Baked Teriyaki Meatballs with Rice

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One batch of baked teriyaki meatballs stretches further than you would expect when you serve them over rice, and for a family of seven that matters on a Tuesday night. I roll them on the smaller side, about one inch, which gives everyone plenty and still leaves enough to pack over rice the next day for lunch. The wire rack is the one step I would not skip: setting a rack over the lined sheet lets heat circulate underneath so you get color on the whole meatball without flipping a single one, which I learned after years of wondering why one side always looked steamed. The four-ingredient teriyaki glaze comes together in five minutes while the meatballs are in the oven, and even my pickiest eater will clean her plate when that glossy sauce is involved.

Why you will love this

• The oven does the browning for you. No standing over a skillet, no grease splatter, no flipping.
• The teriyaki sauce is made from scratch in under 10 minutes and tastes cleaner than anything from a bottle.
• One baking sheet, one saucepan, one pot of rice. The cleanup is manageable on a Tuesday.
• The meatballs can be baked a couple of days ahead and reheated right in the sauce, which makes this a realistic make-ahead dinner.
• A batch of 20 meatballs feeds four adults over rice, and leftovers reheat well the next day for lunch.

Tips for success

• Use the wire rack. Placing meatballs directly on foil traps steam underneath and you lose the browning on the bottom half. A rack is worth the extra dish.
• Mix the meat mixture just until combined. Overworking ground beef makes the meatballs tight and dense. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry breadcrumbs.
• Make the cornstarch slurry with cold water, not warm. Warm water can cause lumps before the slurry even hits the sauce. Stir it smooth in the bowl first, then pour it into the simmering liquid while stirring.
• Start the rice at the same time you put the meatballs in the oven. Stovetop white rice takes about 18 minutes covered plus 5 minutes of steaming off the heat, which lines up almost exactly with when the meatballs finish.

Common questions

• Can I use ground turkey or chicken? Yes. Both work with the same amounts and bake time. Just check for 165 degrees F at the center since poultry meatballs can look done before they actually are.
• My sauce seized up and got too thick. What happened? The slurry thickens fast. If it goes too far, stir in a tablespoon of water at a time over low heat until it loosens back to a glossy consistency.
• Can I double the batch? Easily. Use two sheet pans and rotate them halfway through baking. The sauce recipe doubles well too.
• Do I have to use a rack? If you do not have one, bake directly on foil and flip the meatballs at the 10-minute mark to get some color on both sides.

Substitutions

Ground chicken or ground turkey can replace the ground beef if you want a lighter meatball. The texture will be a little softer, so handle the mixture gently when rolling. For a gluten-free version, swap the soy sauce for tamari and use certified gluten-free breadcrumbs. The cornstarch slurry is already gluten-free, so no changes needed there.

If you are out of honey, maple syrup works at the same ratio and gives the glaze a slightly deeper flavor. Ground ginger can stand in for fresh in a pinch: use about 1/4 teaspoon in place of the full teaspoon of fresh. Brown rice or cauliflower rice both work as the base, just adjust cook times according to whichever you use.

Make-ahead and storage

Bake the meatballs up to two days ahead and refrigerate them in an airtight container without sauce. When you are ready to serve, make the teriyaki sauce fresh and add the cold meatballs to the saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently for about five minutes until they are heated through and coated. Leftovers with sauce keep in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in a small saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the glaze, or cover and microwave for about two minutes.

To freeze, cool the baked meatballs completely and freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan before transferring to a zip bag. They keep for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in freshly made teriyaki sauce. Freezing them already coated in sauce can make the glaze watery when reheated, so it is worth making the sauce fresh after thawing.

Brittany Stage

Baked Teriyaki Meatballs with Rice

Ground beef meatballs baked until browned and juicy, then tossed in a quick homemade teriyaki glaze and served over steamed white rice. Dinner is on the table in about 35 minutes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian-American

Calories: 480

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef 85/15 or 90/10 both work
• 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 3 cloves garlic minced, divided
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup soy sauce low sodium preferred
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp fresh ginger grated or finely minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water for the slurry
• 2 cups long grain white rice dry, for serving
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish
• 3 stalks green onions thinly sliced, for garnish

Equipment

• large rimmed baking sheet
• wire rack
• large mixing bowl
• medium saucepan
• small bowl for slurry
• rice cooker or medium pot

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top. Spray the rack lightly with nonstick cooking spray. The rack lifts the meatballs off the pan so heat circulates underneath and they brown all around without flipping.
2. Start your rice according to package directions so it is ready when the meatballs finish. For stovetop rice, combine 2 cups dry rice with 3 1/2 cups water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let it steam covered for 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, 2 cloves of the minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands just until everything is evenly combined. Do not overwork the meat or the meatballs will be dense. The mixture should hold together when pressed.
4. Portion the meat mixture into 20 meatballs, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Roll each one between your palms into a smooth ball and place it on the wire rack. They should all fit on one standard baking sheet with a little space between them.
5. Bake for 18 minutes. The meatballs are done when they are browned on the outside and register 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer at the center. They will look set and firm, not pink or soft.
6. While the meatballs bake, make the teriyaki sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, grated ginger, sesame oil, and the remaining clove of minced garlic. Stir and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, about 3 minutes.
7. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Pour the slurry into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy, coat-the-spoon consistency. Remove from heat.
8. Transfer the hot baked meatballs directly into the saucepan and fold gently to coat them all in the teriyaki glaze. Serve immediately over steamed rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

Meatballs can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Make the sauce fresh and reheat meatballs in it on the stovetop. Freeze plain baked meatballs for up to 3 months.

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