Firecracker Meatballs – Mini pork meatballs with yummy Asian fusion flavors are coated in a spicy cream sauce and perfect as an appetizer or a meal all their own
I haven’t been shy with you all about my love for Hello Fresh. We continue to use it once per month to switch up our dinners and broaden our horizons a bit. These Firecracker Meatballs are adapted from a recipe we’ve had a couple times from Hello Fresh over the years. I think the recipe is incredible, mostly due to the creamy firecracker sauce that the meatballs get tossed in after they’re baked.
Despite the yummy original recipe, I thought it needed a few tweaks so I’ve decided to share my version here for all of you to enjoy. Here are my Firecracker Meatballs!
Making the meatballs
These meatballs are some of the easiest ones you can make, mostly because of their few ingredients. Ground pork, scallions, breadcrumbs, ginger, and soy sauce are mixed together to form the mixture. Your hands are the best tools for mixing the meat to prevent overmixing.
Once the pork mixture is combined, it’s time to form the mini meatballs. Make sure not to make them too big if you plan to serve as an appetizer. Appetizers are best served in bite-sized portions so they can be easily eaten without utensils. If you decide to serve these as a entrée, you can make them slightly bigger.
Once they’re formed, place them on a baking sheet to bake for 12-14 minutes.
Firecracker sauce
Once the meatballs are cooked and slightly cooled, they get tossed in a creamy firecracker sauce. The sauce gets it’s kick from Sriracha but it gets tamed a bit by the creamy mayo and sour cream. If you don’t want it too spicy, you can definitely hold back on how much Sriracha you use.
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure the meatballs are all the same size to ensure they cook evenly. I like to separate my meat into sections to help easily divide into small meatballs. For example, split the meatball into 3 even sections. Then split each section into 5 mini meatballs. See how easy that is?!
- It’s important to use a lean ground meat for this recipe so that the meatballs don’t taste too rich. So if you decide you don’t want to use pork, make sure you use a lean ground turkey, chicken, or beef.
Firecracker Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 10 ounces ground pork
- 2 scallions
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a sheet pan with 1 teaspoon of canola oil. Set aside.
- Slice scallions and separate greens and whites. Save scallion greens for garnish. Place scallion whites in medium bowl with ground pork, panko breadcrumbs, 4 teaspoons soy sauce, minced ginger, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, mix ingredients together until combined. Form meat into 15 mini meatballs and place onto prepared baking sheet.
- Place meatballs into oven and bake until browned, about 12-14 minutes. While they bake, make the firecracker sauce. Add 2 teaspoons soy sauce, mayo, Sriracha, honey, and sour cream to a large bowl. Whisk together. Set aside until meatballs are done.
- Remove meatballs from oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Once cooled, add to large bowl with the firecracker sauce and toss to cover the meatballs in sauce. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and scallion greens and serve over rice as an entrée or alone as an appetizer.
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More recipes you’ll love:
Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers
Asian Steak Skewers
Orange Chicken
This article has made me crave to try these Firecracker Meatballs. With beautiful pictures and detailed instructions, I believe anyone can make this dish at home.
This is a very interesting article about a delicious and unique dish. I feel like I really want to try these Firecracker Meatballs.
Yummy! I can’t wait to make this! I love the twist on the meatballs! My family will love this!
This dish looks so delicious and creamy . Looks so mouth melting. Would love to try this amazing recipe.
I am so intrigued by your recipe that I am going to make these meatballs ASAP. I am used to making similar ones with tomato sauce, but cream sauce sounds even better. 🙂
I’ve never seen a recipe like this, and I can’t wait to try it. The flavors sound incredible.
Oh yum! These meatballs sound amazing with that spicy cream sauce and they look beautiful piled over the bed of rice. Such a delicious meal!
I have to make this sauce!! Sounds like a dinner I need!
Yum! I bet that sauce tastes good on so many different things too!
These look absolutely divine, Sharon. That sauce looks so flavorful. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
They look so good! I need to make them for my next cheat meal
These look incredible! We love meatballs, so I’ll have to try this version. I am all about spice!