I don’t think my family has ever met a meatball we don’t like! Whether Italian, Swedish, or Asian (like these Teriyaki Glazed Meatballs), they’re always devoured at our house, and I especially love how easily they can be prepared in advance and popped in the oven later in the day when you’re ready to eat dinner.
Ingredients for Teriyaki Glazed Meatball Lettuce Wraps
- Ground pork – We recommend local, humanely raised meat.
- Whole-wheat breadcrumbs – Try making your own with this recipe.
- Chopped green onions – White and green parts.
- Egg – If you can’t get them from a farmers’ market check out what to look for here.
- Soy sauce – Use gluten-free soy sauce if you’re avoiding gluten.
- Toasted sesame oil – For the meatballs and the glaze.
- Fresh ginger – Peeled and grated.
- Red pepper flakes – Just a pinch.
- Olive oil – Extra virgin.
- Whole-wheat flour – Look for the 100% stamp on the package.
- Water – To help the glaze not become too thick.
- Rice wine vinegar – Also for the glaze.
- Honey – Natural sweetener.
- Lettuce cups – Iceberg is recommended since it’s sturdy enough to hold the meatballs.
- Brown rice – Or whole-grain ramen noodles.
How to make the meatballs
- Prep: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make: In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the pork, breadcrumbs, green onions, egg, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper. Roll the mixture into meatballs 1 ½” in diameter (a little smaller than a golf ball) and place in rows on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are brown all the way through. Drizzle with Teriyaki Glaze. To eat, wrap up in lettuce cups with a little spoonful of brown rice or whole-grain ramen noodles.
How to make the teriyaki glaze
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, while stirring, until it darkens in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the soy sauce, water, ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and honey and bring to a light boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook another couple minutes, while stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
Other Lettuce Wrap Recipes You Might Enjoy
Shrimp and Lentil Lettuce Wraps
Teriyaki Glazed Meatball Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped, white and green parts
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- pinch of red pepper flakes
For the teriyaki glaze
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
For serving
- iceberg lettuce cups
- brown rice or whole-grain ramen noodles
Instructions
For the Meatballs
-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
In a large bowl, use your hands to combine the pork, breadcrumbs, green onions, egg, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper. Roll the mixture into meatballs 1 ½” in diameter (about the size of a golf ball) and place in rows on the prepared baking sheet.
-
Bake the meatballs for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are brown and cooked all the way through (no longer pink in the middle). Coat with the Teriyaki Glaze (recipe below). To eat, wrap up in lettuce cups with a little spoonful of brown rice or whole-grain ramen noodles.
For the Teriyaki Glaze
-
Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, while stirring, until it darkens in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
-
Whisk in the soy sauce, water, ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and honey and bring to a light boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for another couple of minutes, while stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
Recipe Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
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