Ginger Sweet Chili Meatballs with Stir-Fry Veggies
There’s something irresistible about a sticky, sweet, and savory meatball, and these sweet chili meatballs check all the boxes! Tender, juicy meatballs are coated in a flavorful ginger sweet chili glaze that’s the perfect balance of tangy, gingery, and slightly sweet. This meal comes together quickly with simple ingredients—perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute entertaining.
Erica’s Thoughts
Sweet but a tad spicy, comforting but a little bit unique, approachable but complex. These are the words I would use to describe my preferred type of fantasy novel (ayo!) as well as my ideal type of dinner. Welcome back to Cook Once Eat Twice. The series in which we prep a large-ish batch of one protein and repurpose it in to two (or more!) yummy dinners.
Step one: do yourself a solid and make these meatball subs for dinner. The tasty meatballs require a few simple ingredients, they are tender and flavorful but versatile that you can use them in both Italian and Asian cuisines. You’ll have leftover meatballs that you can throw in the freezer OR step two: use in this quick and easy stir-fry! (<recommended)
Provided you have the homemade meatballs prepped, this recipe comes together all in one dish, is done in less than 20 minutes, and is the definition of an easy weeknight meal. The sweet chili sauce provides lots of saucy sweetness and there’s an extra big dose of fresh ginger which I just love. So, cozy up with this satiating and well-balanced dish– and just like reading a book you enjoy, this meal is basically a form of self-care.
What You’ll Need to Make Sweet Chili Meatballs
Avocado oil: ideal for stir-fry dishes because it can tolerate hot temperatures without smoking. It is neutral in taste so it doesn’t compete with the sauce flavors.
Red bell pepper: naturally sweet with a slight crunch, adds freshness, color and a variety of nutrients.
Sweet onion: provides a mild sweetness when cooked, enhancing the dish’s umami depth.
Snap peas: also called sugar snap peas. The entire pod is edible and they cook quickly while still retaining a bit of crunch.
Meatballs: I strongly recommend these meatballs, but you could also use frozen meatballs. The meatball ingredients include lean ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, ricotta, garlic, egg, salt and pepper.
Ginger: provides a punchy flavor to complement the sweet chili sauce.
Sweet chili sauce: found in the international or Asian food section of the grocery store. I like the Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce or the one from Trader Joe’s.
Coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce: coconut aminos taste slightly sweeter and less salty than soy sauce. Low-sodium soy sauce is a great alternative.
Seasoned rice vinegar: found in the international or Asian food section of the grocery store. Seasoned rice vinegar has extra saltiness and sweetness compared to plain rice vinegar.
Black pepper: adds a mild heat and enhances the chili flavors of the dish.
Green onion: also referred to as scallions or spring onions. Green onions are the workhorse of the herbs as they enhance almost all type of cuisine. Here they bring brightness and extra texture.
Jasmine rice: a long-grain white rice with a subtle sweetness perfect for stir-fry.
Sesame seeds: one of my favorite finishing touches for a saucy stir-fry!
Variation Ideas
- Snow peas, zucchini, bok choy, and broccoli are other great vegetable options for this stir-fry. Broccoli requires a few extra minutes of cook time and bok choy will need a couple less minutes of cook time.
- Additional topping ideas include fresh cilantro, crushed peanuts or cashews, bean sprouts or a drizzle of lime juice or sesame oil.
- White rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa would be other great options to serve with these meatballs.
- Serve these Asian meatballs as an appetizer instead! Add meatballs, ginger and sauce ingredients to a slow cooker, put on low for about an hour to cook, then switch to the warm setting and serve directly from the crock pot or instant pot.
- Feel free to use ground chicken or ground turkey for the meatballs if desired.
How to Make Sweet Chili Meatballs
Prep meatballs: find my easy meatball recipe right here. If using frozen meatballs, follow package directions on how to thaw/defrost.
Cook rice: rinse jasmine rice. Rinsing the rice helps guarantee a light, fluffy texture. I add a little bit of coconut oil (about 1 teaspoon) before cooking to prevent clumping and to add a subtle richness to the grain. Follow instructions on a rice cooker or see recipe notes for making rice on the stove.
Cutting board: chop bell pepper, onion, and snap peas into 1-inch chunks. Ensure vegetables are chopped a consistent size so they tenderize at the same rate and make for a more satisfying stir-fry texture. Next, chop green onion and store in an airtight container until ready to garnish. Peel fresh ginger with a vegetable peeler or spoon and grate with a microplane.
