Stir-Fry Vegetables with Teriyaki Meatballs
Two pans, fifteen minutes, one plate. Frozen asparagus and green beans hit a hot wok alongside mushrooms and red onion while small beef meatballs brown in a separate pan. The move that pulls it together: garlic, teriyaki sauce, and a teaspoon of honey stirred through in the last two minutes, coating every meatball in a sticky glaze.
395 kcal with 23g of protein and 7g of fiber. A weeknight stir-fry where the two-pan timing means everything hits the plate at the same moment.
Ingredients
- green beans (frozen) 3 ounces
- asparagus (frozen) 4 ounces
- mushrooms 3 ounces
- red onion 0.25
- garlic 1 clove
- 96% lean ground beef 3 ounces
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- teriyaki sauce 1 tablespoon
- honey 1 teaspoon
Method
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Wash the green beans and remove the tips. Halve the asparagus. Clean the mushrooms and quarter them. Slice the onion into half rings and finely chop the garlic clove.
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In a bowl, break apart the ground beef with a fork and season with some salt and pepper. Knead the ground beef and form small meatballs with your hands.
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Heat half of the oil in a wok. Add the asparagus along with the green beans and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the onion and mushrooms and sauté for another 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan. Brown the meatballs all around. Reduce the heat and cook for about 6 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, add the garlic clove, fry it a bit, then add the teriyaki sauce and honey and stir well to coat the meatballs.
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Serve the stir-fry vegetables on a (deep) plate and top with the meatballs in sauce.
Keep the meatballs small, roughly walnut-sized. Smaller balls cook through in the 6-minute window without drying out, and they catch more teriyaki glaze per bite because there is more surface area relative to the meat.
Behind this recipe
Can I use fresh green beans and asparagus instead of frozen?
Fresh works fine — just trim the asparagus ends and cut the green beans to similar lengths. Fresh vegetables have less moisture than frozen, so you might need an extra minute in the wok. Frozen is listed because it shaves off prep time and works well in a hot wok where the ice crystals steam off quickly.
What can I use instead of teriyaki sauce?
A quick mix of soy sauce, a splash of rice vinegar, and the honey already in the recipe gets close. Store-bought hoisin thinned with a little water works too. The glaze needs something salty, something sweet, and enough liquid to coat the meatballs — teriyaki just happens to combine all three.
Can I make the meatballs ahead of time?
Yes — form them, lay them on a plate, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Cold meatballs actually hold their shape better when they first hit the hot pan. Don't pre-cook them though — the browning step is what gives the teriyaki glaze something to stick to.
