Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Meatballs

Close up of glazed honey garlic meatballs and broccoli in a white bowl with wooden chopsticks.

No ratings yet

This Sheet Pan Honey Garlic Meatballs dinner is the ultimate solution for those nights when you want a high quality meal without the high maintenance cleanup. These beef meatballs are incredibly tender and the broccoli roasts to perfection with those coveted crisp edges. The real star is the sticky honey garlic glaze that thickens beautifully in a small saucepan before coating everything in a glossy sweet and savory shell. It is faster than takeout and much more satisfying.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Asian

Servings:

Calories: 641kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

Meatballs

2 pounds ground beef
½ cup plain breadcrumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
2 cloves garlic minced
1 large egg
1 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sheet Pan

4 cups broccoli florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Honey Garlic Glaze

½ cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
¼ cup ketchup
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

For Serving

sesame seeds
sliced green onions

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine 2 pounds ground beef, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup grated Parmesan, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Mix gently until just combined.
Form into 1½ inch meatballs and place on one side of the sheet pan.
Toss 4 cups broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on the other side of the sheet pan.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the broccoli is tender with slightly crisp edges.
While the meatballs bake, combine ½ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup ketchup, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sriracha in a small saucepan over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Stir into the saucepan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened and glossy.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Pour the hot glaze directly over the meatballs and broccoli. Gently toss everything together right on the sheet pan until evenly coated. Return the pan to the oven and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the glaze sets and becomes shiny. Watch closely to prevent burning.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions before serving.

Notes

Choose the right beef: I highly recommend using 80/20 ground beef. Leaner blends like 90/10 often dry out in the high heat of the oven and you want that fat to keep the meatballs juicy while they roast.
Size matters: Aim for meatballs that are about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. If you make them too large the broccoli will overcook before the beef is safe to eat. If you make them too small they will be dry before the broccoli gets those nice roasted tips.
Sauce consistency: When you add the cornstarch slurry to your glaze be sure to let it simmer for at least two minutes. It needs that brief window of heat to activate the starch so the sauce becomes a thick glaze rather than a thin soup.
The parchment paper trick: Do not skip the parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Honey based glazes contain a lot of sugar and they will bake onto your metal pan like superglue if you do not have a protective layer.
Broil with caution: Every broiler is different. Some take five minutes to heat up and others will turn your dinner into a charcoal briquette in sixty seconds. Stand by the oven and watch the meatballs like a hawk during that final minute.

Nutrition