Description

These sriracha beef meatballs are made with purple sweet potato, fresh ginger, turmeric, garlic, scallions, celery, and cilantro. Kimchi sriracha adds a savory, tangy heat, while the sweet potato keeps the meatballs soft and tender. This is also a practical way to stretch a smaller amount of ground beef into a generous batch. The vegetables and sweet potato are incorporated directly into the mixture, but the meatballs still feel satisfying and substantial. Serve them with cauliflower rice, broccoli slaw, roasted vegetables, or a crunchy cabbage salad for a complete meal.

Ingredients

0.65 pounds (295 grams) 100% grass-fed ground beef
8 ounces (227 grams) baked and mashed purple sweet potato
1 celery stalk
1 handful fresh cilantro
1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger, preferably grated
1 thumb-size piece fresh turmeric, preferably grated
2 garlic cloves, preferably grated
3 scallions
1 pasture-raised egg
3 tablespoons cassava flour
2 tablespoons Wildbrine Kimchi Sriracha Sauce (see notes for substitute)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Avocado oil, for greasing the pan
Toasted sesame oil, for greasing the pan
Sesame seeds, for baking

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a large sheet pan with avocado oil and a small amount of toasted sesame oil.
Add the baked purple sweet potato, celery, cilantro, ginger, turmeric, garlic, and scallions to a food processor. Process until well combined. Blend thoroughly for very soft meatballs, or pulse briefly if you prefer more texture.
Transfer the vegetable and sweet potato mixture to a large bowl. Add the ground beef, egg, cassava flour, kimchi sriracha sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly combined.
Shape the mixture into meatballs, using approximately 1 tablespoon for each one. Arrange them on the prepared sheet pan, leaving a little space between them.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
Serve hot or cold, with extra kimchi sriracha sauce if desired. Enjoy them as an appetizer or pair them with vegetables for a main meal.

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 26 small meatballs.

The baking time for the purple sweet potato is not included in the recipe preparation or cooking time. It can be baked and mashed in advance.

For a more textured meatball, grate the ginger, turmeric, and garlic, then pulse the remaining vegetables only until finely chopped.

The finely processed purple sweet potato and vegetables create especially soft, tender meatballs.

I originally made these meatballs with Wildbrine Kimchi Sriracha, a store-bought sauce that combines the tangy, fermented flavor of kimchi with the heat of sriracha. Since this particular sauce might not be available everywhere, you can create a similar flavor by combining a few tablespoons of finely chopped kimchi with a few drops of sriracha, adjusting the amount to your preferred level of heat.