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Change up your dinner game with this firecracker meatballs recipe. The tender meatballs are tossed in a signature sweet and savory firecracker sauce.
Love homemade meatballs? Try my air fryer meatballs, lamb meatballs, ground chicken meatballs, and meatballs and gravy.
I first tried firecracker meatballs when I accidentally ordered my family several weeks’ worth of the food delivery service, ‘Hello Fresh’. These DIY meal kits featured a simple recipe for Asian American-inspired meatballs that was elevated by the most incredible sauce.
Of course, me being me, I had to recreate them as soon as possible!
This firecracker meatball recipe tastes better than any other dish. It is such a hit, I’ve used the homemade sauce to make firecracker chicken and firecracker salmon, too!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Minimum work. There is a reason why I love to make this for my family as a weeknight dinner. All you have to do is mix, shape, cook, and sauce! Furthermore, it’s made in one pot so cleaning up is a breeze!
- Fast. From prep to plate, this entire dish takes less than 20 minutes to make.
- Super versatile. I typically serve them over rice or noodles, but they work just as well as a fun appetizer. My little ones love them in hoagie rolls as a meatball sub.
- Loaded with flavor and texture. The sauce and meatballs are perfectly balanced. You get the hints of sweetness, tanginess, and heat in the sauce and the subtle cheesiness in the meatballs. The sauce is sticky and thick, and the meatballs are juicy and tender.
Ingredients Needed
Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you. Besides the meat and eggs, the rest are simple pantry staples. Here is what you’ll need:
- Ground pork OR ground chicken. While most firecracker meatball recipes call for ground chicken, I prefer using ground pork. I find the pork retains the flavors better and yields a juicier meatball.
- Breadcrumbs. I used panko breadcrumbs, but the standard kind works too.
- Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated. The flavor is unmatchable, and it melts better.
- Olive oil. It helps to shape the meatballs and enhances the juiciness.
- Eggs. Bind the meatballs together.
- Salt and ground black pepper. To season.
- Spices. I used a mix of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder for these meatballs.
- Oil. Use any neutral oil of your choice to pan-fry the meatballs.
- Firecracker sauce. The namesake of this incredible dish. A combination of buffalo sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, and some seasonings make the dreamiest and most fiery sauce ever. Please try and use fresh garlic and ginger as it really makes such a difference.
How to make firecracker meatballs
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the meatball mixture: Mix the ground meat with breadcrumbs, parmesan, olive oil, egg, and spices in a large bowl. Once mixed, knead the mixture with your hands.
Step 2- Roll into meatballs: Shape the meatballs into 2-inch balls or approximately 2 ounces each.
Step 3- Make the sauce: Combine the different sauce ingredients in a bowl and set it aside. If needed, whisk again to avoid clumping.
Step 4- Cook the meatballs: Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the meatballs until browned from all sides.
Step 5- Sauce them up: Add the hot sauce to the meatballs and gently toss to coat them. Allow the sauce to thicken for a few minutes.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and green onions, and enjoy it warm.
How to bake these
Easily make baked firecracker meatballs by swapping the skillet for a sheet pan. The meatballs will still be super juicy and flavorful.
To oven-bake them, prep the meatballs as instructed, then place them on a lined baking sheet. Bake the meatballs on the top rack at 180C/350F for 15-18 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165F.
While the meatballs bake, prep the sauce in a saucepan over low heat. Toss through the meatballs and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips and variations
- Oil your hands. Don’t you hate when the meatball mixture sticks to your hands instead of forming a ball? To avoid this, oil or water your hands before rolling the meatballs.
- Avoid overmixing the mixture. For soft, moist, and tender meatballs, DO NOT overmix the meatball dough. It’s like cake batter: you don’t want these to turn out gummy or rubbery.
- Weigh the meatballs. I like to use a scale for the ultimate foolproof method of equal-sized meatballs. For this particular recipe, each meatball comes out to be around 2 ounces each (45 grams).
- Use other ground meat. Because the sauce is the star of this dish, you can swap out the ground meat for other options, including ground beef and ground turkey.
- Adjust the spice level. When making this dish for non-family members, I often dial back the heat and swap out half the buffalo sauce for some ketchup or barbecue sauce. Remember, you can always add more heat after by sprinkling some red pepper flakes or a drizzle of hot sauce.
What to serve with this dish
Because these meatballs are full of punchy, bold flavors, serve them over simple carbs like steamed basmati rice or noodles or over some lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps.
For a low carb and high protein meal, pair them with some green vegetables like air fryer frozen green beans, sauteed asparagus, or some sauteed spinach.
Storage instructions
To store. Refrigerate the leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to three days.
To freeze. Freeze the leftover meatballs (without the sauce) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To reheat. I like to microwave the meatballs for 10-15 seconds but you can heat them up in a skillet.
Frequently asked questions
While I’m not a fan of frozen meatballs, you can use them to reduce your effort. Just be sure to thaw them well beforehand.
Absolutely! Place the rolled meatballs on a baking sheet and flash-freeze them in the freezer for 2 hours before transferring them into a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. To use them, thaw the frozen meatballs in the refrigerator first and cook them as instructed in the recipe.
More delicious meatball recipes to try
- Sweet and sour meatballs
- Vegan meatballs
- Keto meatballs
- Pork meatballs
Firecracker Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork or ground chicken
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon parsley freshly chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Firecracker sauce
- 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the meat with breadcrumbs, parmesan, one tablespoon of olive oil, egg, and spices. Knead with your hands and form into small meatballs, around 2 inches wide.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil in the skillet and once hot, add the meatballs. Cook until browned from all sides.
- Add the sauce to the skillet and stir meatballs to soak it up. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and serve meatballs immediately.
I Fixed the firecracker meatballs for supper tonight. I was a bit leery of putting in the buffalo sauce but the sauce was Perfect! It was not too spicy but just the right mixture of heat and sweet! The meatballs were very flavorful. I made them out of ground pork, doubling the recipe so we have supper ready in a jiff for another night. Thank you for putting this recipe out for all to share.
Love your receipes…they are simple and taste great!! Thank you
why are they called fire crackers, do they feel like they are exploding in your mouth?
Hahaha I hope not! It’s just gives a super flavorful punch!