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Craving Korean BBQ takeout without leaving your home? Then you've got to try my Bulgogi Korean Meatballs recipe! Using only 5 simple ingredients for the tender meatballs and a delicious, oh-so-easy homemade bulgogi sauce, these fluffy and flavorful meatballs are an instant family favorite.
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Korean Meatball Recipe
A while back, Korean cuisine took my kitchen by storm. It started with Bulgogi Bowls, then braised short ribs (a huge reader favorite!), and of course Korean-style cheesy garlic buns to top it all off! Well, it's time to add to the repertoire, because I've been going wild for these sweet-and-savory BBQ meatballs.
I didn't even make them on purpose at first. They came from messing around in the kitchen looking for something new to try. That playing around turned into making some quick and easy meatballs, which turned into throwing together a homemade bulgogi... And by the time I tried them, I knew I had to perfect the recipe.
Well, here it is! Simple, easy, and totally delicious Korean bulgogi beef meatballs, in no time at all. The perfect twist on an easy weeknight dinner!
Why You'll Love My Bulgogi Meatballs
They're as simple as can be.
Honestly, you don't get simpler than meatballs, and especially this easy meatball recipe. They're the perfect blank canvas to add more to if you want, but just left on their own they're simple perfection. Just roll them up, give them a bake, and you've got meatballs.
You can make them ahead for later!
Meatballs are one of my favorite make-ahead meals, and these Korean meatballs are perfect for it! Fully bake them and roll them in Bulgogi, then just pop them in the freezer for later. Reheat in the oven at any time for delicious meatballs with no prep required!
They're super versatile!
Serve Korean meatballs up on a serving platter with toothpicks as an appetizer at a party, pile them on white rice as a main course, or stuff them in lettuce wraps for a low carb treat. You can even serve them on mung bean noodles with extra bulgogi as Korean spaghetti and meatballs.
Bulgogi Meatballs Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- Egg: Egg is the perfect binder for these meatballs. Because they're not very big, you don't need to add milk.
- Panko: Make sure to use panko, not classic breadcrumbs! Alternatively, you can soak 2 slices of bread in milk, then mush it into a soft paste.
- Ground beef: Ground beef adds tons of rich flavor and fat that leads to juicy, fluffy meatballs. I prefer 80/20 ground beef for meatballs.
- Ground pork: Using a mix of ground beef and ground pork makes for more flavorful and tender meatballs.
- Optional:
- Gochujang, 2 teaspoons
- Garlic, 1-4 cloves, pressed or minced
- Green onion, 2 shoots, minced
- Black pepper, 1 teaspoon
- Soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon
For the Bulgogi Sauce
- Soy sauce: For a gluten free option, use Tamari.
- Brown sugar: Bulgogi is sweet and glaze-like, and brown sugar is the perfect sweetener. It's rich and flavorful.
- Garlic: I prefer to use a garlic press to get as much juice and oil from the garlic as possible.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger is much better than dry for sauce! I keep ginger root frozen and grate it with a microplane zester.
- Sesame oil: Be careful not to over-do it with sesame oil! It has a very strong flavor, so you only need a little bit.
- Apple juice: Apple juice brings in that distinctively sweet, fruity flavor Bulgogi is known for!
- Green onions: Slicing in a few green onions adds the spicy zest that really makes these meatballs shine!
How to Make Korean BBQ Meatballs
1: Mix Meat Mixture
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, breadcrumbs, and egg. Using clean hands, mix well for about 35-40 seconds and no longer.
If you're adding optional ingredients, add them in now.
2: Chill Meat
Cover the meat mixture tightly with plastic wrap, and set it in the fridge. Let chill for at least 30 minutes. This will help the flavors meld and the panko soften.
3: Shape Meatballs
While the meat is chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F. Then remove the meat from the fridge and roll the meatballs into small spheres, about 1" or less, and place them on a greased baking sheet.
4: Bake Meatballs
Bake for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden brown and the meat is cooked through, 165°F minimum.
5: Make Sauce
As the meatballs cook, make the bulgogi. Combine all the bulgogi ingredients in a bowl, and mix until the sugar dissolves. You may need to microwave it briefly.
6: Toss & Serve
Once the meatballs are done, toss them in the bulgogi, then serve over rice and enjoy! Best served topped with sesame seeds and with a side of Apricot preserves.
BBQ Meatballs Tips
- Be careful not to over-mix the meat. Over-mixing can break up the muscle fibers too much, leading to the meat getting dense and tough. Remember to only mix the meat for a maximum of 45 seconds!
- Panko bread crumbs are different than regular breadcrumbs! It has a fluffier, larger grain that results in softer and more tender meatballs. Alternatively, you can use milk and bread: just soak 2 slices of white bread in milk, then squeeze the milk out and mash the bread up into a paste before adding it to the meatball mix.
