Eat-Your-Veggies Pork Scallion Meatballs

  • Level: Easy
  • Yield: 18 meatballs (6 lettuce cups)
  • Total: 45 min
  • Active: 30 min
These veggie-packed meatball lettuce cups are like pork dumplings without the, well, dumpling. Perfect for kids (and adults) who aren't veggie lovers, they're full of flavor. Ponzu sauce makes a bright, citrusy dip.
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Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray, for coating the baking sheet

4 cups store-bought coleslaw mix 

1 pound ground pork 

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (from a 1-inch piece)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large egg

4 scallions, chopped 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 large Bibb lettuce leaves (from 1 head)

Garlic chili sauce, such as Sriracha, for serving 

1 cup ponzu sauce

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and coat with cooking spray.
  2. Add the coleslaw to a large microwave-safe bowl. Pour in 1/4 cup water, cover and cook on high until tender and translucent, about 7 minutes. Let cool slightly. 
  3. Add the pork, ginger, vinegar, soy, garlic, egg, all but 1 tablespoon of the scallions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the coleslaw mix. Mix with your hands until just combined. Scoop mounds of the meat mixture (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheet. With damp hands, roll the mounds into balls and space them evenly apart on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes.
  4. Put 3 meatballs on each lettuce leaf, sprinkle with the reserved scallions and drizzle with garlic chili sauce. To eat, fold each leaf like a taco and dip into the ponzu sauce.

Let's Get Cooking!

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Anonymous

Great recipe if you’re gluten free (use tamari instead of soy sauce)! It’s like eating potstickers without the wrapper. Made a ponzu substitute since it’s not available where I live (and most likely not GF - I have Celiac Disease so no gluten for me). It was packed full of flavor! Definitely on my make again list!

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