Asian Pork Meatballs (2024)

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Feeding a crowd? Crockpot appetizer recipes are the way to go. Asian pork meatballs are easy to make, juicy and flavorful. This Asian meatball recipe makes enough for your next party!

If you’re having a party, these Asian pork meatballs need to be on the menu. The flavor is SPOT ON and this Asian meatballs recipe makes a metric ton (or one large crock pot full). These savory co*cktail meatballs are absolutely delicious and as with any vat of meaty orbs, they’re a hit at any gathering.

It’s graduation time. Not only for my daughter, Emily, who now has a big, bad Environmental Science & Policy degree, (anyone in need of an Entry Level Environmental Scientist? I’m completely serious…) but for many of my friends’ kids as well. My next door neighbor’s son just graduated from high school (Congratulations, Max!) Naturally, she threw a graduation party for him…

There was a big crowd (about 60 people) coming to the party, so I offered to bring a dish. I debated between a multitude of finger food options, but they all required more à la minute, hands-on effort than I was willing to make during a party… i.e. potstickers (I’d be steaming them all night),mini quiches (constantly heating up batches in the oven), and bite sized canapés (arranging a series of ingredients for the canapés themselves and THEN arranging them on platters all night) … I decided the crock pot was the best ~~weapon~~um, method to achieving a hot dish that didn’t require my constant attention — Meatballs…

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Let’s be honest, easy crockpot meatballs are a universal favorite but rather than go with the traditional grape jelly/chili sauce blend or those Ikea-esque Swedish meatballs, I wanted something with more oomph.

Then I thought about those potstickers again — and realized that their filling (which I love) could easily be rolled into little bite sized meatballs. All it needed was a little sauce and a warming vessel to keep them hot and appetizing. Asian Pork Meatballs – for when you’re ~~too lazy~~ too busy to make chinese dumplings… 😛

This Asian meatballs recipe starts with a panade (bread soaked in milk) and gets layered with Asian flavors like sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, hoisin and water chestnuts for a tender meatball with a noticeable Asian bite.

Use your clean hands to mix the pork mixture so that all the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout.

In a large bowl, combine the milk and panko and let sit for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs absorb the milk.
Drain the water chestnuts and finely grate half of them. Finely chop the other half.Add the pork, eggs, garlic, ginger, green onions, carrot, jalapeño, soy sauce, sesame oil and hoisin to the panko.
With your clean hands, mix very well until ingredients are incorporated evenly.Fill a small bowl with water.
Using a small (2-3 teaspoon ice cream scoop) measure out the meat and roll into balls. Place the meatballs onto the parchment paper.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are firm and set. (my meatballs measured 2 teaspoons each and it took 10 minutes… if your meatballs are larger, you may need to add 3-4 minutes to the cooking time. Test with your finger to see if it’s done — they should be firm to the touch.)
In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the meatballs to a crock pot and pour the sauce over. Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat, stirring carefully once or twice to make sure they’re bathed in the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds. Let guests spoon out the meatballs – or offer co*cktail forks.

I use my favorite small cookie scoop to portion out uniform orbs, that way, I’m assured of a quick and even cooking time.

The sauce is ready in just a few minutes and it gets poured over the crock pot Asian meatballs for extra zing.

A liberal sprinkling of green onions, sesame seed and cilantro are the final flourish on this pot. Make sure you keep a serving spoon alongside the crock pot as well as appetizer forks for skewering the Asian Pork Meatballs.

The steady stream of party-goers never waned around these easy crockpot meatballs. I was so glad I did the work ahead of time, so I could enjoy the festivities instead of being cooped up in the kitchen all night.

This recipe can be halved for a smaller group and I’ve also given instructions to do these as a passed appetizer instead of in the crockpot.

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4 from 10 votes

Great for a party, these Asian pork meatballs with sweet, tangy glaze are the hit of the occasion.

Author: Lisa Lotts

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Asian Inspired

Keyword asian meatballs, crock pot, meatballs

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 20

INGREDIENTS:

US Customary – Metric

FOR THE MEATBALLS

½ cup milk
1 cup panko
1 8 oz can water chestnuts
3 pounds ground pork
2 large eggs lightly beaten
4 large cloves garlic peeled and minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
4 green onions white and pale green parts, minced
1 medium carrot peeled and finely grated
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper minced, do not discard seeds or membranes
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

FOR THE SAUCE:

2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ginger grated
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
¾ cup hoisin sauce
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the milk and panko and let sit for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs absorb the milk.
Drain the water chestnuts and finely grate half of them. Finely chop the other half.
Add the pork, eggs, garlic, ginger, green onions, carrot, jalapeño, soy sauce, sesame oil and hoisin to the panko. With your clean hands, mix very well until ingredients are incorporated evenly.
Fill a small bowl with water (this is so you can wet your hands before handling/rolling the meatballs — it makes them less likely to stick and become tacky). Using a small (2-3 teaspoon ice cream scoop) measure out the meat and roll into balls. Place the meatballs onto the parchment paper.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the meatballs are firm and set. (my meatballs measured 2 teaspoons each and it took 10 minutes… if your meatballs are larger, you may need to add 3-4 minutes to the cooking time. Test with your finger to see if it’s done — they should be firm to the touch.)

MAKE THE SAUCE:

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

FOR CROCK POT METHOD:

Transfer the meatballs to a crock pot and pour the sauce over. Simmer for 30 minutes on high heat, stirring carefully once or twice to make sure they’re bathed in the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds. Let guests spoon out the meatballs – or offer co*cktail forks.

FOR PLATTERS OR PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES:

Coat the meatballs in the marinade and transfer back to the oven for 3-4 minutes or until glazed and sticky. Sprinkle with chopped green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds. Arrange on a platter and serve with co*cktail forks or toothpicks.
Makes 120-150 1″ meatballs.

NUTRITION: