A few days ago, I was cruising around the internet, looking through some of my favorite food blogs when I stumbled upon a recipe for Cherry Coke & Jalapeno Meatballs from Kay of Kayotic Kitchen. Kay, otherwise known as the cooking Dutch girl, hails from Gouda in the Netherlands. For those of us who are not multilingual, I personally thank her for blogging in English so that we can enjoy her inventive recipes and beautiful photos. Well, I guess we could enjoy her photos in any language, but you get my drift. Not only is Kay a talented photographer, but she has a wit and joyful spirit that shines through in her writing and in the stories she tells about her beautiful little boy.
Back to the meatballs. There was something about the spice mix of paprika, nutmeg and cayenne that caught my attention and wouldn’t let go. Or perhaps it was the glaze, bubbling and rich with the flavors of cherry, brown sugar, and jalapeno peppers. Whatever it was, I simply could not get meatballs off my mind.
I pulled out the recipe for my Greek Turkey Meatball Sandwich and replaced the Mediterranean flavors with Asian-inspired ones. The meatballs get a kick from five-spice powder and fresh ginger. The size is a hefty mouthful, which works well for a knife-and-fork dinner. However, if you wish to serve them as hors d’oeuvres, you might want to make them a tad smaller. If you do, be sure to reduce the cooking time.
The teriyaki sauce comes straight from Fusilli with Teriyaki Salmon and Vegetables. Store-bought teriyaki sauce really can not hold a candle to homemade versions, so be sure to take the extra 10 minutes to make your own.
Thank you for the inspiration, Kay.
The recipe:
The meatballs:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, ginger, parsley, five-spice powder, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Mix well to combine. Using a 2 tablespoon portion of the turkey mixture, form meatballs by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
The teriyaki sauce:
In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, agave nectar, water, soy sauce, canola oil, flour, ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds.
Whisk the sauce together and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes. Keep warm.
Brush the meatballs liberally with the sauce.
Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
These can be served over rice or as hors d’oeuvres. Either way, serve with the extra sauce.
Other meatball recipes:
Cookin’ Canuck’s Greek Turkey Meatball Sandwich
Kayotic Kitchen’s Cherry Coke & Jalapeno Meatballs
Family Fresh Cooking’s Pumpkin Coconut Curry with Chicken Meatballs
The Pioneer Woman’s BBQ Meatballs
Elana’s Pantry’s Gluten-Free Chicken Meatballs
Ingredients
The Sauce:
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup agave nectar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup soya sauce
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
The Meatballs:
- 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey meat preferably not extra-lean
- 1/2 medium yellow onion grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
The Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, agave nectar, water, soya sauce, 1/4 cup canola oil, ginger, garlic, flour, and sesame seeds.
- Whisk the sauce together and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.
The Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, ginger, parsley, five-spice powder, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
- Mix well to combine. Using a 2 tablespoon portion of the turkey mixture, form meatballs by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
- Bake until the meatballs are firm to the touch and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Brush the meatballs liberally with the sauce. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
- These can be served over rice or as hors d'oeuvres. Either way, serve with the extra sauce.
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Delishhh says
I love meatballs and i love teriyaki! What a fabulous idea! I have made Greek Meatballs, Swedish Meatballs, Sweet and Sour meatballs, Italian Meatballs and now i have to try these 🙂 Great recipe!
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
I’ve never met a turkey meatball I didn’t love! These look delicious.
claudia lamascolo/aka pegasuslegend says
wow arent these babies different we love terriayki got to try these for sure!
Katrina says
These are super cute! I love the teriyaki sauce. Yum!
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
this reminds me of a dish i had at our company potluck for Christmas, and it was SO good! i need to make it myself now 🙂
Blog is the New Black says
I recently made some Asian meatballs and loved them. This looks wonderful!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
I love meatballs too and these look juicy and flavorful. Talk about great photos – you can make anything look yummy.
Pretend Chef says
I’ve had many types of meatballs before but not teriyaki! I love what you did with this recipe. Yummy!
Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels says
I love turkey meatballs but these are just even more amazing! The sauce sounds and looks sooo good. I can’t wait to try these, thanks for the recipe. 🙂
bellini says
I am loving the Asian twist here!!!!
