Easy Firecracker Meatball Recipe with Rice and Green Beans
These juicy meatballs are tossed in a spicy-sweet firecracker sauce and served over fluffy rice and green beans. A bold, comforting Hello Fresh copycat made with just 7 ingredients and one pan — ready in under 30 minutes.
Equipment
- 1 Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- 1 Large bowl for mixing meatballs
- 1 Small saucepan for firecracker sauce
- 1 Spatula or tongs to flip meatballs
- Air fryer (optional) for alternate crispier method
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey or substitute ground beef
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 egg
- tsp soy sauce
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 pinch chili flakes or red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 tbsp minced scallion whites optional – for aroma boost
For the Firecracker Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp honey optional – for balance
- 1 dash rice vinegar optional – adds brightness to the sauce
- sesame seeds garnish only, optional
For the Bowl (Rice, Green Beans & Garnish)
- cooked rice jasmine or basmati preferred
- green beans fresh or frozen
- extra firecracker sauce optional – for drizzling or dipping
- sesame seeds optional – for garnish
- chopped scallions optional – thinly sliced for topping
- 1 wedge lime optional – adds brightness
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Optionally preheat the baking sheet for crispier meatballs.
- In a large bowl, mix ground turkey, panko, ginger, egg, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Fold gently to combine.
- Form the mixture into small meatballs and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through. (Air fryer: 375°F for 12 minutes.)
- While meatballs bake, whisk together mayo, soy sauce, sriracha, chili flakes, and optional honey or vinegar in a small pan. Heat gently until smooth.
- Toss the baked meatballs in the warm sauce or drizzle it over when serving. Save some extra sauce for dipping if desired.
- To assemble the bowl, layer cooked rice and green beans, add meatballs, drizzle sauce, and garnish with sesame seeds, scallions, or lime.