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Photograph of Teriyaki Beef Meatballs Donburi with Avocado, Tomatoes and Radish

Teriyaki Beef Meatballs Donburi with Avocado, Tomatoes and Radish

Melt in the mouth Teriyaki Beef Meatballs slathered in a delicious sticky, sweet, salty, shiny sauce and served with Japanese sticky rice, smooth and creamy avocado, crispy radish and sweet tomatoes. Delicious in its own right but comfort food heaven for meatball lovers - which is probably most us!

Course Dinner, Lunch, Supper
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword beef, donburi, meatballs, rice, Teriyaki
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Susan

Ingredients

Meatballs:

  • 75g grated or finely chopped shallot
  • 50g panko bread crumbs
  • 16g/4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 20g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tablepsoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • ½ teaspoon shichimi togarashi, plus extra to serve (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 500g lean minced beef

To cook:

  • 1 tablespoon ground nut or vegetable oil

Teriyaki Sauce:

  • 8 tablespoons/ ½ cup salt reduced soy sauce (I use Kikkoman)
  • 8 tablespoons/ ½ cup mirin
  • 8 tablespoons/ ½ cup cooking sake 
  • 8 tablespoons/ ½ cup water
  • 2 teaspoons sugar

Garnish:

  • Sesame seeds 
  • Sliced spring onion

To serve:

  • Cooked Japanese sticky rice
  • Sliced avocado
  • Sliced radish
  • Halved red cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to Fan Oven 180°C/200°C/400°F/Gas 6 (if oven cooking)

  2. Make the meatballs: collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  3. Grate the onion and mix with the breadcrumbs. Stir well and leave to sit for 5 minutes whilst you get the remaining ingredients together.

  4. Add all the remaining meatball ingredients, plus any additions, to the onion and bread in a large bowl and mix well with your hands until all ingredients are combined.

  5. Take from 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture, roll into a ball. Repeat until you have used up all of the mixture. (I do this with wet hands as it helps to stop you sticking to the meatballs!)

  6. Tip onto a tray with a little oil, shake to cover and cook in a pre-heated oven for 12 minutes.

  7. Make the Teriyaki Sauce: put the soy sauce, mirin, cooking sake and water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half and slightly syrupy in consistency. 

  8. Add the sugar and stir to mix and dissolve.

  9. Donburi Bowl: wash the rice thoroughly and cook according to packet instructions

  10. Prepare the vegetables and garnish ingredients

  11. Heat a frying pan over a moderate heat and add the meatballs. (If you have cooked the meatballs in advance and they have cooled down, cook for a few minutes to heat up properly before adding the sauce.)

  12. Add all the teriyaki sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer, spooning the sauce over the meatballs as it heats and reduces a little and forms a sticky, shiny sauce. It will only take a couple of minutes.

  13. When everything is cooked, make up your Donburi bowls. Add the ingredients in the following order:

    ·      Rice

    ·      Meatballs

    ·      Teriyaki sauce

    ·      Avocado

    ·      Tomatoes

    ·      Radish

  14. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and sliced spring onion.

Recipe Notes

Equipment

  • medium sized saucepan
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • kitchen scales 
  • mixing bowl and ice cream scoop
  • wooden skewer
  • saucepan/rice cooker
  • frying pan
  • chopping board and knife

Rice

If you do not have any Japanese rice, this dish works well with Jasmine rice or long grain rice. I also like it with brown rice, particularly if you can get hold of Japanese brown rice.