Baked Firecracker Meatballs
Firecracker meatballs are the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and savory. Tender meatballs are coated in a bold spicy firecracker sauce. Make them for dinner, meal prep, or game day. This easy recipe is dairy free with gluten free substitutions included.
Looking for more rice bowl recipes? Try my smoked salmon poke bowls, shrimp burrito bowls, or chicken teriyaki bowl with rice.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this firecracker meatball recipe:
- Ground beef
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Green onions
- Toasted sesame oil
- Egg
- Spices – red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Spicy firecracker sauce – sriracha hot sauce, brown sugar, reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari, rice vinegar, and mayonnaise.
- Sesame seeds
How to Make Firecracker Meatballs: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
- Make the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, panko bread crumbs, green onions, egg, toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined.
- Form the meatballs. Use a cookie scoop to scoop the meat mixture into 1 heaping tablespoon balls. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
- Cook the meatballs. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 160ºF (165ºF if using ground chicken or turkey).
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce, rice vinegar, and mayo to create a smooth sauce.
- Coat the meatballs. Toss the cooked meatballs with a few tablespoons of the spicy sauce until fully coated. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions.
- Serve. Serve with cooked rice (white or brown rice) and a side of roasted broccoli or sauteed green beans. Alternatively, you could serve in lettuce cups.
Quick Tip: Line your sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup, and so the meatballs don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. If you don’t have parchment paper, use a silicone baking mat, or generously oil the bottom.
Storage
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Reheat in the oven at 300ºF covered for 15-20 minutes until warmed through. For a quicker option, place meatballs in a bowl covered with a damp kitchen towel or paper towel to prevent them from drying out. Microwave at 50% power in 1-minute increments until warmed through.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this firecracker meatballs recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No ground beef? – you can also use ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken instead, but the internal temperature must reach 165ºF if using turkey or chicken.
- Make it gluten free – use reduced-sodium tamari or coconut aminos and gluten free bread crumbs. Aleia’s is my favorite brand for gluten free and dairy free breadcrumbs. It tastes identical to traditional panko.
- No brown sugar? – coconut sugar is a great alternative.
- No rice vinegar? – use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- No mayo? – use dairy free sour cream or cashew cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. These are perfect for meal prep. Cook meatballs in advance and store them in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve.
They definitely have a kick, but you can adjust the heat by reducing the amount of hot sauce.
Yes, cook them at 375°F for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
More Ground Beef Recipes
I hope you love these Firecracker Meatballs! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
Baked Firecracker Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 – 1.25 pounds ground beef
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup sliced green onions plus more for garnish
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt use ½ teaspoon if using any other kind
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Firecracker Sauce
- 4 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Garnish
- sesame seeds
- sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF/220ºC.
- In a large bowl, combine ground meat, panko bread crumbs, green onions, egg, toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the meat mixture into 1 heaping tablespoon balls. Arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches a minimum of 160ºF (165ºF if using ground chicken or turkey).
- In a small bowl, whisk together sriracha hot sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and mayo to create a smooth sauce.
- Toss the cooked meatballs with a few tablespoons of the spicy sauce until fully coated. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions.
- If serving the meatballs as an appetizer, serve the extra sauce on the side as a dipping sauce.
- If serving the meatballs as an entree, serve them over cooked white rice with a side of roasted broccoli or sauteed green beans. Drizzle extra sauce over the meatballs, rice, and veg.