Hoisin-Glazed co*cktail Meatballs Recipe (2024)

Hors D'Oeuvres
Chinese
Roasting
Ground Beef
Pork

These hoisin-glazed co*cktail meatballs are sticky, tangy, and perfect for your next holiday party.

Emily and Matt Clifton

Emily and Matt Clifton are recipe developers, photographers, and cookbook authors. Their two cookbooks are Cork and Knife (2019) andThe Ultimate Dutch Oven Cookbook (2021).

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Updated June 22, 2022

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Why It Works

The meatballs are a perfect size for dipping with a party toothpick.
Using a mixture of pork and beef creates perfectly moist meatballs, while panko and egg keep them tender.
The glaze/dip adds a tangy kick that your guests will go wild for.

There's a reason why co*cktail meatballs have been a perennial party favorite since the 1960s: They're incredibly tasty and exactly the kind of snack you want to munch on while holding a martini glass in one hand.

Hoisin-Glazed co*cktail Meatballs Recipe (2)

Warm, savory, and usually a little sweet, these little meatballs are pretty much always the first things we run out of at every holiday party we've ever hosted.

If you're grimacing and shaking your head right now, it's probably because you've only had the decidedly unglamorous classic version (frozen meatballs drowned in a cloying sauce of grape jelly and a whisper of chili sauce). While we admit we have an embarrassing nostalgic fondness for them, this version, updated and modernized with a bit of international flair, requires no such disclaimers. They're fantastic and your guests will love them unironically. They're flavored with garlic and ginger, along with some hoisin sauce, which captures the sweet-and-savory elements of classic co*cktail meatballs.

Hoisin-Glazed co*cktail Meatballs Recipe (3)

We found a 50/50 mixture of beef and pork yielded the most tender and flavorful meatballs (pork fat is softer than beef fat, so it keeps the meatballs nice and tender), but using just beef works well, too. Dark meat turkey was not bad but ultra-lean white meat turkey dried out rather quickly and had a noticeably chalky texture.

On their own, meat proteins will bind to themselves, which can cause meatballs (or meatloaves, for that matter) to become tough and dense. To address this, we add a good amount of panko bread crumbs along with an egg. The bread crumbs keep the meat proteins from binding too tightly together, but they also help retain moisture the meat gives off while cooking. The egg acts as a binder, keeping the meatballs coherent.

While they are extremely easy to make, there is a little bit of finesse involved. When mixing the meatball ingredients together, we wanted the seasonings to be well integrated, but we also know that overworking the mixture can make the meatballs tough. We found that the best way to do this was with our bare hands, using our fingers to swirl the ingredients in a bowl until the beef and pork are just combined (if using both) and the seasonings are evenly distributed. Whatever you do, you don't want to squeeze and mash the meat.

To form the balls, use a tablespoon (or, even better, a portion scoop) to make even mounds and then gently roll those into balls using slightly wet hands (to keep them from sticking). To keep things simple, we bake them in the oven, which is much less messy than frying or sautéing. Once they are baked, they can be glazed and served right away or chilled in the refrigerator (or even frozen) until the day of the party. No need to defrost, just heat them on a parchment-lined baking tray in a 325°F (160°C) oven until warmed through. They should take about 10-12 minutes out of the refrigerator or 20-25 minutes if frozen. Then glaze and serve.

Hoisin-Glazed co*cktail Meatballs Recipe (4)

Speaking of the glaze, this is what it's all about, people. Hoisin sauce, sometimes referred to as Chinese barbecue sauce, is the main flavor agent and its sweet, salty, vinegary flavor is a perfect fit for the meatballs. The simple glaze, made with a combination of hoisin, ketchup, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil, is ready in just a few minutes and can be made several days in advance. The colder it is, the thicker it will get, so take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you're ready for it. If it's still too thick, stir in a teaspoon or two of hot water. Both the glaze and the meatballs can easily be doubled (or tripled) for a crowd.

Make a lot because they're going to go fast!

December 2016

Recipe Details

Hoisin-Glazed co*cktail Meatballs Recipe

Active35 mins

Total35 mins

Serves25 servings

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1/2 pound ground pork (230g)
1/2 pound ground beef (230g)
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (15ml)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (30ml)
1 tablespoon ginger, minced or grated
2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1 scallion, minced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (5ml)
1 tablespoon honey (15ml)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (1 ounce; 30g)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon freshlyground black pepper

For the Hoisin Glaze:

1/4 cup hoisin sauce (60ml)
2 tablespoons ketchup (30ml)
1 tablespoon honey (15ml)
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar (30ml)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (5ml)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (15ml)

To Serve:

1 scallion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (2g)

Directions

For the Meatballs: Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place all the meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl and, using your hands, mix together until blended (but don’t overmix).
With wet hands (to keep the meatballs from sticking), form 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized meatballs. (Using a 1/2 ounce portion scoop makes this easier but you can also do it by eye.) Place balls about an inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake meatballs until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
For the Glaze: Meanwhile, combine all glaze ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
To Serve: Brush glaze onto meatballs and top with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with extra hoisin glaze on the side for dipping.

