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Korean meatballs on a white plate with a red napkin in the background.

Korean Meatballs with a Gochujang Glaze

Beth Lee
Korean meatballs with a gochujang glaze are ideal as a simple midweek meal or a crowd-pleasing gameday snack. Hearty, spicy, sweet, and tangy, these gems are a great introduction to the Korean spice paste, gochujang, which will become your new favorite pantry staple.
5 from 13 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Korean
Servings 16 servings
Calories 106 kcal

Ingredients
  

Meatball Mixture

  • 2 pounds ground beef or mix beef with pork or lamb
  • 4 - 5 green onions very thinly sliced, about ½ cup (plus additional for garnish)
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 4 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
  • 1.5 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons gochugaru adjust to your taste for spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil for pan-frying or brushing on meatballs

Glaze:

  • ½ cup apricot preserves
  • 3 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
  • 2.25 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce

Garnishes

  • 1 green onion sliced at an angle
  • 1 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds can toast yourself by swirling in a medium heat frying pan or buy pre-toasted seeds

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400° F. Place all meatball ingredients in a large bowl - except oil.
    Meatball ingredients in red bowl unmixed.
  • Gently combine until everything appears evenly spread around. Use your hands or a wooden spoon. Don't overmix the ingredients - it will make your meatballs tough.
    Hand in red bowl mixing the meatball mixture.
  • Form the mixture into golf-ball sized meatballs and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Feel free to make the meatballs smaller or larger as you prefer. Just remember smaller or larger meatballs may cook at a different rate so let your instant-read thermometer be your guide.
  • Brush oil on the outside of the meatballs and place in preheated oven for 15 minutes. If baking two trays at once, trade shelves half way through.
    Korean meatballs on parchment brushed with oil.
  • While the meatballs are baking, in a small pot, combine all glaze ingredients. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and combined.
    Ingredients for sauce in a pot on the stove top.
  • At 15 minutes, check internal temperature of the meatballs - should be nearing 160°F. Remove the tray(s) of meatballs and brush with the glaze. Turn oven to broil.
    Glazed baked meatballs closeup on parchment.
  • Broil on middle rack for about 2 minutes.
    Broiled and baked meatballs
  • To serve, brush meatballs with additional warm glaze and sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds. If there is extra glaze (and there will be), serve it alongside the meatballs as well.
    Three meatballs on a white plate with black chopsticks.

Notes

  • The glaze calls for apricot preserves. Running low on apricot, I threw in some fig preserves as well. Worked perfectly so don't be afraid to be creative with the jam.
  • If you are not pressed for time, feel free to pan sear on the stove top and then finish baking in the oven. Then glaze when they come out of the oven with warm glaze.
  • Feel free to play with what meats and bread crumbs you use. Adjust seasonings up or down to your liking. Meatballs are flexible and fun. Make them your own! Just pay attention to the general ratio of meat, eggs/liquid and bread crumbs.
  • Closely adapted from a Foxes Love Lemons recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 106kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 246mgPotassium: 107mgVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 1.2mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.8mg
Keyword gochujang, korean food, meatballs
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