Korean BBQ Meatballs with Roasted Vegetables Recipe
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4.6 from 3 reviews
This Korean BBQ Meatballs and Vegetables recipe combines flavorful ground beef meatballs with roasted sweet potatoes and crispy Brussels sprouts, all coated in a delicious homemade Korean BBQ sauce. Perfect for a balanced and satisfying meal, this dish offers a wonderful mix of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors with easy oven roasting and broiling techniques.
Total Time:45 minutes
Yield:4 servings
Ingredients
Vegetables
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
2 Tablespoons sesame oil, divided
Salt to taste
Meatballs
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (gluten-free if needed)
1/4 cup milk
1 lb ground beef
3 scallions, thinly sliced with white and green parts separated
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Gochujang or sriracha sauce
Korean BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
1/3 cup maple syrup or brown sugar
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1 Tablespoon Gochujang or sriracha sauce, plus more to taste
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon water
Toppings: sesame seeds and green onion greens
Instructions
Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 425°F and arrange the oven rack on the top position. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with olive oil or line it with parchment paper.
Roast vegetables: Place the cubed sweet potatoes and halved Brussels sprouts on one half of the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon sesame oil and sprinkle with salt to taste. Toss to coat and arrange the Brussels sprouts cut side down. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Soak breadcrumbs and prep aromatics: In a large bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs and pour the milk over them. Let sit for 5 minutes to soak. Meanwhile, finely mince the white parts of the scallions and the garlic. Reserve the green parts of the scallions for garnish.
Make meatball mixture: Add the ground beef, scallion whites, grated ginger, minced garlic, kosher salt, and Gochujang to the soaked breadcrumb mixture. Use clean hands to mix everything until well combined.
Form meatballs: Using a medium cookie scoop or your hands, form the mixture into 1½-inch meatballs, making about 20 to 22 meatballs.
Add meatballs to baking sheet: Remove the vegetables from the oven. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on the empty half of the baking sheet. Drizzle the meatballs with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
Bake meatballs and finish roasting vegetables: Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 16 minutes, or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F, and the sweet potatoes are tender and Brussels sprouts are golden and crispy.
Prepare Korean BBQ sauce: While the meatballs bake, combine soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and 1 tablespoon Gochujang in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Thicken sauce: In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water. Whisk this mixture into the simmering BBQ sauce. Continue to boil and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and reserve 1/3 cup of the sauce in a separate bowl for serving.
Toss meatballs in sauce: Carefully remove the meatballs from the baking sheet and add them to the saucepan with the remaining BBQ sauce. Gently toss to coat all meatballs evenly. Place the coated meatballs back onto the baking sheet.
Broil for finishing: Turn the oven to broil. Broil the meatballs and vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes until the BBQ sauce bubbles and the sweet potatoes develop a slightly crispy edge.
Serve and garnish: Serve the meatballs and vegetables drizzled with the reserved BBQ sauce. Sprinkle with chopped green scallion tops and sesame seeds for garnish.
Notes
Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs to make the recipe gluten-free.
Gochujang can be substituted with sriracha for a milder spice level.
If you prefer, substitute ground beef with ground turkey or chicken.
Carefully watch the broiling step to avoid burning the sauce.
Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for a soy-free option.
To save time, chop scallions and garlic while the vegetables roast.