- To make a thicker bulgogi, add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to a splash of cold water and stir. Heat the sauce to boiling while stirring frequently, then cool. It will thicken as it cools!
- You can use the meatball mixture to make bulgogi burgers! Just flatten the mix into a patty shape, bake or pan-sear them (ALWAYS cook to 165°F if you're using ground pork!), and serve with bulgogi sauce and Asian cabbage coleslaw!
- Love ground beef recipes and Korean recipes? Try my Korean Ground Beef!
Korean Meatball Variations
- Gluten-Free: You can make gluten free meatballs by swapping the panko out for gluten free panko, or making your own by blitzing some gluten free bread in a food processor. Then replace the soy sauce with Tamari!
- Soy Free: Replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos, and use half or less of the sugar as coconut aminos are very sweet. Alternatively, use a soy-free soy sauce!
- Egg Free: The egg in the meatballs can be replaced with 4 Tablespoons of plain yogurt.
Korean BBQ Meatball FAQ
Absolutely! You can make Korean meatballs with ground chicken or ground turkey. However, you will need to bake them for longer, as poultry meat takes longer to come to temperature.
These meatballs are already very flavorful, but you can vary the flavor or add more if you like. For Korean meatballs, I recommend adding soy sauce, grated garlic, Korean chili paste, and Gochujang. Be warned that chili paste and Gochujang are fairly spicy.
Bulgogi BBQ Meatballs Storage
- Refrigerator: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 4 days. I recommend storing the sauce separately so the meatballs don't start crumbling!
- Freezer: Bulgogi meatballs can be frozen before or after cooking!
- Freezing raw meatballs: Form the meatballs, then place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Freeze solid before moving them to a freezer-safe plastic bag. To cook, bake directly from frozen for an extra 5 minutes. They will have a better texture when frozen raw.
- Freezing cooked meatballs: Fully cook the meatballs, then place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Freeze solid before moving to a freezer-safe plastic bag. Cook directly from frozen or thaw and heat. They will be more convenient and already sauced, but have a less ideal texture.
- Thawing & Reheating: Thaw frozen cooked meatballs in the fridge overnight; do not thaw frozen raw meatballs, as they will get sticky. To reheat, bake for half the original time or place in the microwave or air fryer.
Favorite Meatball Recipes
- Meatballs in the Instant Pot - Looking to make meatballs without heating up the kitchen with the oven? Try the Instant Pot!
- My Signature Italian Meatballs - They're fluffy, perfect, and begging to be served with my family's all-time favorite Sunday Meatball sauce!
- Meatballs in the Air Fryer - Who needs to clean a sheet pan when you can make perfect meatballs in the air fryer?
- Asian Meatballs - A slightly variation using water chestnuts for ultra fluffy meatballs with an Asian flare!
- Easy Meatball Soup - Complete with pasta, veggies, and miniature meatballs, this soup is perfect for a cold day.
- Speaking of soup, you've got to try my Italian Wedding Soup!
Or, try out some other delicious sauces for meatballs!
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Korean Meatballs
Equipment
- Sheet pan
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 1 lb Ground pork
- 1 large Egg - beaten
- ½ cup Panko - Plain
- 1 cup Bulgogi - homemade or bottled
Bulgogi Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup Soy sauce
- 1 cup Brown sugar
- 3 cloves Garlic - crushed
- 1 inch Fresh ginger - grated
- 1½ Tablespoons Sesame oil
- ¾ cup Apple juice - or pear juice
- 3 Green onions - finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meats, breadcrumbs, and egg. Mix well to combine, but don't over-mix, as the meat can get tough!
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- While the meat is in the fridge, preheat the oven to 425°F. Once the meat has chilled for long enough, roll the meat into 1" meatballs, then place them on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown and the meat cooked through, 165°F minimum.
- Remove from the oven. In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the bulgogi sauce and mix until the sugar dissolves.
- Toss the meatballs in bulgogi, then serve over rice and enjoy!
Notes
- Be careful not to over-mix the meat. Over-mixing can break up the muscle fibers too much, leading to the meat getting dense and tough. Remember to only mix the meat for a maximum of 45 seconds!
- Panko bread crumbs are different than regular breadcrumbs! It has a fluffier, larger grain that results in softer and more tender meatballs. Alternatively, you can use milk and bread: just soak 2 slices of white bread in milk, then squeeze the milk out and mash the bread up into a paste before adding it to the meatball mix.
- To make a thicker bulgogi, add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to a splash of cold water and stir. Heat the sauce to boiling while stirring frequently, then cool. It will thicken as it cools!
- You can use the meatball mixture to make bulgogi burgers! Just flatten the mix into a patty shape, bake or pan-sear them (ALWAYS cook to 165°F if you're using ground pork!), and serve with bulgogi sauce and Asian cabbage coleslaw!
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