Serve these sticky, spicy honey sriracha turkey meatballs over rice or noodles for an easy weeknight dinner, or by themselves for a crowd-pleasing party appetizer.
The other night, I had a craving for a glazed meatball recipe I made one time years ago. Problem was I couldn’t remember for the life of me which of my cookbooks it came from.
After going through a dozen or so books, I gave up and just decided to wing it. NO REGRETS!
These sticky, sweet, and spicy meatballs are also semi-inspired by a few recipes I saw floating around Pinterest, back when sriracha was all the rage. I have to admit the thought of that combo of spicy sriracha sauce with the sweetness of honey makes my mouth water every time. If you’re into it too, you must try the sriracha salmon recipe. SO GOOD.
This honey sriracha turkey meatballs recipe has the perfect flavor from the sweet and spicy honey sriracha glaze and it is super simple to make! You won’t be searching for any new recipes for turkey meatballs after making this once.
Why You’ll Love these Honey Sriracha Turkey Meatballs
- I was really pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was able to get this meal on the table. Easily doable on a weeknight. The mixture comes together quickly, and the meatballs bake in the oven while you prepare the sticky, flavorful sauce.
- Made with lean ground turkey, these meatballs are a healthier alternative to traditional beef or pork meatballs.
- The recipe uses common ingredients that are likely already in your pantry, nothing you’ll need to go hunting for outside of your typical grocery store.
- These honey sriracha turkey meatballs are incredibly versatile. Serve them as an appetizer at a party, pair them with rice or noodles for a complete meal, or add them to a salad for a protein boost.
- These meatballs can be made ahead of time and you can freeze them. This makes them an excellent option for your weekly meal prep!
Ingredient Notes
For the Turkey Meatballs
Ground turkey
Using lean ground turkey makes these meatballs a healthier option compared to beef or pork. Turkey is low in fat and high in protein, making it a great choice for a nutritious meal.
That being said, you can also use ground chicken or any other meat of your choice.
Panko Breadcrumbs
I like to use panko breadcrumbs as they are lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs. They help bind the turkey meatballs together and give them a light texture.
Egg
The egg acts as a binding agent, helping to hold the meatball mixture together.
Garlic
I like to use freshly minced garlic cloves for the best flavor but you can also use garlic powder in a pinch.
Salt & Black Pepper
The only seasonings I add in the meatball are salt & pepper because these homemade meatballs are already full of so much flavor from the rest of the ingredients. I also want the sriracha sauce flavors to shine so I like to keep the seasonings simple.
Peanut Oil
I like to fry the meatballs and veggies in some peanut oil in this dish, but you can also use vegetable oil or canola oil.
Snow Peas
Snow peas are, of course, totally optional but I love their sweet mild flavor and subtle crunch. Sugar snap peas, green beans, broccoli, or any vegetable with some crunch are great substitutes.
For the Honey Sriracha Sauce
Fresh Ginger & Garlic
Fresh ginger has a bright and zesty flavor, so I love adding that. The same goes for garlic – fresh tastes best! But, if you don’t have those, you can just use ginger and garlic powder as well.
Sriracha sauce
Sriracha adds heat and depth to the sauce. You can adjust the amount to suit your spice tolerance. For this recipe, I find 1 tablespoon will give you a fairly mild dish and 3 tablespoons is good if you really like some heat.
Low sodium soy sauce
Soy sauce provides a salty, umami flavor to the sriracha glaze. Using low sodium helps control the overall saltiness of the dish.
Rice vinegar
The rice vinegar adds acidity and balance to the sauce. It helps cut through the richness of the honey and sriracha. Another vinegar like white wine, apple cider, or sherry vinegar will work too.
Honey
Adds sweetness to balance the heat from the sriracha and the acidity from the vinegar. Use good quality honey for the best flavor. Maple syrup makes a good sub, as do brown sugar or white sugar.
To Serve
Vermicelli Noodles
I like to serve these honey sriracha turkey meatballs over vermicelli noodles as they are light and soak up the flavors of the sauce beautifully. They cook quickly and are perfect for this dish.
