs with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, then serve over steamed rice.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the meatballs a consistent 1.5-inch size so they brown evenly before the glaze reduces. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the glaze. Freezing is not recommended because the glaze can separate after thawing. For a lower-carb option, use finely ground pork-rind or almond-flour breadcrumbs instead of panko while keeping the same binding (egg).