Go Back
a bowl of short-grain white rice with five small round beef meatballs coated in glossy dark teriyaki glaze, wide orange carrot ribbons and whole bright green snow peas
Melissa Hart

Teriyaki Beef Meatball Bowls

A little grated onion keeps these baked beef meatballs tender, while the teriyaki sauce reduces separately so it can glaze their surfaces instead of soaking into the breadcrumbs. Use drinking sake and mirin as measured, since seasoned cooking wine can add enough salt to upset the balance of the sauce. Carrot ribbons and snow peas cook quickly in a covered pan and give the bowl a lighter vegetable side than another thick sauce would. The meatballs are small enough to divide neatly between four lunches, but keep the rice, vegetables and glaze in separate parts of the container if you're packing them ahead. Add the last spoonful of glaze after reheating so it still looks glossy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb 90% lean ground beef
  • 1/2 small yellow onion finely grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1 1/2 cups short-grain white rice rinsed and drained
  • 1 3/4 cups water plus 3 tbsp for vegetables
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 1/4 cup drinking sake
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
  • 2 large carrots peeled into wide ribbons
  • 8 oz snow peas strings removed
  • 1 tsp neutral oil

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment. Mix beef, grated onion, egg, panko and salt and shape into twenty even meatballs; arrange on the pan.
  2. Bring rice and 1 3/4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 18 minutes, then rest off heat, covered, for 10 minutes.
  3. Bake meatballs for 14 to 17 minutes until browned and 160°F at their centers.
  4. Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar and ginger in a small saucepan. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 12 minutes until reduced to about 1/2 cup and lightly syrupy, watching closely near the end.
  5. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, snow peas and 3 tablespoons water, cover for 2 minutes, then uncover and cook for 1 minute until the water evaporates.
  6. Toss the cooked meatballs with the teriyaki sauce. Divide rice and vegetables among four bowls and add five meatballs to each, spooning the remaining glaze over them.