Quick Main Asian

Sweet and spicy Korean meatballs

Name: Sweet and spicy healthy Korean meatballs recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: /asian
Ingredients: 60ml soy sauce; 40.00 ml gochujang (Korean red pepper paste); 3 tsp garlic paste; 3 tsp ginger paste; 500g beef and pork mince; 1 egg; 10g breadcrumbs; White pepper, to season; 2 tsp vegetable oil; 20.00 ml rice wine vinegar; 40.00 ml honey; Black and white toasted sesame seeds, to sprinkle; 2 long green shallots, thinly sliced, to sprinkle; Steamed rice and 150g red cabbage, thinly shredded (we used a mandoline), to serve

2 ratings

20m

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Sweet and spicy Korean meatballs — Brett Stevens

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

Jun 16, 2026

If you’re feeling like Korean food but don’t want to go out, these sticky, spicy meatballs are the perfect solution. On the table in 30 minutes, they’re quick to pull together and even faster to demolish. If there happen to be any leftovers, they’re great to add to your lunch box the next day, too.

1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce
2 tbs gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
3 tsp garlic paste
3 tsp ginger paste
500g beef and pork mince
1 egg
1/4 cup (10g) panko breadcrumbs
White pepper, to season
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tbs honey
Black and white toasted sesame seeds, to sprinkle
2 long green shallots, thinly sliced, to sprinkle
Steamed rice and 150g red cabbage, thinly shredded (we used a mandoline), to serve

Method

1.

Combine the soy sauce, gochujang and garlic and ginger pastes in a small bowl. Place mince, egg and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Add 2 tbs gochujang mixture, reserving the rest, and season meat mixture with salt flakes and white pepper. Mix, using hands, until thoroughly combined. With wet hands, shape mixture into 20 balls. Chill, covered, if making these in advance.
2.

Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Cook the meatballs, tossing occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until browned all over and almost cooked through. Set aside, covered, on a plate.
3.

Add reserved gochujang mixture to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add rice wine vinegar and honey and bring to the boil over high heat. Return meatballs to pan and simmer over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until sauce thickens and meatballs are hot and cooked through.
4.

Sprinkle meatballs with sesame seeds and shallots and serve with rice and cabbage.