Sweet and Spicy Honey Sriracha Meatballs: Easy Recipe for Home Cooks

Sweet and fiery Honey Sriracha Meatballs are here to invigorate your dinner menu! Balancing sweetness, heat, and savory elements, this simple meal idea is sure to satisfy. Serve it over rice or transform it into a hit appetizer for a gathering—no matter how you present these flavorful meatballs, they’re bound to be a favorite!

Honey Sriracha Meatballs – The EASY Way!

Think of those Crock Pot Party Meatballs that everyone loves at family gatherings? These Honey Sriracha Meatballs are somewhat similar but with an Asian-inspired twist—akin to my Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs, but this version offers an extra kick!

No need to worry—the heat is not overwhelming, making these pork meatballs pleasantly spicy. Instead, you get just the right amount of sweet heat from the sticky honey sauce. (If you’re cautious, you can always reduce the sriracha in the sauce and let the bolder eaters in your family add more to their plates.)

While I enjoy serving this Honey Sriracha Meatball recipe over rice or paired with stir-fried vegetables for a quick weeknight dinner, it also shines as party food. Skewer them on toothpicks (perhaps adding a piece of pineapple like my Hawaiian Meatballs!), arrange them on a platter, and watch them vanish!

Why I LOVE this recipe!

• Simple to prepare – Though it may appear labor-intensive, this recipe takes only 15 minutes of prep and another 15 minutes of cooking. Easy-peasy!
• Well-balanced flavors – These sriracha meatballs are a delightful mix of sweet, savory, and spicy, with a stickiness to the sauce that’s irresistibly lickable.
• Highly versatile – You can whip them up for a quick dinner or a freezer meal; serve them as appetizers for a gathering or over rice for a weeknight dish. The options are plentiful!
• Customizable for picky eaters – Reduce the sriracha, and even kids who shy away from the slightest hint of black pepper will enjoy these easy honey sriracha meatballs.

What to Serve with Honey Sriracha Meatballs

This dish embodies classic Asian flavors and pairs well with many of your favorite Asian-inspired side dishes. There are both traditional and some lighter options to keep your meal balanced.

Side Dish Ideas

You can opt for one or more sides to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner.

Recipe Notes

This Honey Sriracha Meatball recipe is as straightforward as it claims! A total of thirty minutes yields a family-friendly meal.

In this section, I will share a few tips and tricks I use when preparing this dish for the best and most delicious results.

Make sure to scroll down for the FULL recipe card.

Ingredients + Substitutions

For the meatballs

• Ground pork – I believe the taste of pork pairs wonderfully with the sticky, sweet sauce in these honey-glazed sriracha meatballs. You can substitute ground chicken, turkey, or a mix if you prefer.
• Onion – Yellow, white, or sweet onions are suitable.
• Panko bread crumbs – Used to bind your meatballs; feel free to use gluten-free panko if needed.
• Egg
• Garlic
• Ginger – Fresh ginger is far more aromatic than dried, adding significant flavor and moisture to the sweet and spicy sriracha meatballs.
• Salt
• Sesame oil – If you don’t have sesame oil, any neutral cooking oil will suffice.

For the sauce

• Butter
• Honey – Opt for liquid honey rather than the crystallized kind found in jars.
• Sriracha – Feel free to adjust the amount to suit your family’s spice tolerance.
• Soy sauce – Tamari can be used for a gluten-free version.
• Fresh lime juice

Garnish (optional)

Recipe Tips

1. Finely dice the onion – Avoid large chunks of onion in your meatballs, as they can be unpleasant to bite into! More importantly, finely chopped or grated onion will add extra moisture to your sriracha meatballs, enhancing their tenderness. I use my mini food processor to chop them up small!
2. Prepare your ingredients beforehand – This recipe moves quickly, so have everything ready before you begin cooking. You won’t have time to stop and chop or measure once you start!
3. Whisk the sauce thoroughly – At first, the butter may not blend well with the other sauce ingredients, but keep whisking! Eventually, it will combine into a thick, sticky coating for your sweet and spicy meatballs.
4. Heat the skillet before adding the meatballs – Ensure the pan and oil are hot to get a nice sear on the outside of the meatballs. After browning, simmer them in the sauce until they reach an internal temperature of 160ºF.

Recipe Shortcuts

If you need to whip up this recipe but are short on time, here are a few tips to help speed up the process!

