Looking for something a little different than your typical spaghetti and meatballs? These Asian meatballs are tender and full of flavor, my whole family adores this recipe!
Who likes meatballs? We sure do! My girls will happily eat any and all meatballs, including turkey meatballs and Greek meatballs. But the whole spaghetti and meatballs thing gets tiring after a while so I’m always on the look out for other variations. This recipe for Asian meatballs with carrot rice is definitely a unique take on meatballs.
How do you make Asian meatballs?
This recipe uses ground turkey instead of beef to lighten things up a bit – these meatballs are not greasy at all. The meat is mixed with panko and flavored with cilantro, soy sauce, garlic, and a touch of sriracha – not enough to make it super spicy, just enough to add flavor.
I always broil my meatballs rather than pan fry them – it’s so much easier and the broiler browns the tops just as well as if you had seared them in an oiled pan. The great thing about meatballs is that they freeze beautifully – so you can even make a double batch of these and pop half in the freezer for another night. I typically freeze my meatballs after they’ve already been cooked, I think that yields the best result.
The Asian meatballs are great on their own, but what really takes this dish over the top is the carrot rice. It’s so simple and fun – make your rice (white or brown) as usual, then add some shredded carrots at the end and let it all sit in the covered pan for a few minutes. The heat of the rice lightly cooks the carrots and the carrots turn the rice a fun orange color. It’s a great flavor combination and an easy way to convince your kids to eat their veggies. The whole thing can be on your table in 30 minutes – start by putting the rice up to simmer and then get the meatballs going while the rice is cooking. It’s a great choice for a simple and healthy weeknight meal.
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