Bang Bang Meatballs are the flavorful easy dinner idea, game day snack or party food that you’ve been searching for! These juicy ground beef and pork meatballs, coated in a sweet and spicy chili sauce, are bound to be an all-around hit.
Of course, make sure to try my Easy Baked Meatballs or Porcupine Meatballs as a classic dinner option too!
Easy Homemade Bang Bang Meatballs!
Homemade meatballs are kind of my kryptonite. They’re total comfort food, they taste endlessly better than store-bought meatballs, and I know that everybody will gobble them up without argument. But the best part? You can put them in anything. We’re talking spaghetti, subs, a cream sauce, etc. etc.
But today? Today we’re gonna be making Bang Bang Meatballs, where the meatballs themselves are the stars of the show.
Ground pork and ground beef are combined with breadcrumbs to create juicy, tender, baked meatballs that you’ll want to eat right out of the oven. Of course, you’ll have to fight off that urge, because when you coat them in homemade Bang Bang sauce, they become a whole new kind of delicious.
These flavorful meatballs are perfect as an appetizer, a game day snack, or you could even make them a main course. Each of these is a good option!
What Are Bang Bang Meatballs?
The idea for this Bang Bang Meatballs recipe comes from Bang Bang Shrimp, which I have a great recipe for on my site! But, instead of using the “Bang Bang” sauce to coat seafood, you use it on meatballs. And oh my goodness, is it delicious. I mean, I’ll eat any variation of a ‘Bang Bang’ recipe. That sweet chili sauce is just too good to pass up. Put it on chicken, shrimp, it doesn’t matter – I’ll eat it!
But today it’s all about meatballs, so let’s get going on those!
Recipe Ingredients
I broke the essential ingredients list for this recipe into two parts: meatballs and sauce. Here’s what you’ll need to make the best Bang Bang meatballs…
For the Meatballs
- Ground Meat: I like to use a combination of ground pork and lean ground beef in my meatballs. If you don’t want to use any lean ground meat, you definitely don’t have to.
- Breadcrumbs: Panko breadcrumbs are my breadcrumbs of choice, but feel free to use your favorite brand.
- Eggs: To bind the meat, breadcrumbs, and spices together.
- Spices/Seasoning: Combine grated ginger, onion powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.
- Garlic: For extra flavor.
- Sriracha Sauce: To add a little kick to the meatballs.
- Soy Sauce: For some savory flavoring.
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- Mayonnaise: Plain Greek yogurt could probably be used as a substitute if needed.
- Sour Cream: To thicken up the sauce a little.
- Sweet Chili: To add the classic spicy yet sweet flavor.
- Sriracha Sauce: Feel free to adjust the amount used to fit your tastes.
- Rice Vinegar: To introduce subtle sweet undertones to the sauce.
- Optional Garnish: You can finish these meatballs off with chopped cilantro, crushed red pepper flakes, or a drizzle of sriracha if you want.
How to Make Bang Bang Meatballs
The best recipes are the ones that don’t take long to make, but taste like a million bucks anyway. That’s these easy Bang Bang Meatballs in a nutshell. They take just over 30 minutes to make, and all you have to do is form and bake the meatballs, then whip together the sauce, and you’re done.
Here’s how you do that:
Make the Meatballs
Preheat the Oven to 425°F: Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat it with nonstick spray, then set it aside.
Shape the Meatballs: In a large bowl combine the ground beef, pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, ginger, sriracha, soy sauce, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is evenly combined. Form the mixture into 1 1/2- inch meatballs and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake: Bake for 10 minutes and then flip the meatballs. Bake them for an additional 8 minutes, or until they’re cooked through and no longer pink on the inside.
Make the Sauce
Combine the Sauce Ingredients: In another large bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chili sauce, sriracha, and vinegar.
Coat the Meatballs and Serve: Place the meatballs in the large bowl with the sauce and toss to coat. Place on a serving tray and garnish with chopped cilantro, more sriracha, and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Tips for Success
See what I mean about easy? These Bang Bang meatballs are super simple… but not so simple that I don’t have a couple of tips for you:
- Can I Switch Up the Meat? Sure! You can make ground pork meatballs, ground beef meatballs, a mixture of the two, or even ground chicken meatballs.
- Let the Meatballs Cool: Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes before tossing them in the sauce. They can be pretty hot when they first come out of the oven, and this will give them a little time to finish firming up.
- Don’t Over-Mix the Meatball Mixture: That may sound like a baking tip, but it applies to meatballs too! Over-mixing the ground meat can lead to tough meatballs.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re looking to make these meatballs a dinner, I’ve got some suggestions on what you can serve with them. Here are some of my go-to side dishes:
- Rice: To make this a filling main course, I like to serve these meatballs over a bed of jasmine rice.
- Vegetables: I think roasted vegetables would pair really well with these meatballs, because you can dip them in the leftover sauce. Oven roasted potatoes would be good too.
- Salad: Never underestimate the power of a simple side dish like a big green salad. It pulls many a meal together.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate any leftover Bang Bang meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply microwave them, or cook them over low heat in a pan/skillet until they’re warmed through.
Can I Freeze These?
Absolutely you can! If you want to freeze these meatballs, place them in an airtight container and they should keep for up to 30 days.
Here Are More Meatball Recipes To Try:
Description:
Bang Bang Meatballs are the flavorful game day snack/party food that you’ve been searching for! These juicy ground beef and pork meatballs, coated in a sweet and spicy chili sauce, are bound to be an all-around hit.
Ingredients:
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Bang Bang Sauce
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup sweet chili
- 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce (or more to taste)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- Optional garnish – chopped cilantro, sriracha, and crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Meatballs: In a large bowl combine the ground beef, pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, ginger, sriracha, soy sauce, garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly combined. Form into 1 1/2- inch meatballs and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes and then flip the meatballs. Bake for an additional 8 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink on the inside. Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes before tossing them in the sauce.
- Sauce: In another large bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chili sauce, sriracha, and vinegar.
- Place the meatballs in the large bowl with the sauce and toss to coat.
- Place on a serving tray and garnish with chopped cilantro, more sriracha and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes:
- Can I Switch Up the Meat? Sure! You can make ground pork meatballs, ground beef meatballs, a mixture of the two, or even ground chicken meatballs.
- Let the Meatballs Cool: Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes before tossing them in the sauce. They can be pretty hot when they first come out of the oven, and this will give them a little time to finish firming up.
- Don’t Over-Mix the Meatball Mixture: That may sound like a baking tip, but it applies to meatballs too! Over-mixing the ground meat can lead to tough meatballs.
- Storage: Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or, freeze airtight for up to 30 days.
- Serve: Serve with jasmine rice for a main course.
Keywords:: meatball appetizers, sweet and spicy meatballs
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