• Utilize store-bought minced garlic and ginger – Keeping these readily available in the fridge can help you get dinner on the table a little faster!
• Buy a pouch of ready-to-eat rice – If you plan to serve your honey sriracha meatballs over rice, a microwaveable pouch—ready in 90 seconds—will save you time on meal prep.
• Use a food processor or chopper to quickly mince the onion – You need a really fine chop or even grated onion, so this will make things quicker.
• Consider using frozen meatballs – If you have a batch of Homestyle Meatballs in the freezer or want to pick some up from the store, use those instead of making your own.

Recipe Variations

If you enjoy this recipe as much as we do and want to switch things up, try these suggestions for variety!

• Honey Sriracha Turkey Meatballs – Substitute ground turkey for pork in this recipe.
• Honey Sriracha Chicken Meatballs – Similar to the above, just swap ground chicken for the ground pork.
• BBQ Sriracha Meatballs – Instead of the sauce in the recipe, use your favorite barbecue sauce, adding sriracha to taste.
• Sriracha Teriyaki Meatballs – Skip making the sauce and use a bottle of teriyaki sauce, adding sriracha as desired.

Freezer Meal Instructions

Transforming this Honey Sriracha Meatball recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Just follow these steps to store this dish in the freezer for up to six months.

1. Form the meatballs and prepare the sauce as directed in the recipe.
2. Freeze the raw meatballs in one zip-top bag and the sauce in another.
3. Thaw both the sauce and meatballs in the refrigerator, then cook them according to the original recipe instructions.

Honey Sriracha Meatball Leftovers

If you have any leftovers after…Making Honey Sriracha Meatballs? You’re in luck! These meatballs store and reheat beautifully, offering a delightful start to another tasty meal.

To store any leftovers, divide them into meal-sized portions and place them in an airtight container. You can keep them:

– In the refrigerator for 3-4 days
– In the freezer for up to a month

### Leftover Recipes

Here are some creative ideas to reinvent your leftovers into fresh, delicious meals:

– **Fried Rice With Honey Sriracha Meatballs** – Incorporate the reheated meatballs into your go-to fried rice recipe.

– **Honey-Glazed Sriracha Meatball Tacos** – Serve the meatballs in warmed tortillas with your favorite toppings; halving them is an option if you’d like.

– **Sriracha Meatball Hoagie** – Make a banh mi-style sandwich using leftover meatballs, quick-pickled carrots, cucumber, and a generous spread of mayo.

– **Sriracha Meatball Noodle Bowls** – Pair the meatballs with stir-fried vegetables in a bowl of noodles for a quick workday lunch.

### More Pork Recipes

If you enjoyed this dish, I encourage you to explore a variety of easy recipes for those busy nights ahead.

You can check out all my pork recipes or see some of our readers’ favorite dishes below.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, ginger, and salt. Use your hands to blend the mixture until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.


Shape the pork mixture into meatballs that are 1.5 inches in diameter.

Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, carefully add the meatballs to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, turning until browned.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs and let them simmer for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until fully cooked through (with an internal temperature of 160˚F) and the sauce has thickened. The sauce will continue to thicken and turn sticky as it cools.

Recipe Notes

Yields 16-18 meatballs
Substitutions: For a change, swap out the pork for ground turkey or chicken if preferred.
Storage: Keep honey sriracha meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: You can freeze the meatballs along with the sauce in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to one month.
Reheating: Reheat honey sriracha meatballs in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave.
Scaling: This recipe can be doubled or tripled; just be aware that you’ll need to cook in separate batches.

Nutritional Information

Serving:
3
meatballs

,

Calories:
507
kcal
(25%)

,

Carbohydrates:
28
g
(9%)

,

Protein:
22
g
(44%)

,

Fat:
35
g
(54%)

,

Saturated Fat:
14
g
(88%)

,

Polyunsaturated Fat:
4
g

,

Monounsaturated Fat:
14
g

,

Trans Fat:
0.3
g

,

Cholesterol:
129
mg
(43%)

,

Sodium:
954
mg

(41%), Potassium: 408mg (12%), Fiber: 0.5g (2%), Sugar: 24g (27%), Vitamin A: 302IU (6%), Vitamin C: 10mg (12%), Calcium: 37mg (4%), Iron: 2mg (11%)