Meatballs are the ultimate potluck offering, game-day appetizer, and just the most delish addition to any dinner rotation.  Especially these Healthy Teriyaki Meatballs.

Super juicy and tender, and covered in an irresistible sauce, they’ll have you wanting to lick the plate when you’re finished.

These meatballs quickly became a staple in our house as soon as I made them, so I of course had to give them a spot on the blog and in my cookbook, Rachael’s Good Eats.

TERIYAKI MEATBALL MEMORIES

These Healthy Teriyaki Meatballs have a special place in my heart because back in high school, we’d always get teriyaki at lunch time. It was the highlight of my day!

But as we all know, we’re all about putting that healthier, better-for-you spin on all the classics here at RGE.

It’s basically my life’s mission to make anything I can more nutrient-dense, with better ingredients. It’s always a fun and rewarding challenge, and makes my dietitian heart so happy.

And these meatballs are a product of exactly that. Every time I make them for Bridger and I, it just really takes me back to those high school feels and puts a smile on my face.

INSANELY DELISH HEALTHY TERIYAKI MEATBALLS

I’m positive you’ll love these Healthy Teriyaki Meatballs just as much as we do.

Not to mention you’ll feel good about serving them to your family and friends knowing they’re high in protein, and also gluten-free, refined sugar-free and soy-free (so long as you opt for coconut aminos and a no-soy teriyaki sauce).

But I promise they do not lack in taste at all. They’re incredibly delicious!

With a little bit of pineapple juice mixed in with the teriyaki sauce, it’s the perfect amount of sweetness and just tastes insane over those super juicy, super tender meatballs that are actually so easy to make.

I make these meatballs with ground organic chicken, but you could also sub for ground turkey or beef.

Combined with almond flour, eggs, scallions, coconut aminos, red onion, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder… well, I think you get how flavorful they are by now. And if you’re new to meatball-making, I’ve got some helpful tips & tricks below.

It’s only a matter of time before you’re making these flavorful, protein-packed cutie little meatballs on repeat. But don’t worry if there are miraculously any leftovers – they store and reheat well, which is always a win in the kitchen. Let me know what you think below. Hope you love ‘em!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

For the Meatballs:

• Organic ground chicken (or substitute ground turkey or beef)
• Almond flour
• Pasture-raised eggs
• Scallions (white and light green parts)
• Coconut aminos
• Red onion
• Rice vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Toasted sesame oil
• Ground ginger
• Garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:

• Arrowroot starch
• Teriyaki sauce (I like Primal Kitchen No Soy Teriyaki Sauce and Marinade)
• Unsweetened pineapple juice
• Scallions (white and light green parts)
• Sesame seeds

HOW TO MAKE MY HEALTHY TERIYAKI MEATBALLS

Make the Meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, almond flour, eggs, scallions, coconut aminos, red onion, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder. Season generously with salt and pepper, combining them thoroughly into the mixture.

With clean, wet hands, roll the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch balls, and arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet evenly spaced. The mixture should make about 20 meatballs. Be gentle when rolling, and wet your hands as needed to prevent sticking.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball reads 140 F.

Make the Sauce:

In a small bowl, whisk the arrowroot starch with 2 tablespoons of warm water until the starch dissolves and is smooth. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, stir together the teriyaki sauce and pineapple juice. Add the arrowroot mixture and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes or until it looks silky.

Add the hot meatballs to the sauce, and toss gently to coat. Top with the sliced scallions and sesame seeds and serve. Enjoy!

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS

Instead of ground chicken, option to use ground turkey or beef instead. If no gluten intolerances or allergies, you could use breadcrumbs instead of almond flour, and regular flour instead of the arrowroot starch for the slurry you’ll make in your sauce mixture.

I prefer to use coconut aminos for the meatball mixture and Primal Kitchen No Soy Teriyaki Sauce and Marinade in the sauce mixture, but if you prefer to use soy-based options for both ingredients, feel free!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH TERIYAKI MEATBALLS?

You’ve definitely got options of what to serve with these delish Healthy Teriyaki Meatballs. I love pairing them with my Crispy Buttery Broccolini and rice. Any rice works – jasmine rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice – whatever you prefer! But you could also serve with quinoa, noodles or your favorite spiralized veggie noodle, roasted carrots, or just a big green salad.

ANY TRICKS TO MAKING MEATBALLS?

When prepping meatballs, the trick is to continue to wet your hands each time you form a ball to prevent the meat from sticking to your hands. Be gentle though, they may fall apart easily depending on which meat you choose. And make sure the meatballs are generally all the same size, so they cook evenly. Also, depending on the size of your baking sheet, you may need to use two sheet pans, or cook two separate batches.

SHOP WHAT I USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

HERE ARE MORE DELISH, BETTER-FOR-YOU SIDES YOU’LL LOVE:

Gameday Garlic Fries

Creamy Buttery Mashed Potatoes

Healthy Fried Zucchini Blossoms  

BBQ & Goat Cheddar Chicken Taquitos

Mom’s Famous Potato Salad (Mayo-Free!)

Click here to watch the reel I made of this recipe 🙂