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Teriyaki Meatballs

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posted: 05/15/24

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Teriyaki Meatballs are a quick and delicious dinner that the whole family will fall in love with. My kids can never get enough meatball recipes, and they love this fun spin!

In my house, meatballs are like a magic word. You tell my kids that meatballs are for dinner, and all three of them inevitably start jumping for joy. Almost nothing else an cause such glee in all of them.

While my grandmother’s Italian Meatballs will always be their favorite, these Teriyaki Meatballs are a pretty great new spin. These are quick to make, cook up in the oven, and have a great sauce to go with them. They make a perfect quick weeknight meal!

How to Make Teriyaki Meatballs

Here is a brief overview of how to make homemade meatballs with teriyaki sauce. They come together in less than 35 minutes and are sure to be a hit for kids and adults alike. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

  • Make the meatballs. Mix all of the meatball ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
  • Bake the meatballs. Form into balls and bake until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees.
  • Make the sauce. While the meatballs are cooking, combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring regularly. Reduce heat until sauce thickens
  • Combine meatballs and sauce. Toss together until fully coated.
Overhead photo of Teriyaki Meatballs recipe cooking in a pan. Bowls of rice and broccoli are beside pan.

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

This Easy Teriyaki Sauce recipe really makes homemade meatballs something that your family and friends will request again and again. It is the perfect balance of sweet and flavorful and is made with just a few simple ingredients. While you can buy teriyaki sauce from the store, when you make it from scratch you can control added sugar, preservatives, sodium, and even gluten. The post linked below gives lots of a good ideas for dietary restrictions. This homemade teriyaki sauce also stars in stir fry recipes like Pork Stir Fry and Chicken Stir Fry!

Teriyaki Sauce

This Teriyaki Sauce is easy to make at home with a few simple ingredients and can be used in many delicious stir fry recipes. It's the best!
Photo of glass bottle of Teriyaki Sauce.
Overhead photo of Teriyaki Meatballs served with rice and broccoli.

Freshly Grated Ginger

Ginger adds such great flavor to recipes, including this turkey meatball recipe! You can buy it as a root, peel it, and store the leftovers in the freezer for future use. We love to buy it as a refrigerated tube.

TOP PICK

Instant Read Thermometer

This amazing thermometer can be left in the meatballs while in the oven. I use it in so many of my recipes!
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Cooking Meatballs

It is important to make sure that teriyaki meatballs are fully cooked before removing them from the oven. You will know they are fully cooked when the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The best way to watch this is to use an internal meat thermometer. This way you make sure they are fully cooked without overcooking them. I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer in any meat recipe, including this one. It allows you to end the cooking process at the exact right temperature. You can see my recommendation for an instant read thermometer above.

How to Serve

Serve your homemade meatballs with teriyaki sauce with rice and steamed broccoli. To make your meal lower carb and get some extra vegetables, serve the turkey meatballs over cauliflower rice instead of white rice.

These are also great served alone as an appetizer. Once tossed with the teriyaki sauce, add to a serving dish and put out toothpicks for you guests. To make your meal lower carb and get some extra vegetables, serve the turkey meatballs over cauliflower rice instead of white rice.

Cauliflower Rice

Riced cauliflower is a delicious rice substitute and the perfect way to take your favorite dinners and make them into a lower-carb option. Easy to make and very filling, you will come back to this healthy option over and over again.
Overhead photo of cauliflower rice recipe in a skillet.
Overhead photo of a pan of Teriyaki Meatballs. Bowls of rice and broccoli sit beside pan.

FAQ

Is teriyaki sauce gluten free?

If the sauce contains soy sauce, it is not gluten-free. Check out my post on homemade teriyaki sauce for how to replace soy sauce with a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.

What kind of flavor is teriyaki?

Teriyaki has a sweet and slightly tangy flavor that complements so many recipes. Made with ingredients like ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, and garlic, it is flavorful without being spicy.

How do you keep turkey meatballs from falling apart?

The addition of an egg binds the meatball together to prevent them from falling apart.

How do you know when meatballs are done?

The key to knowing when meatballs are fully cooked is to bake them until the internal temperature is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If you remove them too soon, they will be undercooked so I recommend using a meat thermometer to test them.

Storing and Reheating

Store any leftover teriyaki turkey meatballs in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven and serve over fresh or reheated rice or cauliflower rice. Always use your best discretion when storing and reheating leftovers.

Overhead photo of Teriyaki Meatballs served with rice and broccoli.

What to Serve With Teriyaki Meatballs

These baked meatballs can be enjoyed as a meal with rice and broccoli or alone as an appetizer. Serve with these recipes to round out your meal!

If you try this turkey meatball recipe or any of my other recipes, leave a comment telling me what you think. I love hearing from you!

Close up photo of Teriyaki Meatballs.
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Teriyaki Meatballs

Serves: 36 meatballs
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Teriyaki Meatballs are a quick and delicious dinner that the whole family will fall in love with. My kids can never get enough meatball recipes, and they love this fun spin!

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 2 pounds ground turkey (93% lean) or ground beef (907.2 grams)
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (60 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons green onions minced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (read more about this here)
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • green onions diced, for garnish
  • sesame seeds for garnish

Teriyaki Sauce

  • 2 cups water (473.2 ml or 226.8 grams)
  • 2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce see note (157.7 ml)
  • 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

Meatballs

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil and set a cooling rack on top of it. Spray the cooling rack with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
    2 pounds ground turkey, 2 eggs, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons green onions, 2 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon honey
  • Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop, form the mixture into meatballs.
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until a meatball in the middle of the pan registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant read thermometer.

Teriyaki Sauce

  • While the meatballs are cooking, combine all of the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat.
    2 cups water, 2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger, 6 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Stir regularly while bringing to a boil.
  • Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
  • Toss with the cooked meatballs and serve as an appetizer, or over rice with steamed broccoli.

Notes

It is really important to use low sodium soy sauce for these. Panko Breadcrumbs are rather salty on their own, and if use regular soy sauce, it will all be over powering. The low sodium soy sauce, however, is just right.
Serving: 1meatball with sauce Calories: 61kcal (3%) Carbohydrates: 6g (2%) Protein: 7g (14%) Fat: 1g (2%) Saturated Fat: 0.3g (2%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g Trans Fat: 0.01g Cholesterol: 24mg (8%) Sodium: 205mg (9%) Potassium: 103mg (3%) Fiber: 0.2g (1%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 23IU Vitamin C: 0.3mg Calcium: 6mg (1%) Iron: 0.3mg (2%)
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: dinner, healthy
Cuisine: asian
Close up photo of Teriyaki Meatballs.

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Teriyaki Meatballs

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Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

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