Easy and Savory Korean Gochujang Meatballs
These Easy and Savory Korean Gochujang Meatballs are sweet, spicy, smoky and delicious. This is a versatile meatball and the serving options for this sensational dish are endless.
These Korean gochujang meatballs are so unique and delicious that you won’t believe how quickly they come together. The combination of ground beef with gochujang and sesame oil, make these meatballs truly unforgettable.
My Aidan is not a picky eater in the least.. now. However, he was the world’s pickiest eater until he reached the age of about 7. Seriously, this child lived on chicken flavored Ramen noodles and about a handful of other unexciting food options. My nephew Logan was also very picky until about the same age. Thankfully, they’re both much more adventurous nowadays and eat mostly anything.
The point is, Aidan and Logan both were willing to give these meatballs a try. As picky as they were, they both enjoyed the Korean gochujang meatballs very much. Though Korean meatballs may seem exotic, I have found that even the most finicky of children realize their amazingness. That means that these are definitely worth a try!
What is gochujang sauce?
Well, this is a fermented Korean chili pepper paste. Gochujang has a sweet, spicy, smoky flavor. It is very versatile. I like to think of it as the Sriracha of Korea. Gochujang has a very unique flavor so I wouldn’t recommend substituting it in recipes if you can avoid it.
Gochujang is something I had never even heard of until about 5 years ago. I learned of it’s existence on the Food Network. I’ve fallen in love with experimenting and creating recipes for it ever since. My all-time favorite use of this sauce is my Luxurious Korean BBQ Burgers with Gochujang Slaw. In fact, these burgers are one of my favorite things that I make. Period.
I’ve never had difficulty finding this sauce at my local grocery store. It should be pretty easy for you to get your hands on a bottle.
P.S. In case you’re wondering, gochujang is pronounced go-choo-jang. 😜
What else can I add to these Korean gochujang meatballs?
You could add several different vegetable options to this sauce and they would turn out fantastic.
-Bok choy
-Brussel sprouts
-Asparagus
-Orange bell pepper
-Napa cabbage or green cabbage
-Zucchini
-Summer squash
What can I use in place of ground beef?
Ground pork, chicken, turkey or veal would all make for a delicious meatball. I love the depth in flavor when you mix two different packages of ground meat together. California Sausage and Turkey Burgers have great taste and texture and are a perfect example of different meats complimenting each other. Turkey burgers can be dry but the fat content in the sausage makes for a moist and very scrumptious burger.
How do I serve my Korean gochujang meatballs?
I plate these delicious meatballs over a hot serving of Jasmine rice. I garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. These would also be scrumptious as lettuce wraps or meatball subs. You could use these meatballs in a noodle or rice bowl with different veggies. Or serve alongside some delicious steamed vegetables for a delicious lunch or dinner. My Thai Meatballs post has a special take on meatballs as well as a lot of different serving options. The possibilities are endless with meatballs! My family is obsessed with these Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs.
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, egg, panko breadcrumbs, gochujang sauce, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, ground ginger and sesame oil. Using clean hands, mix until everything is fully combined. Take care to not over mix the meat. Roll the mixture into 2-inch meatballs.
Heat a pan sprayed frying pan on medium heat with a little olive oil. Add the meatballs to the pan. Try not to have them touching. Brown for about 5 minutes and then flip. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. Move the meatballs around in the pan every 2-3 minutes to ensure that they cook evenly.
While the meatballs are frying in the pan, combine all of the ingredients for the gochujang sauce in a bowl and set aside.
Chop the garlic, grate the ginger and chop the broccoli. When preparing the broccoli, be sure to thinly slice and include the stem as well.
Once the meatballs are cooked through, add the garlic, ginger and broccoli to the frying pan. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the gochujang sauce mixture and allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. You may garnish with optional scallions and/or sesame seeds. Serve with white rice.
So how did you end up preparing and serving your Easy and Savory Korean Gochujang Meatballs? Let me know in the comments below how everything turned out!
Easy and Savory Korean Gochujang Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds ground beef
- 1 Egg
- ½ Cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 Tablespoons gochujang sauce
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- ½ Teaspoon ground ginger
- 1½ Teaspoons sesame oil
- 5 Cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 1 Head broccoli (stem and florets)
- 2 Tablespoons scallions, chopped (optional)
- 1-2 Tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
Gochujang Sauce
- 1 Cup ketchup
- ¼ Cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons gochujang sauce
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, egg, panko breadcrumbs, gochujang sauce, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, ground ginger and sesame oil. Using clean hands, mix until everything is fully combined. Take care to not over mix the meat. Roll the mixture into 2-inch meatballs.
- Heat a pan sprayed frying pan on medium heat with a little olive oil. Add the meatballs to the pan. Try not to have them touching. Brown for about 5 minutes and then flip. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. Move the meatballs around in the pan every 2-3 minutes to ensure that they cook evenly.
- While the meatballs are frying in the pan, combine all of the ingredients for the gochujang sauce in a bowl and set aside.
- Chop the garlic, grate the ginger and chop the broccoli. When preparing the broccoli, be sure to thinly slice and include the stem as well.
- Once the meatballs are cooked through, add the garlic, ginger and broccoli to the frying pan. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the gochujang sauce mixture and allow to simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened. You may garnish with optional scallions and/or sesame seeds. Serve with white rice and enjoy!
You sure can’t go wrong with this recipe.
Thank you! Meatballs are always a homerun!