Firecracker Meatballs - My Daily Hacks

Firecracker Meatballs are a simple, flavorful dish that provides sweet heat with minimal effort. These juicy meatballs are topped with a creamy, spicy and sweet sauce, perfect for weeknight dinners or as an appetizer for the crowd.

Why do it?: The sauce is whisked and done while the oven does the work, so you can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
Recommended tools: You will need mixing bowls, a whisk, a baking sheet, aluminum or parchment paper, and a small spoon, if you have one.
Service Suggestions: Serve over rice with broccoli or green beans, on a lettuce wrap or sandwich, or on an appetizer plate, and leftovers will easily become chopstick-ready bites for game day.
Freeze: Freeze the baked meatballs (without the sauce) for future quick meals and top with fresh sauce when you are ready to serve.

Labeled ingredients for firecracker meatballs: salt, green onions, kewpie mayonnaise, sriracha, honey, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic, egg, ground beef, and panko.

Better ingredients

Ground meat: Using lean meat prevents the pan from getting greasy. Ground chicken or ground turkey can be used, but cook to 165°F.
Panko: Panko keeps the texture light, although regular breadcrumbs or crushed crackers work too. Use gluten-free panko if necessary.
Mayonnaise: Kewpie mayonnaise adds a richer, slightly spicy flavor, but regular mayonnaise works in a pinch. Add a splash of lime juice or rice vinegar for more flavor.
Sriracha: The spiciness varies by brand, so start with a little and taste as you go. You can also swap it out for chili garlic sauce or gochujang for a stronger chili flavor. Reduce the heat by omitting the red pepper flakes and reducing the sriracha.
Honey: Honey sweetens and completes the spiciness. Or swap it out for brown sugar or maple syrup.

Firecracker meatballs ingredients in a bowl

How to make firecracker meatballs

Whisk all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. (full recipe below).
In another bowl, mix the meatball ingredients until combined.
Form balls. Place on a baking sheet and bake.

Serve over rice drizzled with sauce, with additional sauce on the side for dipping.

firecracker meatballs in a bowl with broccoli and rice

For a thicker sauce: Make the sauce first and refrigerate. It thickens a little and the flavors mix.
Control the heat: For a milder sauce, start with 2 teaspoons of sriracha and then add more to taste.
For tender meatballs: Mix the meatballs gently and stop as soon as everything is combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs tough.
For even cooking: Use a small cookie scoop so the meatballs bake evenly.
Frozen Meatball Shortcut: Bake according to instructions and then drizzle with fresh sauce just before serving.
For extra browning: Lightly spray the parchment and leave a little space between the meatballs.
Service update: Drizzle over sauce and then offer a bowl of additional sauce on the side for dipping.

Storage and leftovers

Store Cook leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and store sauce separately.

Freeze Bake meatballs on a sheet pan until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Do not freeze the sauce, as it is best fresh.

to reheatThaw overnight in the refrigerator, then heat meatballs in short bursts in the microwave or in a 350°F oven until heated through, adding sauce after reheating.

Sweet and Spicy Favorites

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image from Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 16 minutes

Total time 26 minutes

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, soy sauce, honey, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil toast until smooth. Refrigerate to serve.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, green onions, egg, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ginger and salt. Mix until combined, roll 24 meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and reach 160°F in the center.
Serve meatballs drizzled with sauce and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and additional red pepper flakes if desired.

You can use 1 pound of frozen meatballs instead of homemade ones. Bake the meatballs according to package instructions and serve with the sauce.
Garnish with red pepper flakes, sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds.
Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the sauce separately. Freeze meatballs for up to 3 months (without the sauce).

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary depending on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Main Course

Kitchen American

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