You can also serve this over brown rice, white rice, quinoa, or any kind of grain you like.
Green onions
I like to garnish these with some green onions but you can also use cilantro, parsley, or some sesame seeds on top.
For the Meatballs
- Start by mixing up your ground turkey meat with the breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Roll about 1 tbsp of the meat mixture into a ball with your hands and put it on a large plate. Repeat until you have about 40 small meatballs.
- In a large non-stick pan or skillet, heat up some oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan and cook them, shaking the pan every minute or so to ensure even browning. Continue to cook until the meatballs are browned on all sides and fully cooked through, which should take about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
For the Veggies & Sauce
- Place the empty meatball pan back on the stove over high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil and quickly stir-fry the snow peas for about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the snow peas to the plate with the meatballs.
- Lower the heat to medium and return the pan to the burner. Add another 1/2 tablespoon of oil along with the ginger and garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add another 1/2 tablespoon of oil along with the ginger and garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the sriracha, soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5-8 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened.
For the Noodles
- While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the pot from heat and add the noodles. Let the noodles soak until tender, about 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Return the meatballs and vegetables to the pan with the sauce, stirring to coat them evenly. Serve the meatballs and vegetables over the rice noodles, drizzling with extra sauce and sprinkling with green onions.
*Note: these are fairly spicy, so feel free to reduce the sriracha from 3 to 2 or even 1 tablespoon according to taste.
Simple, healthy and super tasty!
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
These make great leftovers! Once cooled, place your honey sriracha turkey meatballs in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator if you plan to eat them within the next 3-4 days.
For longer storage, use a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bags and label them with the date and contents. You can freeze the meatballs and sauce together or separately, depending on your preference. These can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Meal Prep Instructions
If you want to make these for meal prep, I would suggest doubling or tripling the recipe to ensure you have enough for multiple meals. After cooking the meatballs and preparing the sauce, allow them to cool completely. Divide the meatballs and sauce into individual meal-sized portions and store each portion in airtight containers.
If you plan to eat them within the week, refrigerate the portions for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the portions using freezer-safe containers or bags, labeling them with the date.
When you’re ready to eat, thaw a portion in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat, place the contents in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until thoroughly warmed, or use a microwave, heating on medium power until hot. Pair with fresh rice noodles or your preferred side dish, and garnish with green onions before serving.
Tell me what you think!
If you try this recipe, l’d be so grateful if you’d leave a comment and a rating in the recipe card. I love to hear your feedback, and your tips can help other readers too!
Honey Sriracha Meatballs with Rice Noodles
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola or vegetable oil
Vegtables
- 1 cup snow peas
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil or canola or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons sriracha *see note!
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
To Serve
- 8 oz rice vermicelli
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
Meatballs
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In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, panko breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, salt and pepper.
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Using your hands, roll about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture into a ball and put it on a large plate. Repeat until you have about 40 small meatballs.
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In a large non stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. When hot, place the meatballs in the pan and cook, shaking the pan every minute or so, until the meatballs are browned on all sides and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Do this in two batches if necessary. Remove the meatballs to a plate.
Vegetables and Sauce
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Put the empty meatball pan back on the stove over high heat, add a 1/2 tablespoon of oil, and quickly stir fry the snow peas (about 3-4 minutes). Remove to the plate with the meatballs.
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Lower the heat to medium and return the pan to the burner. Add a 1/2 tablespoon more oil, the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the sriracha, soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5-8 minutes until slightly thickened.
Noodles
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While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and add the noodles. Soak the noodles until tender (about 5 minutes), and drain. Set aside.
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Add the meatballs and vegetables back to the pan with the sauce and stir to coat. Serve the meatballs and vegetables on top of the rice noodles. Drizzle with extra sauce and sprinkle with green onions.
Notes
Storage & Make Ahead Instructions
These make great leftovers! Once cooled, place your honey sriracha turkey meatballs in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator if you plan to eat them within the next 3-4 days.
For longer storage, use a freezer-safe airtight container or freezer bags and label them with the date and contents. You can freeze the meatballs and sauce together or separately, depending on your preference. These can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
