Mongolian Meatballs, Saucy, Savory and Sweet
Mongolian Meatballs: how to make a rip-off better than the original
Mongolian Meatballs are an easy, under 30 minute meal based on PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef. They are sweet and savory like the original, but use ground beef and are baked instead of fried, making them healthier than the original. Probably not good for you, with all the sugar, but they do have much less fat. Which is something.
Prepping the Mongolian Meatballs
Start the Mongolian Meatballs the same way as usual, in your big bowl (affiliate links follow). Mix the eggs, soy sauce, panko and onion powder well before adding your ground meat. I’m using mostly Tamari these days – it’s a gluten free soy sauce. I like it because it doesn’t seem nearly as salty as the regular stuff. Either works here though.
I like to use just one hand to mix in the ground meat – it keeps it from getting over-mixed. The consistency can get tough with too much mixing.
Use your ice scream scoop to easily portion the meat for the balls. I’d use the large scoop in the three piece set. Or, if you have a kitchen scale, make them each 2 ounces, which is how I portioned them here. At 2 ounces, I got 20 meatballs.
While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Use a pot big enough for the sauce and all the meatballs – we’re adding the Mongolian Meatballs to the sauce when the meatballs are cooked.
Saute the garlic and ginger in the oil just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. I use a microplane zester for the ginger, but I usually just smash the garlic with the side of a knife. When the sauce is ready, fish the garlic out.
After you saute the garlic and ginger, add in the soy sauce, water and dark brown sugar. Add a decent pinch of red pepper flakes now too. Bring to a boil.
Boil it down for about 10 minutes – until you like the thickness. If it still seems too thin, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and whisk it into the sauce.
Cook the meatballs until they read 155 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. They will cook for a few more minutes in the sauce and should reach 160 degrees F before serving.
Toss the meatballs in with the sauce.
Add in the green onions right before plating.
Mongolian Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 pounds Ground Beef (I use 80/20)
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
Mongolian Sauce
- 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Ginger, grated
- 2 large Garlic Cloves, smashed with the side of a knife
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce
- 2/3 Water
- 1/3 cup Brown Sugar
- Red Pepper Flakes to taste
For Serving
- 4 Green Onions, cleaned and sliced diagonally in 2" pieces
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Mix together eggs, soy sauce, bread crumbs, and onion powder. Add ground beef and mix thoroughly, without over-mixing.
- Portion the meat mixture into 2 ounce balls and place on baking sheet.
- Bake until cooked, about 20 minutes. Test the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It should read 155 degrees F.
Mongolian Sauce
- While the meatballs are cooking, prep the sauce in a large saucepan or dutch oven large enough to put all the meatballs into. Saute the ginger and garlic in vegetable oil over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add Soy Sauce, water, dark brown sugar and a pinch of red pepper flakes to taste, if desired. Mix well.
- Bring the sauce mixture to a rolling boil and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, until sauce is the desired consistency. If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon of water and whisk into the sauce.
- When meatballs are cooked, add them to the sauce and toss lightly to coat.
- Immediately before serving, add in the green onions.
- Serve piping hot over white rice.
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