Go Back

Korean BBQ Meatballs with Spicy Mayo Dip

Korean BBQ meatballs with a sticky dark gochujang BBQ glaze and sesame-studded caramelized coating, baked until cooked through and then tossed hot. Served with a vivid spicy mayo dip made with sriracha and lime juice for a sweet-heat appetizer that’s ready fast.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
refrigerate 5 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Korean-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Korean BBQ Meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef or pork
  • 0.3333333333 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 green onions, finely sliced
Korean BBQ Glaze
  • 3 tbsp gochujang
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
Spicy Mayo Dip
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 Sesame seeds and green onions for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the spicy mayo dip
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sriracha, and lime juice until smooth, then cover and refrigerate for 5 minutes to thicken.
Bake the meatballs
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with foil.
  2. Combine ground beef or pork, panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions, then form into 24 meatballs.
  3. Bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
Simmer the gochujang BBQ glaze
  1. In a small saucepan, whisk gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and minced garlic.
  2. Simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the glaze looks slightly thickened and glossy.
Glaze and serve
  1. Toss the hot meatballs in the Korean BBQ glaze until fully coated and glistening.
  2. Arrange on a platter and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, then serve immediately with the spicy mayo dip.

Notes

For the stickiest coating, glaze the meatballs right after baking while they’re hot so the gochujang BBQ caramelizes on the surface. Refrigerate leftover dip and meatballs in separate airtight containers up to 3 days; reheat meatballs at 350°F until warmed through and stir or loosen any thickened sauce with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended for best glaze texture. For a lighter option, use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef/pork to reduce fat while keeping the same gochujang glaze and spicy mayo dip.