These aren’t just your everyday Baked Meatballs. These Sheet Pan Sweet Chili Garlic Meatballs are packed with vibrant Asian-inspired flavors, and since the meatballs are cooked in the oven, they come out beautifully crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Pair with roasted veggies and rice for a complete meal.
When many of us think meatballs, we instantly imagine the Italian version — served with pasta and marinara sauce. But we love to get creative with our meatball recipes over here! Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, Tikka Masala Meatballs, to Rosemary Thyme Meatballs. And while we love a classic meatball too (like my Nonna’s Italian meatballs omg they’re so dang good), we can’t get enough of sweet chili garlic flavors, and thus, these amazing meatballs were born 🌈 .
To make these little balls of deliciousness, just prep and bake your meatballs and veggies. Bake them in the oven, and make the yummy sweet and spicy sauce on the side. Bring it all together and taste the magic!
Why Make Meatballs in the Oven
We love a good sheet pan meal! Not only does it make dinner that much easier (especially on busy nights with kiddos, amiright?!), but these baked meatballs get crispy and yummy on the outside and are super tender on the inside + there’s absolutely no oil splatter since you’re not cooking on the stovetop.
And while the oven’s on, you’ll easily roast the veggies, too. Make some rice, and you’ve got yourself a complete meal.
You can use any combination of roasted vegetables that you’d like! We love the flavor and texture of baby bok choy and broccoli, but anything you have on hand will pair just fine.
We recommend bell peppers, zucchini, snap peas, or even sweet potatoes. Just make sure to cut them into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly with the meatballs.
pro tips for sheet pan meatballs
- We suggest using a darker metal baking sheet with the meatballs because it helps to brown the meatballs. However, any pan will work.
- It helps to wet your hands when forming the meatballs so that the meat doesn’t stick to your hands.
- We used a 3-tablespoon scoop to make larger meatballs, but feel free to make the meatballs smaller. Keep in mind that the meatballs will take less time to bake, and you will have more of them.
-
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and grease a baking sheet with avocado oil.*
-
Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs into a large bowl and mix the ingredients together until combined.
-
Using a tablespoon scoop, scoop three tablespoons into your hand and roll the meat into a ball. Place on the greased baking sheet. Repeat until all of the meat mixture has been made into balls.* It helps to wet your hands so the meat doesn’t stick to them.
-
Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
-
While the meatballs are baking, add the broccoli, bok choy, and red onion to a second baking sheet. Coat the vegetables with soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Toss to coat the vegetables. Add the vegetables to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until they reach the desired doneness.
-
While the meatballs and vegetables are baking, add all of the ingredients for the sauce to a bowl and whisk to combine.
-
Remove the meatballs from the oven when the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165ºF, 20-20 minutes.
-
Serve the meatballs and vegetables over jasmine rice and top with the honey garlic chili sauce and white sesame seeds. Enjoy.
- We suggest using a darker metal baking sheet with the meatballs because it helps to brown the meatballs. However, any pan will work.
- We used a three tablespoon scoop to make larger meatballs, feel free to make the meatballs smaller, but keep in mind that the meatballs will take less time to bake and you will have more of them.
- You can use any combination of vegetables that you would like.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Leftover meatballs and vegetables can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Simply reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
You can also freeze the cooked meatballs and veggies for up to 3 months. Just thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and reheat before serving.
What Rice to Serve with These Meatballs
Our top suggestion for these sheet-pan meatballs is to serve them over jasmine rice. Or check out our How to Make Sticky Rice tutorial for the BEST sticky rice! Looking for a low-carb option? Try our Cauliflower Rice, or this Cauliflower Fried Rice!
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
