Are these sweet garlic meatballs gluten free?

It depends on the meatballs used. If the meatballs and soy sauce are gluten free then this dish is gluten free. To be sure, confirm the actual brands you're using are gluten free.

What size should the meatballs be?

We like a 1-inch cocktail meatball made with a 2-3 teaspoon sized cookie scoop. Make them bigger or smaller depending on your event and how you are serving them.

How many meatballs do I make per person?

Tough question! It depends on what else you are serving, what type of party it is, how you serve them (with a spoon or picks) , and the time of your event. In general, people LOVE these meatballs and eat a lot. If this is a super bowl party with lots of snack-y food, people will graze on them for hours - serve in a slow cooker or chafer to keep them warm - and plan 2-3 per person per hour. If this is a Christmas party with lots of hearty foods, people will probably eat 4-5. At the catering company we would always double or even triple the amount we thought we'd need because they were so good . We always recommend making more than you think you need, they will be eaten and are great the next day!

Sweet Garlic Meatballs - Appetizer Bliss

Name: Sweet Garlic Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 24 small meatballs, uncooked (try our favorite Meal Prep Turkey Meatballs); 3 Tablespoons honey; 2 teaspoons garlic, minced (about 3 large cloves); 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1 Tablespoon mirin; 3 Tablespoons (42 grams) brown sugar

Description

These sweet garlic meatballs, with their irresistible sweet and savory flavors, are sure to become a new favorite in your recipe collection! Ready in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients

Scale

24 small meatballs, uncooked (try our favorite Meal Prep Turkey Meatballs)
3 Tablespoons honey

SAUCE

2 teaspoons garlic, minced (about 3 large cloves)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon mirin
3 Tablespoons (42 grams) brown sugar

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

MEATBALLS

Spread uncooked meatballs in a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and toss the meatballs with the honey until well coated.
Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes until the honey is starting to caramelize a little and the meatballs are cooked through.

SAUCE

While meatballs are caramelizing in the oven, combine garlic, soy sauce, mirin, and brown sugar in a medium-sized skillet and heat over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes at a low simmer.
Remove the baking dish from the oven, pour the sauce over the caramelized meatballs, and stir until completely coated.
Serve.

Notes

Meatballs. We keep these turkey meatballs from our friends at Life As A Strawberry in our freezer to save time. Use your favorite homemade or pre-made, fresh or frozen meatball for this recipe. If frozen, thaw before using. For a cocktail meatball, use a 2-3 teaspoon scoop to form small, 1-inch meatballs. If serving as an entrée with rice or noodles, make them larger (and double the sauce).

Serving. We recommend serving as appetizers in a dish to keep them warm. A chaffer, warming dish, or heat safe dish on a hot plate will all work. We like adding a few toothpicks to the meatballs in the chaffer so people understand how to serve them. Place additional toothpicks in a small container, like a shot glass, next to the meatballs. NOTE: THESE ARE GOOD! When we have served these with a spoon people consistently eat 2-3 times more than when we serve them with toothpicks. Plan accordingly!

Substitutions. Use brown sugar instead of honey in the sauce. If you don't have mirin, use a dry sherry, sake, rice vinegar, or a dry white wine.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 meatballs
Calories: 93
Sugar: 7.6 g
Sodium: 309.7 mg
Fat: 2.9 g
Carbohydrates: 8.7 g
Protein: 8.3 g
Cholesterol: 26.1 mg