Teriyaki Meatball Bowls (Printable)

Tender meatballs coated in rich teriyaki glaze, served atop steamed rice with fresh cucumber and toasted sesame seeds.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1.1 lb ground beef or chicken
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
06 - 2 spring onions, finely chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Teriyaki Sauce

11 - 1/2 cup soy sauce
12 - 1/4 cup mirin
13 - 1/4 cup water
14 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
15 - 1 tablespoon honey
16 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
17 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water (slurry)

→ Bowls

18 - 1 1/4 cups uncooked jasmine or sushi rice
19 - 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
20 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
21 - 2 spring onions, sliced (for garnish)

# How To Make:

01 - Prepare the rice according to package directions. Keep warm until serving.
02 - Set the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
03 - Combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger, spring onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix gently until just combined.
04 - Shape the mixture into 20 to 24 small meatballs and place evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - Bake meatballs for 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through and golden.
06 - In a saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, water, brown sugar, honey, and rice vinegar. Simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
07 - Whisk in cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat.
08 - Toss baked meatballs in the teriyaki sauce until thoroughly coated.
09 - Divide cooked rice among four bowls. Top each with meatballs, sliced cucumber, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced spring onions.
10 - Serve immediately to enjoy optimal freshness and flavor.

# Top Suggestions:

01 -
  • The meatballs stay incredibly juicy because you mix them just enough—overworking them is the silent killer that nobody talks about.
  • That glossy teriyaki sauce clings to every meatball like it was made to be there, and it takes only minutes to pull together.
  • It's the kind of meal that feels fancy when you serve it but genuinely simple to make, which means you can actually relax while cooking.
02 -
  • The meatball mixture needs a light touch—I learned this the hard way by making dense hockey pucks the first time I tried to be thorough with my mixing.
  • Don't skip making the cornstarch slurry separately; if you add cornstarch straight to the sauce, it clumps and you'll end up with a grainy, disappointing texture instead of that silky gloss.
  • Mirin genuinely cannot be replaced with more sugar—it adds a depth and body that plain sweetness just doesn't have, and it's what makes this taste restaurant-quality.
03 -
  • Wet your hands before shaping the meatballs—it prevents sticking and helps you work faster without the mixture warming up from your hands, which affects texture.
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for just 2–3 minutes before sprinkling them on—the difference between raw and toasted seeds is enormous, and it takes almost no time.
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