Teriyaki meatballs, or niku dango, are a Japanese-style meatball recipe that combines juicy ground meat with a glossy sweet savory glaze. The meatballs are usually made with ground chicken, pork, or beef mixed with onion, egg, panko, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper so the texture stays tender while the flavor becomes rich. After shaping, they can be pan fried, baked, or simmered until cooked through, then coated in a teriyaki sauce made with soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. As the sauce thickens, it clings to each meatball and creates a sticky shine with deep umami flavor. Sesame seeds, green onion, shichimi, or grated ginger can add extra aroma. The final niku dango is savory, slightly sweet, and easy to serve with steamed rice, salad, noodles, bento boxes, or Japanese home-style side dishes.
