Honey Garlic Turkey Meatball Bowls (Printable Version)

Juicy turkey meatballs in honey-garlic glaze over rice with broccoli

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Meatballs

01 - 1 pound ground turkey
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 2 green onions, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil

→ For the Honey Garlic Glaze

10 - 1/3 cup honey
11 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
12 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
15 - 1/4 cup water

→ For the Bowls

16 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or basmati rice
17 - 3 cups broccoli florets
18 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional for garnish
19 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Prepare rice according to package instructions and set aside.
02 - Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add broccoli florets and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper until just combined, avoiding overworking the mixture.
04 - Shape the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs, yielding approximately 18 to 20 pieces.
05 - Heat sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs in batches and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, approximately 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Remove meatballs and set aside.
06 - In the same skillet, combine honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and rice vinegar. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
07 - In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into the simmering glaze and cook until thickened, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
08 - Return the cooked meatballs to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the glaze.
09 - Divide cooked rice among serving bowls as the base. Add blanched broccoli and top with glazed meatballs. Drizzle any remaining glaze over the top and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The glaze clings to every meatball like it was designed just for this moment, sweet and savory in perfect balance.
  • Everything cooks in under an hour, which means you can go from hungry to happy without losing your evening.
  • It feels like restaurant food but costs a fraction and tastes better because you made it yourself.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, and the meatballs stay tender even the next day.
02 -
  • Don't pack the meatball mixture too tightly or roll them too large, or they'll take forever to cook through and might dry out.
  • Use low sodium soy sauce in the glaze, or the whole dish will taste way too salty once it reduces.
  • Make sure the cornstarch slurry is smooth before adding it to the pan, or you'll end up with lumps in your glaze.
  • Let the meatballs rest in the glaze for a minute after tossing so they absorb more of that sticky sweetness.
03 -
  • Wet your hands before rolling the meatballs so the mixture doesn't stick to your fingers and you get smooth, even shapes.
  • Don't crowd the pan when browning the meatballs, or they'll steam instead of getting that nice golden crust.
  • Taste the glaze before adding the meatballs and adjust the honey or soy sauce to match your preference for sweet or salty.
  • Keep a little extra cornstarch slurry on hand in case the glaze needs more thickening after it simmers.
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