Crunchy, savory and slightly sweet, these lotus root pork meatballs are packed with flavors and perfect for your next dinner.
Pork meatballs are one of my favorite dishes. Not only because they are savory and delicious, but you can also make them ahead and reheat later. Because I love meal-prepping, ground pork meatballs are my go-to recipe.
And I love testing different ways to cook meatballs. With different ingredients, different cuts, or served with various sauces, the possibilities are endless.
Just like making dumpling filling, I always stick to a formula. You will need one kind of protein. In this case, it will be ground pork. And also, you will need something aromatic, like dried shiitake mushrooms or scallions. Lastly, something crunchy will add a different texture to the meatballs, making them more fun and tasty.
And the meatball recipe I am introducing today is no exception. It has a typical Chinese vegetable that is crunchy and sweet – the lotus root. It is perfect for stir-fries for the crunchiness. And adding it to the meatballs brings me surprises. A bite, and you will want more.
If you love ground pork recipes, don’t miss these lotus meatballs!
How to make lotus Root pork meatballs?
Ingredients (for 6 meatballs)
Meatballs
- 1 small lotus root (about 100 grams)
- 400 grams of ground pork
- 20 grams of fresh ginger
- 3 medium-sized shiitake mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons of cornflour
Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon of light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- A pinch of salt or to taste
- 2 grams of five-spice powder (optional)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/2 bunch of scallion, chopped finely
Notes:
- To make more or fewer meatballs, you can increase or reduce the ingredients by proportion.
- To make sure the meatballs stay in shape, make sure you don’t add too many vegetables to the mixture. It should weigh less than 1/4 that of the meat.
- Also, choose the cut of mostly lean pork with a small amount of fat, like tenderloin. The fatter the cut, the meatballs are more likely to break apart while cooking.
Step-by-step instructions
Making lotus root pork meatballs
Peel the lotus root skin off. Rinse the root a few times until there’s no mud on the surface inside the holes. Then dice the root finely.
Remove the skin of the ginger and grate it finely. Set aside for later.
Wash the shiitake mushrooms until the water is clear. Then chop them as well as scallions as finely as possible.
Note: If you use dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes until they are completely softened.
Pour ground pork into a big mixing bowl. Then add grated ginger, the diced lotus root, and mushroom. Use a spatula or chopsticks to mix evenly.
Add all the seasoning to the bowl and stir for about 3 minutes.
Finally, add the cornflour to the bowl. And stir until the mixture becomes sticky (almost gluey). This process will further combine the ingredients and help the meatballs stay in form.
So your meatballs are done. You can steam them, roast them in the oven or braise them in a sauce like I did.
Braising the meatballs
Add olive oil to the pan and heat it over medium heat. Add the meatballs in when the oil starts to bubble in the center of the pan. And sauté for 3 minutes.
Note: It’s better to use non-stick pans in this process.
Add 3/4 cups of water and one tablespoon of oyster sauce to the pan. Stir and mix the meatballs with the sauce.
Cover the lid and dim the heat to medium-low when the water starts to boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Open the lid and sprinkle the minced scallions on top.
Note: the cornflour in the meatballs will melt and thicken the sauce. But if it’s still watery, you can turn the heat back up to medium-high and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
Transfer the meatballs to a plate and serve with rice or noodles.
Can I Make these Lotus root pork meatballs for meal-prep?
Ground pork or beef meatballs are probably my favorite meal-prep recipes. They are easy to make in bulk and save a lot of headaches.
You can serve meatballs with steamed broccoli, white rice, or brown rice and a hard boil egg as a complete meal.
How to store meatballs in a fridge?
One principle in storing meatballs is always to cook them before freezing them. This is because cooked meatballs will be preserved better in the fridge.
You can make these lotus root pork meatballs in bulk. First, cook them to your liking (steaming is the most no-fuss way) and put them in sealed containers. Then you can store them in the freezer, and they will last for up to two weeks.
Chinese-style Braised Lotus Root Pork Meatballs
Crunchy, savory and slightly sweet, these lotus root pork meatballs are packed with flavors and perfect for your next dinner.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 small lotus root (about 100 grams)
- 400 grams of ground pork
- 20 grams of fresh ginger
- 3 medium-sized shiitake mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons of cornflour
Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon of light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- A pinch of salt or to taste
- 2 grams of five-spice powder (optional)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1/2 bunch of scallion, chopped finely
Instructions
Making meatballs
- Peel the lotus root skin off. Rinse the root a few times until there's no mud on the surface inside the holes. Then dice the root finely.
- Remove the skin of the ginger and grate it finely. Set aside for later.
- Wash the shiitake mushrooms until the water is clear. Then chop them as finely as possible.Pour ground pork into a big mixing bowl. Then add grated ginger, the diced lotus root, and mushroom. Use a spatula or chopsticks to mix evenly.
- Add all the seasoning to the bowl and stir for about 3 minutes.
- Finally, add the cornflour to the bowl. And stir until the mixture becomes sticky (almost gluey). This process will further combine the ingredients and help the meatballs stay in form.
- You can steam, roast or braise the meatballs as you like.
Braising meatballs
- Add olive oil to the pan and heat it over medium heat. Add the meatballs in when the oil starts to bubble in the center of the pan. And sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add 3/4 cups of water and one tablespoon of oyster sauce to the pan. Stir and mix the meatballs with the sauce.
- Cover the lid and dim the heat to medium-low when the water starts to boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Transfer the meatballs to a plate and serve with rice or noodles.
Notes
To make more or fewer meatballs, you can increase or reduce the ingredients by proportion.
Choose the cut of mostly lean pork with a small amount of fat, like tenderloin.
If you use dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes until they are completely softened.
Use non-stick pan to braise meatballs for better results.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 484Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 663mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 36g
Have you made these lotus root pork meatballs?
If you have, how does it go? Share your thoughts or questions in the comment!
If you love pork, check out these Asian ground pork recipes for more ideas!
