Sweet Hoisin Meatballs
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These sweet and sticky hoisin meatballs make a great party appetizer. Or you can easily have them over rice or noodles as a main dish. The sweet, tangy combo is loved by one and all!
These hoisin meatballs are the kind of dish you make once and immediately add to your “why don’t I make this every week?” list. They’re tender, juicy, and coated in a glossy hoisin glaze that’s sweet, savory, and totally irresistible. Every time the sauce bubbles down and clings to the meatballs, it feels like kitchen magic.
To keep the texture soft and delicate, the meatballs are made with almond flour instead of breadcrumbs. It melts right into the mixture, giving the meatballs a subtle nuttiness and helping them hold together beautifully. The result is a tender bite that still has plenty of structure — no dry or crumbly meatballs here.
And the best part? They taste as you fussed over them, but they’re shockingly simple to make. Pile them over rice, tuck them into lettuce cups, or set out a platter with toothpicks for a crowd. However you serve them, they disappear fast — there’s just something about that sticky hoisin glaze that keeps everyone coming back for more.
What to serve with hoisin meatballs
Pull out your toothpicks and serve these as an appy, eat them as a protein-packed snack, or use them to compliment a perfect weeknight family meal – no matter what, you’ll have an instant hit on your hands!
Here are some ideas of what to serve with hoisin meatballs:
If serving as an appy:
- Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
- Bang Bang Cauliflower
- Edamame Hummus with chips, veggies or pita
If serving as part of a complete meal:
- Roasted Broccoli or steamed broccoli are nice on the side
- Ginger Rice or Coconut Rice
- Soy Ginger Noodles
Frequently Asked Questions
What meat can I use for hoisin meatballs?
This hoisin sauce meatball recipe is quite versatile. The recipe calls for ground pork and ground beef, though you can use all beef, ground turkey, or make chicken meatballs.
What does hoisin sauce taste like?
Hoisin sauce is sweet, salty, and tangy. It’s made from fermented soybean paste and has a similar consistency to BBQ sauce.
How do I make hoisin meatballs ahead of time?
You can prepare and bake the meatballs ahead of time, as well as prepare the sauce. Store them separately until you’re ready to serve.
Hoisin Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ginger (finely minced)
- 6 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup almond flour (can sub quick oats or breadcrumbs)
The Sauce
- 1 cup hoisin sauce
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Sesame seeds and green onions (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix them together well.1 lb ground pork, 1 lb ground beef, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons ginger, 6 cloves garlic, 2 large eggs, 1 cup almond flour
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs then roll them into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs in the oven for 18-24 minutes, or until they have browned and are cooked through. If you have an instant-read meat thermometer, it should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.1 cup hoisin sauce, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- When the meatballs are cooked, remove them from the oven, put them into a large mixing bowl, and pour the sauce over top. Gently stir them around until they are coated.
- Serve the meatballs topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and some sliced green onions.Sesame seeds and green onions
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More meatball recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our meatball recipes!
Wondering if you can freeze the sauce with the meatballs?
Yes! They freeze well!
could you make the sauce and use it with frozen meatballs in a crockpot?
I think that should work just fine!
The recipe, to me, was a little bland; I added ~1.5 Tbs salt and ~2 Tbs sriracha to my second batch and they tasted ?
With 4lbs of meat you can make more than 36 meatballs right ? Especially if they are sort of bitesize im just in doubt
If they are bite-sized then you should get more than 36. 🙂
Hi Chen! You’re welcome to use an image and link back to this post. Just please do not reprint the recipe on your site. Simply use an image and link to this recipe. Thanks so much!
Is the ginger in the sauce ground ginger or minced?
It’s minced ginger. If you don’t have any fresh ginger on hand, ground ginger will work in a pinch. 🙂
Hi, These look delicious – If I were to make these for a party, in advance, would this work? What stage would be best to do in advance and which before serving?
Thanks!
If you wanted to make these the day before you could make and bake the meatballs and make the sauce. Store the two separately in your fridge then heat the meatballs in the sauce before the party. You may want to add a small splash of water to the sauce if you are going to reheat the meatballs in it (rather than putting them in hot). I did this for a party last year and it worked great. 🙂
Thanks, Tammy!
Made these today and it was a big hit with both the hubby and the kids (Thank God!!!! They are sooooooo hard to please!!!). Thanks for sharing!!
You’re welcome, Lisa. So happy to hear they were a hit!!
Wow these little balls looks so good! I’m sure that they wouldn’t last 5 minutes at my house!
Thanks, Allyson! They don’t last very long around here either. 🙂