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Sweet and Spicy Sesame Meatball Bowl with Mango Cucumber Salad. This dish incorporates a variety of flavors and fresh summer produce. It’s a delicious mix of cozy and healthy, and a great way to use up garden cucumbers and fresh basil. It’s made with tamari, plenty of ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, and served over steamed rice. Top with spicy cucumber mango salad and you’ll have a super delicious bowl that’s ready in under an hour.
If there’s one thing I love doing, it’s taking something kind of boring, like chicken and meatballs, and reinventing the dish to be exciting and extra delicious. I’m often bored with recipes. So looking at a type of meat like chicken, and trying to come up with a way to reinvent it, is always a nice challenge.
These meatballs aren’t over the top or crazy different. But for someone who’s used to cooking only Italian-style meatballs, these are a fun twist.
I did my best to use ingredients I had easy access to. And when I was finished, I had such a yummy Asian rice bowl-style dinner. My family’s favorite!
With peaches coming into season, cucumbers growing in everyone’s garden, and mangos now plentiful at the grocery store, I chose to highlight these three as my summer produce.
I love the fresh flavors, sweetness, and color they add!
The details – I always begin with the meatballs
You can use ground chicken or pork for these meatballs. I actually think I prefer pork, but both options work really well. Mix the ground meat with cilantro, green onions, garlic, ginger, and my secret, Worcestershire sauce. It adds a really delicious, salty, and almost umami-like flavor. You don’t know it’s there, but it adds so much.
The meatballs are seared up in a skillet for super-quick cooking.
While the meatballs cook, you’ll want to mix the sauce. It’s tamari (or soy sauce), lots of chili sauce, more garlic, ginger, honey, and sesame seeds.
The sauce is poured over the meatballs. Then a little cornstarch or arrowroot powder is added to help thicken it just so slightly.
The Mango Cucumber Salad
To be honest, this was the idea that got the whole dish going. I want to make a spicy cucumber salad, but I wanted to incorporate summer fruit, fresh mango, and peaches. I thought the mix sounded perfect to serve along with meatballs!
It’s easy, just mix everything together with gochugaru flakes.
Then serve over rice, and top with additional green onions and basil. These were the perfect toppers since we have so much growing in our garden right now!
A great family dinner that’s easily ready in under an hour!
Looking for other quick weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites:
Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce
30 Minute Sticky Thai Meatballs with Sesame Noodles
Better Than Takeout Sweet Thai Basil Chicken
Spicy Chipotle Honey Salmon Bowls
Lastly, if you make this Sweet and Spicy Sesame Meatball Bowl with Mango Cucumber Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sweet and Spicy Sesame Meatball Bowl with Mango Cucumber Salad
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 458 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken or pork
- 2 green onions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 3 cups steamed rice
Salad
- 2 Persian cucumbers, sliced
- 1 mango, peach, or a mix, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Gochugaru flakes
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1. To make the meatballs. Add the chicken, green onions, 1 clove grated garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, cilantro, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of pepper to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil and roll the meat into tablespoon-size balls (will make 15-20 meatballs).2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sear until crisp and mostly cooked through, about 5-8 minutes, turning them 2-3 times. 3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a glass jar, combine the tamari, 1/3 cup water, 3 cloves grated garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, chili sauce, honey, and sesame seeds. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. 4. Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Simmer 2-3 minutes, then add the cornstarch, and cook until the sauce lightly coats the meatballs.5. Add the cucumbers to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of salt. Let sit 5 minutes, then drain out the water. Add the mango, gochugaru flakes, tamari, and sesame seeds. 6. Spoon the rice into bowls. Add the salad, the meatballs, and a handful of green onions and basil.
Made this tonight… delish! Too spicy for my hub, but son and I enjoyed immensely. Would half all heat if you have light-weights in your fam. Also added a few cashews to top. Yum!
Hey there,
Thanks for your review and trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a winner! Have the best Thursday! ?xTieghan
Amazing!! It was absolutely delicious, and such a fun flavor profile!
Only change I would make would be not adding the tablespoon of salt to the cucumbers, it was a little too salty for us. But other than that, so good!
Hey Stephanie,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for sharing your feedback and taking the time to make the dish! xx
This recipe was SO yummy! Loved all do the fresh ingredients in the meatballs! The only thing I would change is doubling the sauce recipe!!! It was SO good! Thank you!
Hey Angela,
Happy Wednesday! I love that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for trying it out! xTieghan
Tried this last night. It was fairly good but thought the prep was a lot. More than an hr to make this dish. But when all the flavors came together it tasted great. Also, used sweet chili sauce instead. Turned out delicious!
Hi Aleya,
Amazing!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback:)
Hi do you cook the meatballs in the seasame oil? When do you use the seasame oil
Thanks!
Hi Marissa,
Yes, the sesame oil is used in step 2. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Love this recipe, I added an extra 1/4 cup of sweet Thai chili sauce to the sauce and it was perfect
Hi Melissa!
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out! Happy Tuesday! xTieghan
Thank you for this recipe. I made it tonight and my whole family loved it.
Thanks for making the recipe Casey, I’m so glad your family enjoyed the dish! xT
Can beef be used instead of chicken or pork? Have you tried it perhaps?
Hi Jenny,
Sure, beef would also work well for you! I hope this recipe turns out amazing, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Omg!! Sitting here with an empty bowl in front of me!! Couldn’t wait to review this it was so so good! Made the salad with mango peach and cucumber, didn’t have gochugaru, googled replacement and someone said chipotle so did that and it was perfect, a little bit of smoke added to the tangy-ness! Yum!!!
Hi Kelly,
Thanks so much for your kind message and making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Made this recipe yesterday. All 3 of my kids really loved it. Thank you so much for your delicious recipes ! I’ve really started becoming a better cook after following your recipes so thank you !
Hi Audra,
Thanks for your review and trying this recipe out, I love to hear that it was a winner! Have the best Thursday! ?xTieghan
Delicious, but my chicken meatballs didn’t really stay together. Suggestions?
Hi Terry,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Sorry to hear about your meatballs, try popping them in the fridge next time, that should help hold them together! xx
Big hit! A bit labor intensive but totally worth it. Easily doubled too.
Hey Kim,
Fantastic! Thanks for your comment and trying the recipe:) I am so glad it was enjoyed! xxT
This sounds so good! If I wanted to bake the meatballs, how long/what temp would you recommend? Thanks so much!
Hey Addison,
I would do 350F for 15-20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xx
I loved this recipe! Only made one alteration – my family is salt sensitives I just cut the tamari ingredient in half. Delish!! Can make the meatballs ( I used chicken) way ahead of time, and also the sauce.
Hi Jody,
Amazing!! Thank you so much for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xx
One of my kids helped me make this tonight! Delicious! Thank you for helping me have a successful meal!
Hi Amy!
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review:)
This recipe was so good that I made it twice in one week! I do have some feedback about how the ingredients are typed out. Would you be willing to modify the garlic and the ginger to say “divided” at the end? Both times I made this dish I added all of the garlic and ginger to the meatballs. I wouldn’t make this mistake if I were arranging all of my ingredients mise en place but honestly, during the week, I’m adding ingredients to the bowl as I read them lol. Thank you for considering!
Hi Carly,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review:) Thanks for your feedback, I will take a look at that! xx