Asian Party Meatballs

Asian Inspired Party Meatballs

These Asian party meatballs are the perfect way to bring a little exotic flair to your next get together.  I’ve made them lighter by using lean ground turkey as the main ingredient and forgoing the frying pan in favor of the oven.  God knows we’re all trying to get through the holiday season without packing on the pounds.  This appetizer is a good choice over some of the usual bacon wrapped, or deep fried offerings you’ll see at a typical cocktail party.  We might be ditching some of the fat and calories here but we won’t be sacrificing flavor with this sweet and spicy Asian inspired appetizer that everyone is sure to love.  

Ingredients list for the Meatballs:

·         20 oz lean ground turkey

·         8 oz sausage

·         3 scallions, finely minced

·         1 clove of garlic, finely grated

·         1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated

·         ½ small carrot, grated

·         1 tbsp hot sauce (Sambal, Sriracha, or your favorite hot sauce)

·         1 tbsp gluten free soy sauce

·         1 tbsp duck sauce

·         1 tsp Chinese five spice

·         1 egg

·         hot pepper flakes to taste

Ingredients for the Dipping Sauce:

·         1/3 cup honey

·         ½ cup apricot jam

·         2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce

·         ½ cup orange juice

·         1 tsp red pepper flake

·         1/2 cup water

Video Tutorial:

Instructions

1.      Preheat the oven to 375°F  or 190 °C

2.      In a small bowl stir together the scallions, garlic, ginger, carrot, hot sauce, soy sauce, duck sauce, five spice, egg and hot pepper flakes then set it aside.

3.      In a large bowl combine the sausage and ground turkey until it is well mixed then add the spice mixture and mix thoroughly so that the seasonings are well distributed throughout the meat.

4.      Form the meat mixture into small balls (1 ½ inches in diameter) and place them onto a foil lined baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray.  Also, spray the tops of the meatballs with nonstick spray since it will help in the browning process.  Bake them for 15 minutes then turn them over and bake them for an additional 10 minutes. 

5.      For the sauce in a large shallow sauté pan, over a medium heat, combine all of the sauce ingredients and gently stir as you heat everything together.  Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 

6.      Add the finished meatballs to the sauce and toss them gently to coat them before serving. The extra sauce can be served on the side for dipping.