These quick and easy Kung Pao Meatballs are packed with flavor and ready in under 30 minutes!
One of my favorite dishes is Kung Pao Chicken. I love the sweet and spicy combo of the sticky Asian sauce. The crunch of salty peanuts and chopped green onions make this dish irresistible. The only trouble is it is pretty involved. However, these quick and easy Kung Pao Meatballs are loaded with flavor but take a fraction of the time!
Ingredients for Kung Pao Meatballs
As always, this is a quick overview of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. This recipe can be made low carb and keto-friendly if using the notes below. To get the complete recipe just keep scrolling.
- Ground pork: you can also use ground beef, turkey or chicken if you prefer
- Egg: size large egg, this is used to bind the meatballs together.
- Breadcrumbs OR Keto Panko if low carb. Both options work really well.
- Sauce ingredients: Chili garlic sauce, Soy sauce, Rice vinegar, Sesame oil, sweetener of your choice, and garlic
- Optional: a thickener of your choice such as corn starch or xanthan gum
How do I make Kung Pao Meatballs?
- To make the meatballs simply combine the ground pork, breadcrumbs (or keto panko) and Chili garlic sauce and egg ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix very well until evenly distributed. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking oil and using your hands roll the meatballs into golf ball size balls. Place them evenly spaced on the cooking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. One thing to note is if you make your meatballs larger your cooking time will increase.
- The final step is to make the sauce. Heat a large skillet to medium heat and combine all of the ingredients except the water and cornstarch. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally so the brown sugar dissolves. When the mixture is simmering mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and slowly pour into the sauce, stirring as you pour. The sauce will almost immediately begin to thicken.Add the meatballs and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low and let the flavors meld for 5 minutes. If your sauce becomes too thick that is okay, just stir in a little more water as needed. Lastly, top with chopped peanuts, green onions and thinly sliced red peppers!
What meat should I use to get moist meatballs?
It’s no secret that meatballs can be dry and dense. However, these are just the opposite. I highly suggest using good quality ground pork (I use Butcher Box and love it) Ground pork offers a good fat content and tons of flavor, it produces excellent moist meatballs every single time. However, if you do not have access to ground pork I would suggest using another fatty cut of meat for example 70/30 ground beef works really well.What should I serve with Kung Pao Meatballs?
Since these meatballs are swimming in a rich flavorful sauce you can do simple sides here like steamed brown or white rice. However, if you are looking for something a little more enticing try this Crispy Brussels Sprout Fried Rice. Another great recipe is this one pan Vegetable Lo Mein. This is great for meal prep as it makes a large batch and reheats well. Spoon out portions of the lo mein and meatballs and have a delicious lunch all week!
Other Asian Recipes
Quick and Easy Kung Pao Meatballs
These Quick and Easy Kung Pao Meatballs are packed with flavor and ready in under 30 minutes! These savory Asian meatballs are also great for meal prep!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup pork rind panko or breadcrumbs if not keto
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic paste
For the Kung Pao Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar monkfruit or regular if not keto
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic paste
To Thicken The Sauce
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum OR 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup cold water*
Instructions
For the meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- To make the meatballs combine the ground pork, pork rind panko (or breadcrumbs), egg and chili garlic paste.
- Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking oil and start to form your meatballs. I split the mixture into four equal sections, and each section produced 7 golf-ball sized meatballs (28 total). Place them evenly spaced on the cooking sheet.
- Bake the meatballs at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. One thing to note is if you make your meatballs larger your cooking time will increase.
For the sauce:
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat and combine all of the ingredients except the water and xanthan gum or cornstarch. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally so the brown sugar dissolves.
- When the mixture is simmering mix the thickening agent and water in a small bowl and slowly pour into the sauce, stirring as you pour. The sauce will almost immediately begin to thicken.
- Add the cooked meatballs and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low and let the flavors meld for 5 minutes. If your sauce becomes too thick that is okay, just stir in a little more water as needed.
- Lastly, top with chopped peanuts, green onions and thinly sliced red peppers!
Video
Notes
- If your sauce is too thick simply stir in additional water until it reaches the consistency you desire.
- This recipe makes 4 servings totaling 28 golf ball-sized meatballs. Each serving has 2.7 net carbs when made with keto ingredients.
Nutrition
Serving: 7 meatballsCalories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 3.4gProtein: 34gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 88.5mgSodium: 595mgFiber: 0.7gSugar: 1.2g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!