Football has officially kicked off and these tender and tangy Asian Meatball Sliders with Spiced Pickles are perfect for game days and fuss-free dinners. They're loaded with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, parsley, cilantro and honey to flavor the ground beef and pork. Plus, they can be made ahead and frozen to always have on hand!
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Cooking Steps
The beef-pork mixture comes together easily by combining all the ingredients in one bowl then simply form into tablespoon-size meatballs. You'll end up with about fifty of them, but the recipe can easily be halved if you'd rather make less. But remember, these freeze beautifully so you might as well go for the whole batch.
After just ten minutes in the oven, you'll have a tray of tender meatballs ready for a sweet and tangy glaze of soy sauce, honey, sesame oil and cilantro.
Serve up the sliders with these homemade spicy pickles for extra flavor and crunch. They're a cinch to make with a handheld mandoline to get consistent, super thin slices. And, you can dial the level of heat to your liking. Enjoy!
More Game Day Inspo!
French Onion Smashed Potato Bites
Honey Roasted Pear & Brie Flatbread
Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Nachos
Baked Sweet Potato Chips w/ Avocado Lime Dip
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📋 Recipe
Asian Meatball Sliders with Spiced Pickles
Ingredients
Pickles
- ⅔ cup rice or white wine vinegar
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic , about 3 cloves
- ½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 English cucumber , cut into ⅛-inch thick slices (about 2 cups)
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic , about 3 cloves
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper
Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro , chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger , freshly grated
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
To Serve
- 2 dozen slider rolls or Chinese steamed buns
- Boston or red leaf lettuce
- Green onions , thinly sliced
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
Pickles
- In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, water, brown sugar, garlic, and pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Remove from heat and add cucumber slices. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. (Pickles can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Mix all meatball ingredients in a large bowl with your hands until combined.
- Roll mixture into meatballs, a scant tablespoon each, and place on large, rimmed baking sheet. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- Bake 9-11 minutes. Meatballs should be browned on the outside and cooked through.
Sauce
- While meatballs are baking, combine soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil in a small saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, ginger, and black pepper.
To Serve
- Place warm meatballs in a large bowl. Pour enough sauce over to coat.
- Line slider rolls with lettuce, place 2-3 meatballs on top along with pickles. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
- Meatballs can also be served in lettuce cups without the rolls. Pass remaining sauce separately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Ben | Havocinthekitchen says
I don't really care for football season, but I am totally digging these sliders! Everything is perfect in these recipe from meatballs to pickles, and I especially love this sweet and salty sauce. Nicely done!
Kim Peterson says
Yes, you certainly don't have to be a fan to enjoy the food! Thanks Ben!