Special Equipment

Rimmed baking sheet

Notes

The meatballs can be formed and cooked in advance. To serve, reheat for 10 minutes in a 325°F (160°C) oven, then brush with glaze. For best results, use pork and beef, though they can be made with 100% beef if you like. Meatballs and glaze recipes can be scaled up or down with no changes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
80	Calories
4g	Fat
5g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 25
Amount per serving
Calories	80
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g	6%
Saturated Fat 1g	7%
Cholesterol 24mg	8%
Sodium 198mg	9%
Total Carbohydrate 5g	2%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 12mg	1%
Iron 1mg	3%
Potassium 98mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

FAQs

What is co*cktail meatballs made of? ›

co*cktail meatballs were a popular appetizer in the 1960s and 1970s. My mother and grandmother used to make them from a well-known recipe that called for frozen meatballs, grape jelly, and Heinz chili sauce.

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What is hoisin sauce made of? ›

Ingredients. The key ingredient of hoisin sauce is fermented soybean paste. Some hoisin sauce ingredients include starches such as sweet potato, wheat and rice, and water, sugar, soybeans, sesame seeds, white distilled vinegar, salt, garlic, red chili peppers, and sometimes preservatives or coloring agents.

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Can I put raw meatballs in sauce? ›

Although the meatballs are not browned first, they still cook though in the sauce and it is safe to add them to the sauce raw, as long as the sauce is kept at a simmer until the meatballs are cooked through. Cooking the meatballs this way means that they stay quite tender even when cooked.

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Why do people put milk in meatballs? ›

When it comes to adding liquid to meatball mixtures, milk is often used for its versatility, depth of flavor, and richness. Without the use of milk, you may be faced with a plate of dry meatballs. Milk adds a certain level of moisture that helps produce perfectly tender meatballs.

What do you mix with hoisin sauce? ›

Mix hoisin sauce, soy sauce, maple syrup, ginger, and lemon juice together in a bowl. Serve with fresh spring rolls or chicken.

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What is the main flavor of hoisin sauce? ›

It has a very strong salty and slightly sweet flavor. Hoisin sauce does taste a bit like an American-style barbecue sauce, but much saltier, richer, less sweet, and has a flavor all its own. The fermented soybeans add the savory umami element that some other sauces use fish or meat to achieve.

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Do you bake or fry meatballs before putting in sauce? ›

You can brown the uncooked meatballs in a sauté pan before adding them to the sauce. You can brown them in the oven. Or you can skip browning altogether and put the raw meatballs straight into the sauce to cook.

Read On ›

Is it better to bake meatballs or cook them in sauce? ›

The best meatballs are tender, baked and browned in a hot oven to seal in all the juices. Simmered in robust sauce for a couple of minutes ensures they soak up all of those saucy flavours, this is an easy dinner recipe that will be a hit with your family!

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Should I refrigerate hoisin sauce? ›

Once the sauce lid is opened, you should always refrigerate the sauce instead of leaving the sauce out on the kitchen countertop where warm conditions can easily form bacteria. If the sauce is refrigerated, the oyster sauce or hoisin sauce can be kept for up to three to six months.

Keep Reading ›

Can I use hoisin sauce on its own? ›

Make a dipping sauce for Vietnamese spring rolls.

The spicy-sweet flavor of hoisin sauce makes it a tasty dipping sauce for your favorite Vietnamese spring rolls. You can serve hoisin sauce for dipping by itself, or mix it with an equal amount of peanut sauce for a more traditional spring roll sauce.

Read On ›

Can you use hoisin sauce alone? ›

Dipping Sauce: Use hoisin alone or combine it with other ingredients to create a dipping sauce like my Spring Rolls with Pineapple Hoisin Sauce or Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Pineapple Hoisin peanut Sauce.

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What is the difference between regular meatballs and Italian meatballs? ›

American meatballs are the biggest in size, with Italian and Swedish meatballs following on the depth chart. Italian meatballs call for seasonings like grated parmesan and oregano, while Swedish ones use seasonings like nutmeg and allspice. While it doesn't sound like a huge distinction, you'll notice it in the taste!

What are co*cktail wieners made of? ›

Made with a delicious blend of pork, beef, and seasonings, you'll see why big satisfaction comes in small bites. Available in 20-ounce packages, and as versatile as they are savory, Sahlen's® co*cktail Wieners are perfect for holiday celebrations, tailgate parties, or the next great secret ingredient in a soup.

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What are Ikea meatballs made of horse meat? ›

Ikea first said that it would not sell or serve any meatballs at its stores in Sweden after the Czech authorities detected horse meat in frozen meatballs that were labeled beef and pork, even though Ikea's own tests two weeks ago had not detected horse DNA.

What are Maggianos meatballs made of? ›

Our meatballs and meat sauce are made with 100% ground beef. They do not contain any pork.

Tell Me More ›