General Tso's Meatballs
If you're a fan of the classic General Tso's chicken, you're in for a treat with this delightful twist - General Tso's Meatballs! The combination of tender, juicy meatballs and the signature sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce creates a dish that's both comforting and bursting with bold, Asian-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb meatloaf mix beef, veal, pork,
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 scallions thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
- 1 large egg
- 2 garlic cloves grated/pressed
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Salt to taste
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup cornstarch
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar less if preferred
- 1 tsp red chili flakes less or more if preferred
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- Water optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, panko bread crumbs, white parts of the scallions, egg, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Season with salt and add the red pepper flakes. Mix to combine.
- Roll mixture into meatballs, about a heaping tablespoon big. Roll meatballs in cornstarch to coat. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat about 1/2-inch of vegetable oil. Add meatballs and cook until seared on all sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and drain the fat.
- To the skillet over medium heat, add in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, red chili flakes, water if needed, fresh ginger, and garlic. Whisk to combine then add back meatballs.
- Simmer until meatballs are cooked through (temped to 170F), 6 to 8 minutes more, adding water as it simmers. This is necessary. The sauce will start to overboil and will become pasty. The water prevents this.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with remaining green onion and sesame seeds. Serve with rice, noodles, or steamed veggies.
Notes
Storage: Allow them to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Variations:
- Substitute the meatball mix for straight ground beef, pork, or chicken. For Vegetarian/Vegan: You can use plant-based protein such as tofu, seitan, or tempeh.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs and using tamari (a gluten-free soy sauce) in place of the low-sodium soy sauce.
- Add more or less chili flakes to your preference for spice. Typically, General Tso’s chicken contains blisteringly hot dried peppers, but if you can’t get them or you don’t like it too hot, you can use fresh chilis instead and adjust the amount to your preference.