Sesame Pork Meatballs
Sesame Pork Meatballs are the perfect appetizer, hors d’oeuvre, main course, or snack… delicious and healing!
If it’s getting close to dinner time and I still have no idea what to make or what I’m in the mood for, my go-to is oftentimes some kind of meatball. I always keep a variety of organic ground meats in my freezer just for times like this. This recipe for sesame pork meatballs was born on one of these nights.
I go through phases with foods and cooking. Sometimes I will make the same type of ethnic food for weeks at a time, just because that’s what I’m feelin’ at the time. I learned long ago that when I cook what I’m in the mood for and what my body is craving, the food comes out awesome. If I make something that I really have no interest in… ummmm…. it can come out really bad. And yes, I too have some epic kitchen failures.
Asian food is one cuisine that I have a love-hate relationship with. I can go for months without touching it and then… bam… I have to have it. A lot.
Last week, when I was hot and tired and didn’t feel like cooking but I also didn’t feel like going out, I opened my freezer and peeked in. I did what most of us do: I stood there and stared. I moved some things around as if by doing so something new would appear. Needless to say, it didn’t.
I really do keep several packages of ground meat in the freezer. I’ve got ground lamb, bison, beef, pork, and chicken in there right now as I write this post. When I know the flavors I’m in the mood for, ground meat can become my canvas for those flavors. That’s what happened here. These sesame pork meatballs have a slight Asian taste and that’s exactly what I wanted. And the sesame seed coating makes them a little crunchy… yum… just perfect.
I didn’t use any grains in these meatballs. Instead, I used chickpea crumbs. This is an awesome invention — they are sold in bags in lots of markets now and I just love to substitute them for breadcrumbs. (See the recipe below, for details on the chickpea crumbs I used.)
These are not messy balls. They can be eaten with your fingers. And that is my favorite way to eat everything. The sesame seed coating helps keep the moisture and juices inside the meatballs… kind of like M&Ms. Well, not exactly, but I think you get the picture. Pick one up, dip it in your favorite Asian dipping sauce, and pop it in your mouth. Perfection.
If you’re a meatball fan like I am, you should also try my recipe for Paleo Buffalo Chicken Meatballs With Ranch.
I love to customize recipes for specific health concerns. Let me customize a meatball recipe for you that will work for whatever’s going on in your body now… I’m such a geek that I really do get excited about doing this. So CLICK HERE to be taken directly into my calendar to sign up for your free phone consultation.
Here are some of the great healing ingredients in this recipe for sesame pork meatballs:
Pork strengthens the digestive system, helps with constipation, and can moisten a dry cough and other dryness in the body. It’s also good to strengthen your qi and give you energy.
Sesame seeds (the black ones) are a Chinese herb (Hei Zhi Ma). Black foods, in Chinese medicine, are knows as longevity foods. This herb is good for so many things, including headaches, constipation, dizziness, and even helping with lactation. White sesame seeds also have many great nutritional benefits. They are also an anti-aging food. If you have backaches, hair thats graying way too fast, ringing in the ears, weak knees, blurry vision or general weakness, go for the sesame seeds; just sprinkle them on everything. Long ago in China, sesame seeds were ground into honey to form a paste and was taken as a medicine to counter old-age and weakness. You can use black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds, or a combination of both for this recipe.
Chickpeas actually help calm the spirit. They relieve anxiety and soothe irritability… it kind of makes you realize why hummus is so popular. I used chickpea crumbs instead of breadcrumbs in these meatballs.
If you make these Sesame Pork Meatballs, please be sure to let me know in the comments below. I love hearing how you like a recipe, and I love to answer your questions! If you make it, be sure to take a photo and tag me and post it on Instagram.
Sesame Pork Meatballs | Print |
- 1 lb ground pork
- ¼ cup ketchup
- sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ tsp tandoori spice (or use your favorite Asian spice)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried minced onion flakes
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup chickpea crumbs (or substitute your favorite crumbs)
- ½ cup raw sesame seeds
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper.
- Combine all ingredients, except sesame seeds, in a large bowl.
- Mush it up with your hands until it's combined.
- Form the mixture into golf-ball size balls.
- Pour the sesame seeds onto a plate.
- Roll the balls in the seeds so they are coated on all sides.
- Arrange the balls on the tray so that they are not touching each other.
- Bake for 10 mins, then flip them over and bake for another 10 mins or until they are cooked through.
- Serve alone or with your favorite Asian dipping sauce.
- Enjoy!
A great idea of using chickpea crumb instead of bread in these meatballs. They look mouthwatering and so moreish with sesame coating.
Yes, the chickpea crumbs work great here as a replacement for breadcrumbs and they give the meatballs a great taste too!
These sound so good! Thank you!
Thanks Julie. I love these because when you coat them with sesame seeds, you can serve them as finger food because they are neat and clean to pick up! Let me know how you like them!