Honey Garlic Pork Meatballs Recipe

Honey garlic pork meatballs
Diana Rattray
  • Total: 40 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 25 mins
  • Yield: About 32 Meatballs, 16 Servings
Ratings (47)

By Diana Rattray

Updated 10/21/18

These pork meatballs are perfect for a party or game day gathering, and they can be served hot, right from the slow cooker. Honey and garlic team up to make a sweet and tasty sauce for these homemade pork meatballs. Use lean ground pork to make these easy meatballs.

The pork meatballs are baked and then coated with the flavorful sauce mixture, but can also be served as a party appetizer from the slow cooker kept on the low setting. The recipe is easily scaled up for a party or game-day gathering. Serve them with toothpicks and napkins or place them on a platter small lettuce leaves and pass them around.

What You'll Need

  • 1 pound ground pork, lean
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs, plain
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped
  • cilantro, optional
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, pressed, divided
  • 1 scant teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Sriracha sauce or Tabasco, to taste

How to Make It

  1. Heat the oven to 400 F.
  2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet, such as a jelly roll pan or half sheet pan, with foil. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Combine the pork with the beaten egg, bread crumbs, cilantro (if using), green onion, 1 clove pressed garlic, and the salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix the pork mixture until all ingredients are well blended.
  4. Shape the pork into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter, roughly 5/8 ounce each. I use a small cookie scoop to help shape them.
  1. Arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the remaining 3 cloves of pressed garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the ketchup, honey, soy sauce, and hot sauce, if using. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for about one minute.
  3. Combine the sauce in a serving dish with the meatballs and serve immediately as an appetizer, or serve with rice and a side vegetable for a meal, OR combine the sauce and meatballs in the crockery insert slow cooker. Cover and keep on the low setting for serving over a longer period of time.
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
138 Calories
6g Fat
11g Carbs
11g Protein
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)