Description
Sticky Mongolian Meatballs & Broccoli is an easy, quick, and flavorful weeknight dinner featuring tender meatballs coated in a luscious sweet-savory Mongolian sauce paired with crisp, nutrient-rich broccoli. Perfect for family meals, this dish balances rich umami flavors with fresh vegetables and can be adapted to gluten-free or keto diets.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef or pork
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for cooking)
Broccoli & Sauce
- 2 cups broccoli florets, fresh
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Garnishes
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: Combine ground meat with minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Mix gently and shape into small, even-sized meatballs for consistent cooking.
- Cook the Meatballs: Heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Brown the meatballs on all sides until cooked through and caramelized.
- Steam or Blanch the Broccoli: Lightly steam or blanch broccoli florets until tender-crisp, retaining their bright green color and crunch.
- Make the Sticky Mongolian Sauce: In the same pan used for meatballs, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and dissolved cornstarch. Heat gently until the sauce thickens into a sticky glaze.
- Combine Everything: Return meatballs and broccoli to the pan. Toss gently to coat with the Mongolian sauce, and let simmer for 1 minute to meld flavors.
Notes
- Use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon to make evenly sized meatballs for uniform cooking.
- Cook meatballs in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, ensuring they brown instead of steam.
- Fresh garlic and ginger greatly enhance the flavor compared to powders.
- Thicken the sauce in the same pan to add depth of flavor from browned bits.
- Add broccoli last to maintain its crunch and vibrant color.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: Mongolian meatballs, sticky meatballs, broccoli meatballs, quick dinner, gluten-free dinner, healthy Asian dish, weeknight meal