Spicy Sriracha Beef Meatballs Rice (Printable)
Bold Sriracha-infused beef meatballs served over fluffy rice with fresh garnish. An easy 45-minute Asian-inspired main dish for four.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef
02 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
06 - 2 tbsp sriracha sauce
07 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 1 tsp sesame oil
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
10 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
11 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Sauce
12 - 2 tbsp sriracha sauce
13 - 2 tbsp honey
14 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
15 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
16 - 1 tsp sesame oil
→ Rice
17 - 1 1/4 cups jasmine or long-grain white rice
18 - 2 cups water
19 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Garnish
20 - 2 spring onions, sliced
21 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds
22 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, garlic, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, sriracha sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
03 - Shape mixture into 20-24 small meatballs, approximately 1 tablespoon each. Place on prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 18-20 minutes until meatballs are browned and cooked through.
05 - Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12-15 minutes until tender and water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
06 - In a small saucepan, whisk together sriracha sauce, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
07 - Once meatballs are cooked, toss them in the sriracha sauce until well coated.
08 - Serve meatballs over cooked rice. Garnish with sliced spring onions, sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These meatballs have this perfect balance of heat that builds slowly instead of overwhelming your palate right away, letting you actually taste the food instead of just feeling the burn.
- The sauce creates this gorgeous glaze that makes the dish look impressive enough for guests but is secretly weeknight-easy.
02 -
- Overmixing the meat mixture is the number one reason for tough, dense meatballs, so handle it just enough to incorporate ingredients and no more.
- Adding the meatballs to the sauce while theyre still hot from the oven makes them absorb the flavors much more effectively than if you let them cool first.
03 -
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden before sprinkling over the finished dish, which transforms their flavor from bland to nutty and complex.
- Let the meatball mixture rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before shaping if you have time, as this allows the breadcrumbs to fully hydrate and the flavors to meld.