These Pork Meatballs in Spicy Pineapple Gochujang Sauce are juicy, tender and coated in the most delicious sauce. The combination of sweet pineapple juice, savoury pork and spicy gochujang gives you the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, smoky and spicy flavours.
This is a great recipe for when you want something a little different but still easy to make. The sauce perfectly coats the flavoursome pork meatballs for a bold, flavour packed dish.
Calories in Pork Meatballs in Gochujang Pineapple Sauce
This recipe serves 4 and is 355 calories per serving.
If you're looking for more recipes by calories, you'll find plenty of options grouped by calorie range here: Slimming Eats Low Calorie Recipes
If you're following a calorie-controlled diet or a healthy eating plan, it's important to calculate your daily calorie needs using a reliable calorie calculator. The calorie counts provided are estimates and can vary depending on the exact ingredients and portion sizes you use. Using your own calculations helps ensure you're meeting your individual needs. A calorie calculator can help you make informed choices and stay on track with your goals.
See the recipe card for full nutritional estimation.
Ingredients Notes
To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients:
- Ground pork: Extra lean ground pork keeps the meatballs lighter while still staying juicy and tender.
- Breadcrumbs: These help bind the meatballs together and keep them soft and tender.
- Egg: Helps hold the meatball mixture together and prevents the meatballs from falling apart as they cook.
- Spring onions (green onions): The white parts are mixed into the meatballs for flavour, while the green parts are reserved for garnish.
- Seasonings: A combination of paprika, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper adds plenty of flavour to the meatballs and complements the sweet and spicy sauce perfectly.
- Cornstarch: Used on the meatballs to help them develop a light coating and also in the sauce to help it thicken.
- Pineapple juice: Fresh pineapple juice adds natural sweetness and a bright fruity flavour that balances the spice of the gochujang.
- Passata: Adds richness and body to the sauce while helping create that glossy, sticky finish.
- Low Sodium Chicken Stock : Helps thin the sauce to the right consistency and adds more flavour.
- Light soy sauce: Adds savoury depth and umami. Use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari if needed.
- Gochujang: A Korean fermented chilli paste that brings sweet, savoury and spicy flavours to the sauce.
- Honey: Balances the savoury and spicy elements with a touch of sweetness.
- Rice wine vinegar: Adds acidity and helps balance the richness of the sauce.
- Garlic and fresh ginger: These add freshness and extra flavour that works perfectly with the pineapple and gochujang.
- Toasted sesame oil: Adds a delicious nutty flavour and gives the sauce extra depth.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Used as a garnish for a little crunch and extra sesame flavour.
Once you've gathered all the ingredients and prepared them accordingly, you're all set to create this easy and delightful recipe.
See the recipe card for specific quantities and instructions.
Variations and Substitutes
This recipe is easy to customise depending on what you have on hand or how spicy you like your food.
- Use a different ground meat: Ground chicken, turkey or beef all work well in place of the pork. Ground chicken and turkey will give a lighter result, while beef adds a richer flavour.
- Add vegetables to the sauce: Onion, Diced bell peppers, onions, carrots, zucchini or mushrooms can be sautéed before adding the sauce ingredients. This is a great way to add extra vegetables to the meal.
- Add pineapple chunks: For even more pineapple flavour, stir in some fresh or canned pineapple chunks when you add the meatballs back to the sauce.
- Adjust the spice level: For a milder sauce, reduce the amount of gochujang. If you like extra heat, add more gochujang or a pinch of red chilli flakes.
- Swap the sweetener: Maple syrup or brown sugar can be used instead of honey if preferred.
- Add extra aromatics: A little finely grated onion or extra fresh ginger can be mixed into the meatballs for even more flavour.
- Try a different garnish: Chopped cilantro, sliced red chillies all work well alongside the sesame seeds and spring onions.
- Adjust the sauce consistency: If you add extra vegetables or pineapple, you may find the sauce becomes thinner as they release moisture. Let it simmer a little longer, add a little extra cornstarch slurry if needed, or thin it out with a splash of water if it becomes too thick.
Side Suggestions
These Pork Meatballs in Spicy Pineapple Gochujang Sauce pair perfectly with sticky white rice, which soak up all that delicious sweet and spicy sauce. Noodles are another great option, whether you choose rice noodles, udon noodles or your favourite stir-fried noodles.
For vegetables, my favourite is some seasoned sautéed beansprouts or you can try serving them with steamed broccoli, green beans, bok choy, sugar snap peas or a simple Asian-inspired slaw. Stir-fried vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots and zucchini also work really well and make the meal feel even more substantial.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating
Storing: Allow the meatballs and sauce to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The flavours often develop even more as they sit, making leftovers just as delicious.
Freezing: These meatballs freeze well. Once cooled, transfer the meatballs and sauce to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over a medium-low heat until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce is bubbling. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, stirring the sauce halfway through cooking.
Adjusting the consistency: The sauce may thicken slightly after storing or freezing. If needed, add a splash of water, stock or extra pineapple jice while reheating and stir until it reaches your preferred consistency.
More Meatballs Recipes
Looking for some more meatball recipes to try? Check out these:
See more Meatball Recipes →
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Recipe Card
Pork Meatballs in Gochujang Pineapple Sauce
These Pork Meatballs in Spicy Gochujang Pineapple Sauce are juicy, sweet, sticky and spicy, with a delicious balance of savoury pork, tangy pineapple and bold Korean inspired flavours.
Ingredients
- 455g (1lb) of extra lean ground pork
- 30g (1oz) of dried breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon of coarse salt
- 4 greens onions (white part only), chopped
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- ½ teaspoon of ginger
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of onion powder
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
For the spicy pineapple gochujang sauce:
- 180ml (¾ cup) of fresh pineapple juice
- 180g (¾ cup) of passata
- 120ml (½ cup) of low sodium chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of gochujang
- 2 tablespoon of honey
- 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
Instructions
- Add the ground pork, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, white parts of the spring onions, paprika, ginger, garlic powder and onion powder to a bowl. Mix until combined, then form into 20 meatballs.
- Sprinkle the meatballs with ½ tablespoon of cornstarch, roll them over, then sprinkle with the remaining ½ tablespoon so they are lightly dusted all over.
- Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and spray with olive oil spray. Add the meatballs and cook until golden all over, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl, then add the sauce to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly so the sauce is still bubbling. Once it starts to thicken, add the meatballs back into the pan and continue to simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
- Garnish with the reserved green parts of the spring onions and sesame seeds, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:
- Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
- WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.
- ❄️ Freezer Friendly - - see freezing and reheating section.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1 SERVINGAmount Per Serving Calories 355Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 3gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 114mgSodium 1314mgCarbohydrates 35gFiber 2gSugar 19gProtein 30g
Nutritional information and values etc are an estimate and is to be used for informational purposes only. Ingredients can vary greatly from brand to brand and therefore it would be impossible to give accurate information. It is always advised that you calculate by the ingredients you use.
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