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Honey and garlic team up to make a sweet and tasty sauce for these homemade pork meatballs. These pork meatballs are perfect for any occasion—or no special occasion at all—and they can be kept warm and served from a slow cooker. Pork tends to make for a slightly drier meatball than those made with beef, but the egg and breadcrumbs bind the meatballs together and help add moisture and tenderness.
They're not cooked in the slow cooker or fried, but instead, the meatballs are baked and then coated with the flavorful sauce. The recipe is easily scaled up and doubled; you can freeze half of them, without the sauce, and make the sauce before serving. Serve these ground pork meatballs nestled into small lettuce leaves such as butter lettuce.
Tips for Making Honey Garlic Pork Meatballs Recipe
How can you tell if pork meatballs are cooked? Pork meatballs, when cooked, should reach 160 F on an instant-read thermometer and won't be pink.
"These meatballs are the perfect weekday lunch or dinner. Usually, meatballs dry out quickly, but these stayed moist, especially when paired with the sweet, tangy sauce. If you like a bit of spice, I would definitely recommend adding a few dashes of hot sauce. I can’t wait to make these again." —Hannah Packman
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Ingredients
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Cooking spray, for the pan
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1 pound lean ground pork
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1 large egg, beaten
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1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs (plain)
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2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, optional
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2 medium green onions, finely chopped
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4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped, divided
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1 teaspoon salt
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
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2 teaspoons unsalted butter
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1/2 cup ketchup
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1/4 cup honey
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1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
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1 teaspoon sriracha sauce or Tabasco, to taste
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet, such as a jelly roll pan or half sheet pan, with foil. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
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Combine 1 pound lean ground pork with 1 large egg (beaten), 1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons finely shopped cilantro (if using), 2 medium green onions (finely chopped), 1 of the cloves of chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste). Using your hands, combine the pork mixture until all ingredients are well blended.
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Shape the pork into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter, roughly 5/8 ounce each. Using a small cookie scoop to shape them helps. Arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet.
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Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink.
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Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 2 teaspoons unsalted butter. When the butter is foamy, add the remaining 3 cloves of chopped garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
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Add 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup honey, 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or Tabasco hot sauce, (if using). Bring to a boil, about 2 minutes; reduce heat and simmer for about 1 minute.
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Combine the sauce in a serving dish with the meatballs and serve immediately as an appetizer, or serve with rice and a side vegetable for a meal.
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How to Store and Freeze Honey Garlic Pork Meatballs Recipe
These meatballs will keep in the fridge for three to four days. Go ahead and freeze them for later use. Simply place it in an airtight container and freeze. They will last for up to three months. To reheat, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the crock pot or in a covered saucepan over low heat (you might need to add a splash of water). You can also reheat from frozen in a microwave.
Feeling Adventurous? Try This:
- No pork, no problem - If you don't want to use pork, there are plenty of other proteins that will yield the same delicious results. Try ground turkey, ground chicken or ground beef as a substitute for pork and bake for the same amount of time.
- Make it gingery - Add some minced fresh ginger to the meatball mixture.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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204 | Calories |
5g | Fat |
22g | Carbs |
18g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 204 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 5g | 7% |
Saturated Fat 2g | 11% |
Cholesterol 79mg | 26% |
Sodium 618mg | 27% |
Total Carbohydrate 22g | 8% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
Total Sugars 16g | |
Protein 18g | |
Vitamin C 3mg | 14% |
Calcium 38mg | 3% |
Iron 1mg | 7% |
Potassium 362mg | 8% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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