Stir-fry: heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the chopped bell pepper, onion and snap peas and stir-fry until crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes. Add the meatballs and grated ginger, tossing until the ginger is fragrant, about 60 seconds.
Assemble: add the sweet chili sauce, coconut aminos, rice vinegar and black pepper directly into the pan and stir until everything is well combined. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the stir-fry bubble and reduce for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and coating the meatballs. Serve over steamed rice topped with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Expert Tips
- If you are fully embracing meal prep, cook rice in advance. This makes for an extra easy dinner to make the night of AND cooling cooked rice reduces the calorie content by about 20%.
- Crank up the spice by adding chili flakes, red pepper flakes, sriracha sauce or chili crisp.
- Make the meatballs small. I love smaller meatballs for both the sub sandwiches and this stir-fry.
FAQs
Yes. Follow instructions for cooking meatballs and then add to the skillet after cooking the vegetables.
A couple options here. 1) store the components separately (rice + meatballs and veggies) in airtight containers in the fridge. When ready to eat you can warm the meatballs and rice in the microwave and finish with garnishes. For reheating rice, I recommend sprinkling a tablespoon or two of water over the top to help retain its moisture when reheating. 2) Store the fully assembled dish in an airtight container.
You can, but be aware that the cooking time will vary depending on which protein you use, especially if you’re using a raw protein. (I love that the meatballs are precooked, it makes it so easy!) Most proteins are going to be delicious here: try chicken breast, shrimp, ground turkey, ground chicken or cubed tofu.
Use coconut aminos or tamari, as most soy sauces contain gluten. Traditional sweet chili sauce is often gluten-free. Make your meatballs with GF breadcrumbs or ensure your meatballs are gluten-free.
If you love this sweet chili meatball recipe, you’ll love these other easy dinners!
Winner winner meatball dinner.
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
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Easy Sweet Chili Meatballs with Stir-Fry Veggies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
Tender sweet chili meatballs are glazed in a tangy sweet sauce that perfectly complements the crisp stir-fry veggies. Served over a bed of fluffy rice, this dish is balanced and flavor-packed!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 red bell pepper, 1-inch dice
- 1 small sweet onion, 1-inch dice
- 8oz snap peas, sliced in half
- 24 fully cooked meatballs
- 2-inch knob ginger, freshly grated (about 2 tablespoons total)
- 1 cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoon coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- For serving: green onions, jasmine rice, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion and snap peas and stir-fry until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Add the meatballs and ginger, tossing until the ginger is fragrant, about 60 seconds.
- Add 1 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons coconut aminos, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar and ¼ teaspoon black pepper and stir until everything is well combined. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the stir-fry bubble and reduce for about 3-5 minutes, until the sauce is thickened and coating the meatballs.
- Serve over steamed rice topped with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Don’t forget to make garlic bread meatball subs so you have leftover meatballs for this recipe.
Refer to above blog post for step-by-step photos, expert tips and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (nutrition info calculated without rice)
- Calories: 409
- Sugar: 13.9 g
- Sodium: 1229 mg
- Fat: 21.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.7 g
- Fiber: 3.4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 96.3 mg
We loved this recipe! The meatballs were so tender.
100/10. My husband raved about this for hours. So quick and easy!!
This was so yummy! I made it using the chicken meatballs from Costco and then paired with the coconut rice from your shrimp bowl recipe. So good! Will make again.
So yummy! I used the frozen mini meatballs from Trader Joe’s. I also added a chopped zucchini because I had one. You really can add other veggies (onions, carrots, celery). This will definitely be on my dinner rotation.
Used the meatball recipe for the cook once, use twice! Delightful quick dinner with lots of great flavors! I love all the veggie options that can be utilized. The meatballs were moist and had good flavor. Thanks for all your great recipes!
Yaaay! Happy to hear it, thanks Julie!
I LOVE this website and make many deliscious dishes. BUT, This was so hot, we were unable to eat it. Two Tablespoons of Ginger too much? I don’t know, but this was a bust at my house.
Aw Marilynn, I’m so sorry to hear that! Ginger can get a little spicy. Perhaps that was it or maybe your sweet chili sauce was spicier than the average? Usually it’s quite mild but may depend on the brand.