These meatballs are inspired by Asian flavors with ginger, garlic, and umami tamari. They have a little crunch with sesame seeds inside. They are perfect by themselves for snacking on or can be served in lettuce cups with spicy mayo and herbs, a slaw, or over rice with a sauce of choice.
Yield: 12 meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, grated or finely grated
- 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 pound ground pork or turkey
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup almond meal
- 1 tablespoon toasted raw sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons low-sodium tamari, plus more to taste
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add yellow onion and green onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes, stirring as needed. Add in garlic, carrot, and ginger, cook for about 1 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Set aside on a plate and allow to slightly cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pork, egg, almond meal, sesame seeds (if using), the onion and carrot mixture, and tamari. Season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix. Shape 12 balls from the mixture (approximately 1 1/2-2 inches in diameter). Arrange on a baking sheet.
Bake until cooked through and golden, about 15 minutes. Serve warm with rice, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, and a dipping sauce of choice.