Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce
Hello and welcome to the first official recipe of my Meals in Minutes series: Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce! I took a poll of my followers at the start of the year to get a feel for what people would like to see more of, and the overwhelming top result was more recipes for mains. I took that to heart and have developed a number of delicious main recipes that take under an hour to cook, hence the name Meals in Minutes. I’ll be sharing all the recipes from this series here on the blog, and the corresponding cooking videos will be available on Instagram and TikTok, so feel free to follow along!
Table of Contents
- Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce Ingredients
- What is Gochujang?
- Equipment
- What Should I Serve Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce with?
- Step One—Mix the Meatballs
- Step Two—Portion the Meatballs
- Step Three—Brown the Meatballs
- Step Four—Whisk the Sticky Gochujang Sauce
- Step Five—Add Sticky Gochujang the Sauce to the Meatballs
- Step Six—Prepare a Slurry
- Step Seven—Serve!
- More Quick Dinner Recipes
- Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce Recipe
Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
Meatballs
- 1 lb medium ground beef
- 3 tablespoons minced green onion (white and light green parts only)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon gochujang paste
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Fresh black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, for cooking
Sticky Gochujang Sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 3 tablespoons water, divided
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang paste is a staple in Korean cooking. It is a sweet, salty, and spicy fermented chili paste made from red chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. Gochujang adds a beautiful depth of flavour to cooking and is most commonly used in marinades, sauces, and stews.
Equipment
To make this recipe, you will need the following equipment:
- 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop—this will be used to portion the meatballs evenly and will yield 18 meatballs. If you use a larger or smaller scoop to portion the meatballs, cooking times will vary from what is stated in the recipe below.
- 10-inch skillet
What Should I Serve Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce with?
These meatballs pair perfectly with rice, so I’d count that as a nonnegotiable accompaniment. Other sides and garnishes that work well with this recipe include:
- Steamed vegetables
- Kimchi
- Sliced green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Sesame seeds
Step One—Mix the Meatballs
Add all the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using clean hands, incorporate the ingredients into each other until evenly distributed.
Step Two—Portion the Meatballs
Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to divide the meatball mixture into 18 meatballs. Roll each portion between the palms of your hands to create a smooth ball.
Step Three—Brown the Meatballs
Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Once the skillet is warm, add the avocado oil and swirl it around the pan to coat. Transfer the meatballs to the pan. Cook the meatballs for about 8 minutes total, 2 minutes per side, until they are evenly browned on all sides.
Step Four—Whisk the Sticky Gochujang Sauce
While the meatballs are browning, make the sticky gochujang sauce. In a small mixing bowl, combine the honey, tamari, fish sauce, gochujang, grated garlic, and 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk the sauce well.
Step Five—Add Sticky Gochujang the Sauce to the Meatballs
Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the beef fat from the skillet, then pour the sticky gochujang sauce over the meatballs. Stir the meatballs to coat them in the sauce. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring periodically.
Step Six—Prepare a Slurry
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon of water with the cornstarch in a small bowl. This is a slurry, which will help to thicken the sauce. Pour the slurry over the pan and stir well to incorporate it into the gochujang sauce. Simmer for a further 2 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove the meatballs from the heat.
Step Seven—Serve!
Serve immediately. See above for my suggested serving accompaniments.
More Quick Dinner Recipes
If you loved my Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce recipe, be sure to check out these other quick dinner recipes:
Quick Chicken Meatballs with Ginger + Scallions
If you make this recipe, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! I love to see what you all are making.
Feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews below. I love to hear from you!
Meatballs with Sticky Gochujang Sauce
Equipment
- 10-inch skillet
- 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb medium ground beef
- 3 tablespoons minced green onion (white & light green parts only)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 4 large garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon Gochujang paste
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh black pepper
- 1 tablespoons avocado oil, for cooking
Sticky Gochujang Sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang paste
- 4 large garlic cloves, grated
- 3 tablespoons water, divided
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Serving Suggestions
- Rice
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Kimchi
- Steamed vegetables
Instructions
- Add all the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Using clean hands, incorporate the ingredients into each other until evenly distributed.
- Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to divide the meatball mixture into 18 meatballs. Roll each portion between the palms of your hands to create a smooth ball.
- Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Once the skillet is warm, add the avocado oil and swirl it around the pan to coat. Transfer the meatballs to the pan.
- Cook the meatballs for about 8 minutes total, 2 minutes per side, until they are evenly browned on all sides.
- While the meatballs are browning, make the sticky gochujang sauce. In a small mixing bowl, combine the honey, tamari, fish sauce, gochujang, grated garlic, and 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk the sauce well.
- Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of the beef fat from the skillet, then pour the sticky gochujang sauce over the meatballs. Stir the meatballs to coat them in the sauce. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon of water with the cornstarch in a small bowl. This is a slurry, which will help to thicken the sauce. Pour the slurry over the pan and stir well to incorporate it into the gochujang sauce. Simmer for a further 2 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove the meatballs from the heat.
- Serve immediately. See the recipe above for suggested serving accompaniments.
