These baked cilantro meatballs have incredible flavor from ginger, garlic, lime juice and, of course, cilantro. The fresh herb and spices keep the meatballs tender and juicy so that no glaze is needed.
Meatball ingredients, notes & substitutions:
- I recommend 90 percent lean ground beef for this recipe. Ground beef with a higher fat content tends to be too greasy for these meatballs. (Fattier ground beef works better in dishes where you pre-cook the beef and then drain the released grease. An example for that is this ground beef butternut squash.)
- Instead of bread crumbs, this recipe uses sandwich bread soaked in milk and lime juice. This adds both flavor and moisture and makes the texture of the meatballs nice and fluffy. (This is a trick I learned from America's Test Kitchen.)
- I don't recommend substituting ground ginger for fresh ginger root in this recipe. Fresh ginger adds a lot of flavor to these meatballs.
How to make the meatballs:
See full ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix milk, lime juice and bread cubes together in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Mash up the soaked bread cubes with a fork.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef and the mashed bread mix.
- Mix together using a large fork (a serving fork works great for this).
- Add cilantro, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and egg.
- Mix together until well combined.
- Form 18 to 20 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons per ball). Set the meatballs directly onto non-stick baking sheets. Bake until cooked through and browned (about 20 minutes).
How to serve:
Drizzle the meatballs with a few drops of hot chili oil (a recipe is included below) or serve with a dipping sauce. (Serve with toothpicks, if you like.)
For a dipping sauce I recommend an aioli, like this Thai chili aioli or this ginger aioli.
Recipe and equipment notes & tips:
- If you have a metal scoop with spring-loaded handle, I recommend using that to form the meatballs. That way they will all be evenly sized, plus you won’t need to get your hands dirty. If you don’t have a scoop, use a spoon and then roll the meatballs with your hands. (The soaked, mashed bread and the egg give the mix a great texture that forms balls very well.)
- As long as you use non-stick baking sheets you won't need to grease or line the sheets.
- Mixing the ingredients together by hand (rather than using a food processor) prevents overmixing. That keeps these cilantro meatballs from getting too dense.
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it in the comments below! Thank you!
Full Printable Recipe
Cilantro Meatballs
These cilantro beef meatballs are full of fresh and intense flavor from grated ginger, garlic, lime juice and cilantro.
Rate this Recipe Print Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- citrus juicer
- garlic press (optional)
- ginger grater
- knife and cutting board
- mixing bowls
- fork
- serving fork
- spring-loaded metal scoop OR large spoon
- non-stick baking sheets
- pan
Ingredients:
For the meatballs:
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 2 slices white sandwich bread
- 1 pound ground beef, 90 percent lean
- ⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro (about 1 bunch)
- 4 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger root
- 1 large egg
For the chili oil (optional):
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions:
For the meatballs:
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Mix milk and lime juice together in a bowl. Cut the sandwich bread into 1-inch cubes and soak in the milk mix for 10 minutes.½ cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon lime juice, 2 slices white sandwich bread
- Mash up the soaked bread cubes with a fork.
- In a large bowl, stir together the beef and the mashed bread mix.*1 pound ground beef, 90 percent lean
- Mix in cilantro, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and egg.⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro (about 1 bunch), 4 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press, 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger root, 1 large egg
- Form 18 to 20 meatballs (about 2 tablespoons per meatball) using a spring-loaded metal scoop or a large spoon. Set the meatballs directly onto non-stick baking sheets (there is no need to grease or line the sheets).
- Bake the meatballs until they are cooked through and brown on the outside (about 20 minutes).
- Serve with hot chili oil (recipe below) or with a dipping sauce.
For the chili oil (optional):
- Heat vegetable oil and pepper flakes in a pan until the oil is sizzling. Let cool.2 tablespoons vegetable oil, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Drizzle a few drops of the hot oil onto the meatballs and serve.
Notes:
*A large serving fork works well for this step. Storage: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave before serving. Freezing: Let the fully baked meatballs cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze. To reheat, set the frozen meatballs into a cast iron pan or a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake the meatballs at 350 degrees F. until heated through (about 30 minutes).
More delicious meatball recipes:
- Italian Sausage Meatballs25 Minutes
- Meatball Casserole without Tomato Sauce55 Minutes
- Cinnamon Meatballs1 Hours 10 Minutes
- Frozen Meatball Stuffed Shells1 Hours
meme shebroe says
MINOUCHKA:
Amazing good! Similar to my old quick recipe with ground turkey. I bake my meatballs au lieu of frying, and served them over the coconut rice garnished all with chopped cilantro and crushed garlic for extra taste. It was a YUMMY meal and/or served for cocktails! Thanks Nicole for bringing back this great recipe, and which I have shared many times.
Nicole B. says
So lovely to hear that, thank you so much! :)
Ariana says
is a perfectly prepared so as flavors and the texture. thanks for the recipe