Easy Skillet Korean BBQ Meatballs & Veggies
This Korean BBQ Meatball and Vegetable skillet recipe is a quick weeknight meal that comes together in under 30 minutes. It features juicy meatballs in a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy glaze with caramelized Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, offering maximum flavor with minimal fuss.
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Small bowl For the sauce
- Medium bowl For the meatballs
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground beef 85-90% lean
- 12 oz Brussels sprouts Trimmed and halved or quartered
- 4 Garlic cloves Minced
- 3 tsp Fresh ginger Grated or minced
- 3 Scallions Thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- 2 Medium sweet potatoes About 1 lb total, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
- 0.33 cup Maple syrup
- 0.5 cup Low sodium soy sauce
- 4 tsp Chili paste Like Gochujang or Sriracha
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Sesame oil Toasted sesame oil for extra flavor
- 0.25 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 0.25 cup Milk
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil Like vegetable or canola
Instructions
- First, let's get the sauce ready. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, soy sauce, chili paste, cornstarch, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Set this aside – it's going to bring everything together at the end!
- Next, let's prep those veggies. Make sure your sweet potatoes are cut into roughly equal bite-sized cubes so they cook evenly. Trim and halve your Brussels sprouts. Mince your garlic and ginger. Slice those scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
- Now, let's make the meatballs! In a medium bowl, gently combine the ground beef, panko bread crumbs, milk, kosher salt, minced garlic (use about half, save the rest for the veggies!), minced ginger (use about half), and the white parts of the sliced scallions. Don't overmix! Just combine until everything is incorporated. Roll the mixture into small, uniform meatballs, about 1-inch in size.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil (use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola, or even a bit more sesame oil) in your large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potato cubes and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften and get a little color.
- Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan with the sweet potatoes. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring, until the sprouts are tender-crisp and slightly browned. You might need to add another tiny splash of oil if the pan looks dry.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the pan. Add the remaining minced garlic and ginger to the empty space and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Now, add the meatballs to the pan, nestling them among the vegetables. Cook the meatballs, turning gently, for about 8-10 minutes, until they are browned on all sides and cooked through.
- Give your prepared sauce a quick whisk (cornstarch settles!) and pour it over the meatballs and vegetables in the skillet. Stir gently to coat everything evenly.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until it thickens and creates a beautiful, glossy glaze coating the meatballs and veggies.
- Remove from the heat. Garnish generously with the green parts of the sliced scallions.
- Serve immediately! I love serving this over fluffy white rice or brown rice to soak up all that delicious sauce.
Notes
Tips for Success:
- Don't Overwork the Meat: When mixing the meatball ingredients, be gentle! Overmixing can lead to tough meatballs.
- Cut Veggies Uniformly: This ensures everything cooks at the same rate. Sweet potatoes take longer than sprouts, so make sure the cubes aren't too large.
- Adjust Spice: Start with the recommended chili paste and taste the sauce. You can always add more heat, but you can't take it away!
- Don't Crowd the Pan: If your skillet isn't large enough to hold everything in a relatively single layer, cook the meatballs in batches after cooking the veggies. Add everything back together before adding the sauce. Crowding leads to steaming instead of browning.
- Prep Ahead: You can make the sauce up to a day ahead and store it in the fridge. You can also chop all the vegetables and form the meatballs ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge until you're ready to cook. This makes weeknight assembly even faster! How to Store It:
- Let the dish cool completely before storing.
- Transfer to an airtight container.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To reheat, gently warm in a skillet over medium heat or microwave until heated through. You might add a splash of water if the sauce seems too thick upon reheating.
- You can technically freeze cooked leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months, but the texture of the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts might change slightly upon thawing and reheating. FAQs:
- Is this recipe very spicy? It has a little kick from the chili paste, but 4 tsp isn't overly hot for most people. You can easily reduce it to 1-2 tsp or omit it entirely if you prefer no heat. Or, amp it up for more fire!
- Can I use frozen sweet potatoes or Brussels sprouts? Yes, you can! Thaw them first if possible, or be prepared to cook them a bit longer to remove excess moisture and ensure they're tender. Their texture might be slightly softer than using fresh.
- What's the best way to get the sauce thick and glossy? Make sure you whisk the cornstarch into the cold sauce mixture before adding it to the hot pan. Once added, bring it to a gentle simmer and stir continuously for a minute or two. It will thicken right up!
- Do I have to use panko bread crumbs and milk? Panko gives a lighter texture than regular breadcrumbs. The milk adds moisture. You can substitute with regular breadcrumbs, but you might need slightly less, and water or broth could replace milk in a pinch, though milk adds richness.
- Don't Overwork the Meat: When mixing the meatball ingredients, be gentle! Overmixing can lead to tough meatballs.
- Cut Veggies Uniformly: This ensures everything cooks at the same rate. Sweet potatoes take longer than sprouts, so make sure the cubes aren't too large.
- Adjust Spice: Start with the recommended chili paste and taste the sauce. You can always add more heat, but you can't take it away!
- Don't Crowd the Pan: If your skillet isn't large enough to hold everything in a relatively single layer, cook the meatballs in batches after cooking the veggies. Add everything back together before adding the sauce. Crowding leads to steaming instead of browning.
- Prep Ahead: You can make the sauce up to a day ahead and store it in the fridge. You can also chop all the vegetables and form the meatballs ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge until you're ready to cook. This makes weeknight assembly even faster! How to Store It:
- Let the dish cool completely before storing.
- Transfer to an airtight container.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To reheat, gently warm in a skillet over medium heat or microwave until heated through. You might add a splash of water if the sauce seems too thick upon reheating.
- You can technically freeze cooked leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months, but the texture of the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts might change slightly upon thawing and reheating. FAQs:
- Is this recipe very spicy? It has a little kick from the chili paste, but 4 tsp isn't overly hot for most people. You can easily reduce it to 1-2 tsp or omit it entirely if you prefer no heat. Or, amp it up for more fire!
- Can I use frozen sweet potatoes or Brussels sprouts? Yes, you can! Thaw them first if possible, or be prepared to cook them a bit longer to remove excess moisture and ensure they're tender. Their texture might be slightly softer than using fresh.
- What's the best way to get the sauce thick and glossy? Make sure you whisk the cornstarch into the cold sauce mixture before adding it to the hot pan. Once added, bring it to a gentle simmer and stir continuously for a minute or two. It will thicken right up!
- Do I have to use panko bread crumbs and milk? Panko gives a lighter texture than regular breadcrumbs. The milk adds moisture. You can substitute with regular breadcrumbs, but you might need slightly less, and water or broth could replace milk in a pinch, though milk adds richness.