Recipe: $3.00
Per Serving: $0.75
HI. THESE ARE DELICIOUS. Maybe the best meatballs ever? Which makes me feel a tad guilty since I super love the Beef & Eggplant Meatballs from last summer, but these are a close contender.
We have a huge container of miso taking up precious real estate in our teeny tiny fridge. I didn’t buy the right type, so it doesn’t make the best miso soup. It tastes good mixed into other things, like stir-fries, dressings (AND THESE MEATBALLS), but it isn't really meant for regular miso soup. Oops. So it just sits there waiting and waiting for us to finally get through it all. Which is how I came up with the idea for these meatballs. Granted, they only use about a Tablespoon of miso paste...but we'll get through this together, one batch of meatballs at a time, right?
For those who aren't 100% sure, miso is fermented soybean paste. I’m down with fermented soy (miso, soy sauce, tempeh), though I avoid most other forms. I recommend organic if you can swing it, because I’m still not on board with GMOs (especially the environmental impact), but you do what you gotta do. [I've learned to try not to pontificate here if I can avoid it. YOU DO YOU, k? ] Miso is so super flavorful because a) it is really salty, and b) it is loaded with rich umami flavor! Yum! Get a little tube (or massive container) of miso paste from any grocery store or Asian market and I’m sure it will be fantastic.
These meatballs were so good that the first day I made them, I went to the store to buy MORE MEAT to make them again. I really wanted them to be turkey meatballs, but it is difficult to translate all the ground meat options. I recently discovered that most of the ground meat is actually a blend of pork and beef. It tastes delicious, but also kind of grosses me out. HOW MANY ANIMALS ARE IN MY MEATBALLS?
I've successfully made these with chicken, pork, and a beef-and-pork mixture, and as might be expected the pork is the richest, and the chicken is the lightest. You definitely want to keep an eye on the chicken meatballs so they don't dry out. AND, these are one of our favorite additions to our bento boxes! Such a treat!
Also, side note: I've been ready to to throw my computer out the window the last few days. Apple decided to update my Macbook (mine, specifically). IT IS CAUSING ME SO MANY PROBLEMS. Thanks, Apple. Your new Photos software is lame. Anyone else with the same problem? I finally gave up and reverted back to my old program for organizing and editing my photos. Much happier.
Oh and by the way, in case you missed last week's no-cook Zucchini Caprese post where I complained about the weather, here it is again. Spring in Japan actually means summer. We aren't even all the way through May and the high today is 85 degrees. Mind you, a week ago we were slammed with a Typhoon. WHAT? California's lakes are drying up and Japan is just getting dumped with water, and then evaporating it all immediately the next day. I don't understand the weather of the world.
BUT, I understand meatballs. (Bet you saw that coming, eh?) Please make these. Do us both a favor.
Easy Miso Meatballs (Turkey, Beef, Chicken, or Pork) No Bread Crumbs!
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground turkey chicken, beef, or pork (8 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated, heaping
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari, can omit if you want, I’ve made it with and without
- ½ Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon miso red or white
- ½ teaspoon chili powder or red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup sliced green onion optional, if you’ve got it – it’s good!
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Shape between your hands into meatballs about 1 Tablespoon in size. (I scoop with a Tablespoon.)
- To bake: Place on parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet. Bake on 475 for 15-18 minutes.
- To fry: Add to hot pan (no oil needed) on stove and fry bottom until a bit crispy, then turn over and add 2 Tablespoons of water to the pan. Cover and steam for another 4-6 minutes until water has evaporated.
- *Regardless of the method, I ALWAYS check one meatball to ensure it is cooked all the way. So be sure to check before digging in!
- Note: I’ve made these both baked and fried, and have no real preference. I like the crisp exterior of frying, but it’s hard to beat the convenience of tossing a big batch in the oven!
Nutrition
I love this recipe. I make these meatballs at least once a month. I double the recipe and the leftovers work great in my 3-year old's lunches. I recently introduced them to my 1 year old and she can't get enough of them. So fast, easy and delicious!
Thank you, Alethea! I love them too, and I'm so glad you and your family can enjoy them!
I was looking for ways to use some aging miso in my fridge and came across this recipe. I used ground turkey, and I swapped the sesame oil with olive oil and the fresh ginger with about 1/4 the amount of powdered ginger, and it was great!
I served this with steamed broccoli and miso butter spaghetti for a twist on spaghetti and meatballs, and it turned out fantastic. Super versatile recipe!
That's awesome, Josh! Glad you were able to use what you had on hand. :) Sounds great!
This sounds lovely and really tasty. Thank you for sharing this.
Simon
Thanks for the comment, Simon! I hope you have a chance to make them !