Glazed Asian Meatballs with Cilantro Slaw

These succulent Asian meatballs are made with white miso, ginger, and garlic and finished in a soy glaze. They’re perfect served with a crisp and spicy slaw. I was asked by Carusele to participate in the #LaurasLean campaign, sponsored by Laura’s Lean. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

Let’s talk meatballs! 

Meatballs are quite a heated topic in my family. There are coveted Italian meatball recipes that are not shared, under any circumstances. 

You can enjoy their tender, slow-simmered glory at family functions or holidays, but won’t be able to make them yourself. Many have tried to guess their secret, but failed. Is it milk-soaked bread? A 50/50 pork/beef blend? What cheese is used? Or spices? Or herbs?

The world may never know.

But while I do love a delicious, authentic Italian meatball, I also love the versatility that comes with meatballs. It’s the perfect foundation for unique flavors, add-ins, and fusions.

When I worked in New York, one of my favorite after-work spots was a meatball-centric restaurant. They served and created any meatball you could imagine — you would choose your favorites and pair it with whatever sauce your heart desired.

One of my favorites on the menu was an Asian meatball that was coated in a honey-laced soy glaze. That’s the inspiration for these miso meatballs.

How to Make Asian Meatballs

These meatballs are packed with tons of flavor. But first thing’s first: The most important part of any meatball is the, well, meat!

For this recipe, we use Laura’s Lean ground beef. This ground beef is 92% lean from cattle who are never raised using added hormones or antibiotics and are always vegetarian fed. All Laura’s Lean products meet strict USDA standards to qualify as lean, with Laura’s Lean 96% Ground Beef certified through the American Heart Association heart check program.

Plus, it’s pretty awesome that Laura Freeman is paving the way as a female pioneer in a very male-oriented industry.

Besides ground beef, these Asian meatballs are made with a few simple ingredients:

• fresh ginger
• garlic
• sesame oil
• white miso
• milk
• egg
• scallions
• panko breadcrumbs 

The glaze for these meatballs contains soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. 

The result is a savory, slightly-sweet sauce with a little kick.

So, what should we serve with these tasty Asian meatballs?

I opt for serving these over jasmine rice and paired with a spicy, crisp cilantro slaw. 

The slaw is simple and made from shredded cabbage, carrots, cilantro, scallions, jalapeño, and sesame seeds. An easy olive oil, lime, and sesame oil dressing combines everything together.

However, you could serve these with whatever you’d like. They are delicious on top of soba noodles, served with fresh broccoli, over cauliflower rice, in lettuce wraps, or served as an appetizer! 

Miso, a fermented soybean paste, deserves more use in your kitchen beyond soup. This flavorful ingredient can be found at Whole Foods, Asian markets, and most common grocers these days.

Other than miso, this recipe contains mostly fridge and pantry staples. Best of all: All of the ingredients combine to form an intensely flavorful dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes!

What are your favorite meatball recipes? Let us know in the comments below! Check out Laura’s Lean for a coupon and more delicious beef recipes.

Glazed Asian Meatballs with Cilantro Slaw

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Tiffany
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Description

These succulent Asian meatballs are made with white miso, ginger, and garlic and finished in a soy glaze. They’re perfect served with a spicy slaw.

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Ingredients

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For the slaw

• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ½ lime, juiced
• 1 scallion, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the meatballs

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 pound ground beef
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Oil, for frying

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Instructions

To make the slaw

1. Toss everything together in a bowl, and let sit 15 minutes to let the flavors meld and cabbage break down.

To make the meatballs

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and heat a 12” cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. In a medium bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of ginger, garlic, sesame oil, miso, milk, egg, salt, scallions, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add the breadcrumbs and beef and combine until just incorporated, taking care not to overmix.
3. Using a 1-ounce scoop, form the mixture into 15 meatballs while heating oil in the skillet. Brown the meatballs in the hot oil, about 1-2 minutes per side, working in two batches. Once all meatballs are browned, drain the oil out of the skillet and arrange meatballs back in the skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake the meatballs until cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
4. While meatballs are baking, whisk together the soy, honey, rice vinegar, additional 1 teaspoon of ginger, sesame seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Pour the sauce over the meatballs immediately out of the oven and let the sauce bubble in the hot skillet before glazing the meatballs. If needed, remove the meatballs and return the skillet to low heat to thicken the sauce, if still loose.
5. Serve slaw alongside the meatballs.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 465
• Sugar: 12.4g
• Sodium: 1130mg
• Fat: 22.6g
• Saturated Fat: 6.3g
• Carbohydrates: 26.8g
• Fiber: 3.2g
• Protein: 36.5g
• Cholesterol: 95mg