Kalynskitchen says
This looks like a great recipe; would love to try them. And I love Kay and her blog too. Hope to meet her in person someday!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
How about you and I take a trip over to Holland together?
Dana says
These sound great! I’m a big fan of using ground turkey meat for dishes like this one.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
I agree, Dana. You can still get so much flavor, but with a fraction of the fat.
Barbara | VinoLuciStyle says
Something about the turkey and the teriyaki just fits…and sounds rather cute together too!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
LOL. Thanks, Barb.
RavieNomNoms says
Oh my gosh, wow! Those would be awesome for a cocktail party!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
You’re right. I’m hoping to serve them at the next cocktail party we throw.
Jenny Flake says
My kids and I are suckers for meatballs! Looks great!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
My two boys couldn’t wait to be taste-testers for these meatballs. I received four enthusiastic thumbs up.
EatLiveRun says
I’m just now realizing how much I love meatballs. I hated them growing up for some reason and then fell in love with them in my mid-twenties. So yummy!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
I’m glad you had a meatball epiphany.
Sukaina says
Thos look yummy Dara….I’ve never had turkey meatballs nor teriyaki ones. I love Kayotic Kitchen as well. Kay has some beautiful pictures and recipes!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Give them a shot, Sukaina. I have a feeling you’d like them. Kay is great, isn’t she?
[email protected] says
What a fun a flavorful way to serve meatballs! This turkey doesn’t sound boring at all. 🙂
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
While turkey often makes you think “dry”, I assure you that this version of meatballs is very moist and flavorful.
Celeste Jenkins says
I bet these were delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I cannot wait to try it!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Celeste. I hope you enjoy them.
Tracey says
I love making turkey meatballs, but have never thought to try them with Asian-inspired flavors. They sound amazing!
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
Love this recipe, Dara! The flavor combinations in the sauce sound incredible.
And isn’t Kay just the most creative cook? I’ve been enjoying her blog for a long time now and I’m still always surprised at the things she comes up with.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks, Lana. Yes, Kay is wonderful and I am inspired by her blog each time I visit.
Jennifer (Savor) says
I love, how you share the love Dara. BTW, I make some mean bison meatballs
Karly says
I suddenly have a SERIOUS teriyaki turkey meatball craving.
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
Dara, these meatballs look so delicious and diverse! I would love these just as much tossed with some soba noodles as I would on their own. Wonderful recipe and mouthwatering photos! Great job on this and thanks for inspiring me with a new idea.
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
Love meatballs- these look perfect! I love the skewers too 🙂
briarrose says
Beautiful and packed with flavor. These look so good.
marla says
Dara, I am so happy you introduced us to Kay and her awesome blog. I will certainly be following her now too. These meatballs would be a great hit over here. Especially with the homemade teriyaki sauce. xo
Mary @ Delightful Bitefuls says
YUM! This is right up my alley!
Mary xo
Delightful Bitefuls
Soma says
The cherry coke glaze at Kay’s had me hover over her space for a long time. Loved the idea. Yours look fantastic too! Love ginger and glad to see it in your recipe.
pigpigscorner says
I love the teriyaki glaze, looks amazing!
Liren says
I’ve been craving meatballs lately, so when I saw this, you can imagine how excited I was. Love how healthy this is – baked and turkey meat – plus a flavorful sauce – what a wonderful recipe!
Shaina says
These look like fantastic party food!
Tracy says
I made meatballs with turkey for the first time last month and fell in love with them. These look delicious!
carolinaheartstrings says
Dara those look so wonderful. I cannot wait to try this recipe.
Nutmeg Nanny says
My boyfriend is in LOVE with teriyaki. He would totally dig this recipe…yum!
Drick says
I can see why these would get your attention, they sure got mine…. in any language, these look great and you’re right, homemade is always best…. gonna have to try these along with that sauce too….. thanks Dara for doing the cruising for us…
Belinda @zomppa says
Did I already tell you how much I love these???
[email protected] says
I can already tell this would be a huge hit in our house!! Need to make up a batch of these to stash in the freezer for afternoon snacks!!!
