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Modified: Jul 18, 2022 | Categories: Main Course

Sesame Pork Meatballs with Cucumber Salad

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I have a new favorite way to make meatballs: Sesame pork meatballs with cucumber salad.

Finished overhead shot of Asian-Style Pork Meatballs with Sesame Cucumber Salad

What I love so much about sesame pork meatballs

I took about an eight day hiatus from blogging... but for good reason.  Last week I joined a group of dietitians in their teaching kitchen and we practiced knife skills, recipe development, cooking class curriculum development, cooking on camera, filming tasty-style videos and we ironed out their program logistics. 

It was an absolute blast and I seriously pinched myself afterwards.  Is this really my job?!  YES, yes it is!  I feel incredibly happy, blessed and so glad to see the concept of 'teaching kitchens' in health care coming to fruition. 

If you're not super familiar with the term, it basically means that cooking classes (hands-on or demonstrations) are being offered in some hospitals and clinics to help patients and the community learn how to cook as a means of preventing chronic diseases or helping them manage them by cooking and eating better. 

It seems just logical, but as we know, the health care system in the U.S. has become more 'sick care' than health care.  So this whole teaching kitchen thing is extremely necessary, and I am so glad to be part of it! 

And I am so very excited that THIS IS MY JOB.  If we can inspire just one more person or a handful of people to cook for themselves by taking the guesswork out of healthy eating, showing them easy ways to prepare produce and balanced meals and help them understand that healthful eating can ROCK, we are doing great things.  Am I right?!

And ya know what's also my job?  These meatballs.  Which is obviously also super exciting because... meatballs.

Close up photo of Asian-Style Pork Meatballs on a white plate.
Overhead shot of Asian-Style Pork Meatballs with Sesame Cucumber Salad and a small wooden bowl with red pepper flakes.

Tell me you'll make this cucumber salad...

But they're not just any meatballs, they're Asian-style pork meatballs with sesame cucumber salad, and let me tell ya, the meatballs AND the cucumber salad are absolutely packed with flavor. 

The meatballs are made with ground pork, soy sauce, fresh garlic, ginger and cilantro and a touch of brown sugar, and they roast up nice and crisp on the outside and just melt away in your mouth.  Hands down one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life.  No joke.

Also, this cucumber salad is shaved cucumber and carrots (just use your veggie peeler and peel them lengthwise) tossed in rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and a pinch of salt and crushed red pepper flakes. 

And you thought eating veggies wasn't fun.... and absolutely delicious.

This whole set-up makes for such a light and totally dynamite meal, perfect for springtime (or anytime).

Asian-Style Pork Meatballs with Sesame Cucumber Salad with one meatball cut in half with a fork.

Seriously, folks.  I hope I inspired you to cook these little balls and whip up this salad.  You won't regret it.

Print

Sesame Pork Meatballs with Cucumber Salad

Print Recipe

Pork meatballs with sesame and soy, served with a light cucumber carrot salad.

  • Author: Julie Andrews
  • Prep Time: 10-15 mins
  • Cook Time: 15-20 mins
  • Total Time: 25-35 mins
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Scale

Pork Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoon Sriracha or gochujang
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • ¾ teaspoon coarse salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Cucumber Salad:

  • 1 large English cucumber, shaved
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and shaved
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Pinch coarse salt and crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. To make meatballs, thoroughly mix all of the meatball ingredients together in a bowl. Form 2-inch meatballs and place on the wire rack about an inch apart. Bake 15-18 minutes, until internal temperature of meatballs reaches 145 degrees.
  3. To make cucumber salad, toss together all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
  4. Serve salad with meatballs.

Notes

Substitution Tip: Use ground turkey instead of pork for a lower fat option.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ¼ of serving
  • Calories: 394
  • Sugar: 9g
  • Sodium: 544mg
  • Fat: 25g
  • Saturated Fat: 8g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 17g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 21g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 22g
  • Cholesterol: 164mg

Keywords: oven, baked, asian, simple, easy, healthy

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. akashocd says

    May 12, 2018 at 1:53 am

    wow this recipe is so good thank you for sharing it

    Reply

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hi, i’m julie!

chef, registered dietitian & mom
passionate about simple, healthy cooking

*formerly the gourmet RD*

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