Meatball Beef and Broccoli

Meatball recipes and this blog go hand in hand. If you’ve been following along for a while now, you’ll probably know by now that I have the biggest soft spot for meatballs. Anywhere from chicken tikka masala, to enchiladas, to caprese, to banh mi, to stroganoff and everything in between. There is a meatball recipe on this blog for literally all of your tastes, for any day of the week. This time around, I was inspired by my Orange Chicken Meatballs to create another Asian-American infusion with this Meatball Beef and Broccoli. It has all of the flavors from the classic dish, but with a fun new meatball twist. Serve it with steamed rice for that perfect easy weeknight meal. Have I mentioned that it’s incredibly easy to make? That’s just an added bonus.

To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, mix together the beef, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sriracha, scallions, salt and pepper until evenly combined.

**Tip: Try not to over-work the mixture at this stage or else you’ll end up with dry and tough meatballs. You also want to use lean ground beef, but with still some fat in it because the fat will keep them from drying out in the oven. I like to use 85/15.**

Roll about 2 tablespoons or so of the mixture in between your palms and place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue rolling and shaping the remaining mixture until all the meatballs are done, leaving about a few inches of space in between each. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 18 to 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through baking.

In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together sesame oil, beef stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper if using, and set aside.

**Note: I always use low-sodium soy sauce whenever I need it for a recipe because I like being able to control, somewhat, the amount of salt going into my dishes. Plus, I find that regular soy sauce can just be too salty**

In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil over moderate heat. Once hot, add the broccoli florets and sauté for about 5 minutes or until bright green, and just starting to get fork tender. You want them to still have some bite to them since they’ll continue to cook later on.

Add the cooked meatballs to the skillet with the broccoli and then stir in the sauce from earlier. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 8 minutes. Make sure to give it a stir every now and then to ensure it doesn’t stick and burn. 

Once the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly, it’s done! Just sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced scallions as a garnish right before serving.

**Note: The sesame seeds and scallions are completely optional. I like them for a bit of flavor and texture, but also it adds a nice finish to the very end.**

Serve with some steamed white or brown rice (or riced cauliflower or quinoa or farro or barley if you’re feeling a bit healthier) and call it dinner! It’s fast and easy and fun to eat! 

Although this is supposed to resemble beef and broccoli, you can totally make this with ground pork, ground chicken or even ground turkey if you prefer! Either way, it’ll still be delicious no matter what.

I might be more than slightly biased, but this is the recipe you NEED to make with that packet of ground beef you have sitting in your fridge or freezer. If you’re not like me, and don’t always keep ground beef on hand, then I urge you to pick some up on your next grocery store trip because this is a great weeknight recipe! As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or comments about substitutions. Stay safe and stay home (whenever possible), my friends!

Meatball Beef and Broccoli

This Meatball Beef and Broccoli is a great new twist on a classic dish we all know and love. It's a great way to feed more for less. Serve with rice and call it dinner!

Servings 4 to 6 servings

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef 85% is good
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2 garlic cloves grated
• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sriracha
• 3 scallions thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Sauce and Broccoli:

• 3 tablespoons sesame oil divided
• 1 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons light-brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
• 2 pounds broccoli crowns cut into florets
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds for topping
• 2 scallions thinly sliced, for topping
• Steamed white rice for serving

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease lightly with cooking spray, set aside.
• To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, mix together the beef, bread crumbs, egg, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sriracha, scallions, salt and pepper until evenly combined. Try not to over-work the mixture or else you'll end up with tough meatballs. Roll about 2 tablespoons or so of the mixture in between your palms and place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue rolling and shaping the remaining mixture until all the meatballs are done, leaving about a few inches of space in between each. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 18 to 20 minutes, flipping over halfway through.
• In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 2 tablespoons sesame oil, beef stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper if using, and set aside.
• In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil over moderate heat. Once hot, add the broccoli and sauté for about 5 minutes or until bright green. Add in the meatballs and stir in the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 8 minutes. Give it a stir and top with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with rice and enjoy!

Author: The Candid Appetite