Heather @ Multiply Delicious says
These look and sound fabulous Dara! I love that you used turkey in these too. My kids love meatballs so I will be trying these little delights soon. Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
MrsLavendula says
looks good! a good way to bribe my hubby to try turkey =)
Sprinkled With Flour says
What a wonderful, healthy meatball recipe! I love the teriyaki sauce, which is perfect for my tastes:)
patsyk says
I would love to taste test these meatballs! So perfect for sharing with friends at a get-together or an Asian inspired meal… I think my kids would love them!
Darla @ Bakingdom says
I’m a huge fan of meatballs and a huge fan of teriyaki, so these are a match made in heaven for me!
Kathy - Panini Happy says
These look just wonderful, Dara. Once again you’ve helped me fill out my weekly meal plan!
Kay, The Church Cook says
These look fantastic, Dara. A big fan of Kayotic Kitchen! You are always so good about highlighting other bloggers. So kind….
Rochelle (Acquired Taste) says
Lovely photos of some perfect meatballs! I can see using these in a meatball sandwich with Asian flavor, definitely add some extra sauce to that too!
Amanda says
Oh Dara, my mouth is watering just looking at those!
Heather Davis says
These do look really yummy (and dare I say healthy?). Love anything with an asian tang.
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
These look perfect in every way. I don’t think i would be able to resist such yumminess! ♥-K
Liz says
Wonderful flavors in your meatballs…and such gorgeous photos!
A Canadian Foodie says
Absolutely stunning. Love the ingredient photo. There is nothing better than a really tasty meatball – especially one that surprises the palate, and this one definitely would. I love making and serving them. Great photos!
🙂
Valerie
Elle says
I adore meatballs. Like, really love them. I could eat them all the time! I’ve made a vegan (though never posted) version of Asian meatballs, and we loved them. I need to revisit the idea. These look fantastic!
Kevin (Closet Cooking) says
The teriyaki glaze looks simply perfect on those tasty little meatballs!
Shelby says
These look awesome – and I love the Asian sauce – will definitely have to try this one!
Tracey says
I made these the other night for dinner and they were really good! I loved the simplicity, definitely a repeat for us!
Jean says
The meatballs look so yummy, even during this early hour! I wouldn’t mind having a few for breakfast! 🙂
Oddly Healthy says
Great post. I too have a great meatball recipe on my blog …
http://oddlyhealthy.com/healthy-eating/sweet-onion-and-soy-sauce-turkey-meatballs-recipe/
It’s slightly different from yours but, I think you and your readers will love it too.
Right now, I just started and I know it’s 1 in a sea of a zillion blogs. I aspire to have a blog like yours. Like you, I will do my best to offer the best possible content to my readers. Thanks for the great post and inspiration.
love cooking says
This is simple and quick, I love it. Not easy to get turkey meat here. Maybe pork, chicken or beef will be great too. 🙂
Heather says
Thank you for this great recipe. I followed a Pin for another recipe and looked around on your site for a while. When I saw these I knew I would have to try them. We made them tonight and my whole family really liked them. I think I might use a little less vinegar next time, but that is just our personal preference. Very Good!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Thanks so much for commenting, Heather. I’m really glad that you and your family enjoyed them!
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction says
Saw that you linked these up on Tracy’s Super Bowl post… How did I miss them before? They look amazing… I love teriyaki anything. Definitely making these ASAP.
Jo Lynn says
I made these last night for dinner and really enjoyed them! I tried another Asian meatball recipe last month (from another blogger) and was very disappointed. The meatballs were very bland with all the flavor packed in the sauce. Your recipe has a nice balance of flavors. The only change I made was to broil the meatballs for an additional 5 minutes at the end to brown them up. I’ll definitely make these again–thanks for another great recipe, Dara!
Jen Stone says
Tried these tonight, and oh my gosh. SO DELICIOUS! I will make them for dinner and appetizers as well. AMAZING!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck) says
Jen, I read your comment last night right after a slid a pan of these into the oven. This is one of our favorite recipes and I’m so glad that you enjoyed it, too!
Jeannine DiBart says
These are absolutely delicious! THey are a new family favorite; everyone loves them, kids and parents alike!
Mia says
These were so amazing! I made them last night. Thanks for the recipe!