Name: Firecracker Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs; 3 green onion whites (minced (save the green for serving)); 1 tablespoon minced ginger; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sriracha; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 6 tablespoons mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons sour cream; 2/3 cup sweet chili sauce; 1 tablespoon sriracha; Prepared rice; Sliced green onions; Toasted sesame seeds

Tender meatballs covered in a fiery sauce, these Firecracker Meatballs are full of flavor and perfect for people that like some spice! They are ready in 40 minutes, making them the perfect weeknight meal.

PIN IT FOR LATER!

If you’re a fan of these firecracker meatballs, you’ll also love these Sweet and Sour Meatballs.

Firecracker Meatballs over rice, topped with green onions and sesame seeds.

I am a little bit obsessed with all things firecracker (aka bang bang) right now. I posted my Bang Bang Shrimp recipe almost a year ago, but have been coating everything with the sauce since then.

I’m a huge fan of the sweet/savory combo, and this recipe gives you that, plus a little heat. And the great thing is that you can really control the heat by how much sriracha you add.

This is a great weeknight dinner that can be on the table in about 40 minutes. And who can say no to meatballs?!?

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

Ground Beef: I usually use ground beef, but I have made these meatballs with ground chicken, as well. They are both delicious!
Panko Breadcrumbs: I like the texture the panko gives these breadcrumbs, vs a traditional breadcrumb.
Green Onion: You’ll only use the whites for the meatballs, but save the greens for serving.
Ginger: I like fresh ginger in these meatballs. If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can use ginger powder, but you’ll only use about 1/4 teaspoon.
Soy Sauce: I like to use low-sodium soy sauce.
Sriracha: This brings in a little heat. Feel free to add more or less, to taste.
Spices: For the spices, you need garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt.

For the Sauce:

Mayonnaise: I usually use regular mayonnaise, but I have use low fat mayonnaise before and it worked well.
Sour Cream: My firecracker shrimp recipe doesn’t use sour cream, but I like to use it for these meatballs to thicken the sauce up just a little bit.
Sweet Chili Sauce: Sweet chili sauce is not overly spicy, depending on the brand you use. It is sweet and savory and brings the majority of the flavor to this sauce.
Sriracha: The sriracha will bring in some extra heat. Again, you can up this or cut back on it, depending on preference.

For Serving:

Rice: We like to serve this over white rice, but they can also be eaten alone.
Green Onions: You’ll use the green onion greens that you received for topping after the meatballs are done.
Sesame Seeds: I also like to add on some toasted sesame seeds. You can toast them on the stove over medium-low heat. Just make sure to keep an eye on them and stir often, as they will burn quickly.

Mixing meatball ingredients and forming into meatballs.

How to Make Firecracker Meatballs

STEP 1: Mix together all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. I think this is easiest to do with clean hands.

STEP 2: Form the mixture into meatballs and place them on a foil lined tray. I like to use a spring loaded scoop, then I’ll go back through and roll them all into balls. Transfer the meatballs to the oven to bake.

Making firecracker sauce and mixing sauce over baked meatballs.

STEP 3: While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. This is as simple as whisking all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. I’ll keep this in the refrigerator until needed.

STEP 4: When the meatballs are done, transfer them to a large bowl. Pour about half of the firecracker sauce over the meatballs, then gently stir to coat the meatballs with the sauce.

Firecracker Meatballs over rice on a plate.

Tips and Tricks

When mixing the meatball mixture, do not overmix. If it’s mixed too much, the meatballs will be tough. That’s why I think hands are the easiest way to make sure everything is combined.

Make sure and turn the meatballs a time or two during the bake time. I will even just go and shake the baking tray a few times during baking to make sure they brown evenly on all sides.

This makes a good amount of sauce. Which is needed if you serve the meatballs over rice.

When storing leftovers, I like to store the rice, meatballs, and extra sauce all separately, then reassemble when it’s time to eat the leftovers.

Firecracker Meatballs on a plate with one meatball being held by chopsticks.

More Meatball Recipes

Crockpot BBQ Grape Jelly Meatballs
Baked Meatballs
Teriyaki Meatballs

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