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Lion’s Head Meatballs

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A classic Chinese dish featuring oversized pork meatballs braised in a savory broth, delivering tender meat and fragrant sauce in a comforting, easy-to-make recipe.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground pork (about 20% fat)
  • ½ cup water chestnuts, finely chopped
  • 2 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shao Xing wine (optional)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Salt to taste
  • White pepper to taste
  • Napa cabbage leaves (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  1. Finely chop water chestnuts, green onions, garlic, and grate the ginger (approx. 10 minutes).
  2. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, chopped water chestnuts, green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Shao Xing wine, egg, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly (5-7 minutes).
  3. Wet your hands with a little water and form the mixture into large balls about 2.5 inches (6 cm) in diameter (10 minutes).
  4. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side (10 minutes).
  5. Transfer browned meatballs to a large pot. Pour in chicken broth until meatballs are mostly submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise for 20-25 minutes.

Notes

Wet hands before shaping meatballs to prevent sticking. Do not overmix the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender. Keep heat low during braising to avoid breaking meatballs. If broth reduces too much, add water or more broth. For gluten-free, substitute soy sauce with tamari. Shao Xing wine can be replaced with dry sherry or omitted.

Nutrition

Keywords: Lion's Head Meatballs, Chinese meatballs, pork meatballs, braised meatballs, comfort food, easy Chinese recipe

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