Pork meatballs with a zingy lime and soy sauce dressing, served with pops of fresh edamame, mint and broccoli on a bed of rice.
These Asian-style baked pork meatballs are really easy to whip up, and a fresh, tasty and satisfying dinner. The mint goes really well with the pork and edamame, and because we bake the meatballs they stay lovely and moist.
Pork Meatball Ingredients
- The baked pork meatballs in this recipe are made by combining pork mince, mint, garlic, ginger, red onion, ground coriander, panko breadcrumbs, egg and salt and pepper, so they are FULL of flavour.
- The sauce is made by combining chilli oil (opt.), soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice and brown sugar. My favourite chilli oil is Lao Gan Ma Crispy Chilli in Oil - it's absolutely delicious.
- For greens, I used broccoli and edamame beans, but you can use anything that's in season, like asparagus, zucchini, peas, etc.
- I used brown rice for the base (and I like to use microwave rice on a weeknight because it is just so much faster), but you can use whatever rice or quinoa you like, or even noodles if you want.
What is the secret to good pork meatballs?
For me, good meatballs have a bit of crispiness on the outside, but are tender and juicy on the inside. This recipe includes lots of yummy aromatics like mint, garlic, ginger and red onion, which gives the meatballs lots of flavour. We also bake these at a high temperature, but add water to the base of our baking tray (or place in another pan in the oven), and this keeps the meat moist while we're cooking.
What are the different ways to cook pork meatballs?
You can pan fry, air fry, deep fry, bake, bbq or cook meatballs in sauce. If you boil them, then I think they officially become dumplings. While each method has its pros and cons, for me, the best way to make consistently good meatballs is to bake them in a hot oven. You get a similar texture to an airfryer, where they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They also stay together really well because we don't have to move them while we're cooking them, unlike when you cook them in a pan they can sometimes fall apart.
How to make Pork Meatballs with Soy Lime Sauce
1. Turn your oven on to 200 C and line the rack of a grill tray with baking paper. If you don’t have one of these, use a normal tray with a cake cooling rack positioned over it, or just a plain tray is fine too.
2. Pick mint leaves and finely chop half. Peel and finely grate garlic and ginger. Peel and finely chop red onion.
- ½ bunch mint
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 cm ginger
- ½ red onion
3. Place all chopped ingredients In a large bowl, add pork mince, ground coriander, breadcrumbs, egg and salt and pepper (opt.). Form meatballs and place on the lined grill tray. Pour 1 cm of water into the base of the tray (under the elevated wire rack) and put in the oven for 20 minutes.
- 500g pork mince
- Chopped mint, garlic, ginger, & red onion
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper
4. Place a saucepan of water on to boil. Chop broccoli into bite-size florets and cut stem on the diagonal.
- 1 small broccoli head
5. Make a sauce by mixing chilli oil (opt.), soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice and brown sugar.
TIP: You can leave out chilli oil completely or add to adult plates at the end.
- 2 tablespoon chilli oil (opt.)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
6. Once the water is boiling, add broccoli and edamame to the water and cook for a minute, then drain. Meanwhile, heat microwave rice.
- 1 small broccoli head
- 1 cup edamame
- 450g microwave rice
7. To serve, create a bed of rice then add broccoli and edamame to your bowls, top with cooked meatballs, drizzle over sauce and scatter over reserved mint leaves. If you skipped the chilli oil add to the adult plates now.
For little ones serve each element of the dish separately and serve sauce on the side.
Reserved mint leaves
Top tip
If you put water in the base of your tray, be careful when putting it in and taking it out of the oven - you don't want to spill water (especially not hot water) on you.
Substitutions
- Vegetarian - sub pork mince for veggie mince, or you can use soft boiled sweet potato.
- Gluten Free - use tamari instead of soy sauce and you can use almond meal instead of breadcrumbs, or leave them out.
- Dairy Free - No dairy included.
Kid-Friendly Variations
- Alternative protein - you can use chicken or beef mince instead of pork mince.
- Salt and pepper - leave seasoning to the end.
- Chilli oil - Skip this in the dressing then add on top to adult plates after.
- Serve elements separately - Serve rice, meatballs (chopped) and greens separately.
- Skip the dressing - this may be too salty for very little kids.
Equipment
You will need a grill tray (a normal tray with a cake cooling rack positioned over it, or a plain tray is fine too), an oven, a stovetop, a saucepan, a microwave.
Other Meatball Recipes you might like
Try these sumptuous Lamb Meatballs with Red Wine Sauce, or if you're in the mood for something light and fresh then try this Vietnamese Chicken Bowl.
Recipe
Pork Meatballs with Soy Lime Sauce
Equipment
- Grill tray (a normal tray with a cake cooling rack positioned over it, or just a plain tray is fine too)
- Oven
- Saucepan
- Stovetop
- Microwave
Ingredients
- ½ bunch mint
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 cm ginger
- ½ red onion
- 500 g pork mince
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- salt and pepper
- 1 broccoli head small
- 2 tablespoon chilli oil (opt.)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 lime (juice)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 cup edamame
- 450 g microwave rice
Instructions
- Turn your oven on to 200 C and line the rack of a grill tray with baking paper. If you don’t have one of these, use a normal tray with a cake cooling rack positioned over it, or just a plain tray is fine too.
- Pick mint leaves and finely chop half. Peel and finely grate garlic and ginger. Peel and finely chop red onion.½ bunch mint, 2 cloves garlic, 3 cm ginger, ½ red onion
- Place all chopped ingredients In a large bowl, add pork mince, ground coriander, breadcrumbs, egg and salt and pepper (opt.). Form meatballs and place on the lined grill tray. Pour 1 cm of water into the base of the tray (under the elevated wire rack) and put in the oven for 20 minutes.TIP: The water helps keep the meatballs moist while they cook, but be careful when you are putting them in the oven that you don’t slosh the water out of the tray - hint, I did this!2 cloves garlic, 3 cm ginger, ½ red onion, 500 g pork mince, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 egg, salt and pepper
- Place a saucepan of water on to boil. Chop broccoli into bite-size florets and cut stem on the diagonal.1 broccoli head
- Make a sauce by mixing chilli oil (opt.), soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice and brown sugar. TIP: You can leave out chilli oil completely or add to adult plates at the end.2 tablespoon chilli oil (opt.), ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 lime (juice), 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- Once the water is boiling, add broccoli and edamame to the water and cook for a minute, then drain. Meanwhile, heat microwave rice.1 cup edamame, 450 g microwave rice, 1 broccoli head
- To serve, create a bed of rice then add broccoli and edamame to your bowls, top with cooked meatballs, drizzle over sauce and scatter over reserved mint leaves. If you skipped the chilli oil add to the adult plates now. For little ones serve each element of the dish separately and serve sauce on the side.
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