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    Home » Beef

    Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)

    Published 12/15/2019. Updated 12/16/2019

    Jump to Recipe

    These Korean-style meatballs are glazed in a sweet and savory sauce. They are tender, moist and packed with lots of flavors! Great as cocktail meatballs for your holiday parities!

    DSC7350 e1576472184436 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)

    Every country has some sorts of meatballs. In Korea, meatballs are called gogi wanja (고기완자) and used in soups or hotpots, egg-battered and pan-fried (wanjajeon, 완자전), or braised in a sauce (wanja jorim, 완자조림). For this wanja jorim, the meatballs are first pan-fried and then finished in a deliciously sweet and savory sauce.

    These Korean-style meatballs are tender, moist and packed with lots of flavors! They are child-friendly, great as cocktail meatballs for your holiday parties, or simply as a side or a main dish for any meal. In Korea, the meatballs are highly popular as a lunch box item.

    DSC7334 e1576472595743 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)

    Traditionally, meatballs were an essential ingredient in Korean Royal Court dishes such as Sinsello, an elaborate Royal Court hotpot. 

    How to make Korean meatballs

    For the meat, I like to use equal parts of beef and pork. Of course, you can use all beef or all pork depending on your preference or change up the ratio around to your preference. Pork will give the meatballs a softer texture, which Koreans tend to look for in their meatballs.

    DSC7392 2 e1576472860953 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)

    For other additions, Korean meatballs also include tofu, carrots, mushrooms, onions and/or scallions. I used mushrooms, onions and scallions in this recipe. These vegetables add a lot to the flavor and texture of the meatballs. Whatever you use, take extra time to finely chop the ingredients for a smooth meatball texture. Then, your children will never know there are mushrooms and onions in the meatballs.

    For a tender and moist texture, mix the meat with other ingredients by your hand. Using all your five fingers, move it around the bowl in quick circles until the mixture is well blended together.

    To cook the meatballs. I pan fried mine here, but you can bake them if you want or even air fry.

    Lastly, the sauce I used here is a soy based sweet and savory sauce (jorim jang, 조림장) commonly used in Korean cooking. You can add a little bit of gochujang for a little spicy kick if you want.

    The meatballs can be prepared ahead of time and pan-fried and braised on the day of serving. These will freeze well too.

    DSC7399 e1576472895238 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC7334 e1576472595743 300x300 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)

    Glazed Korean Meatballs

    4.57 from 30 votes
    Appetizer, Main
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 3
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    For the meatballs:

    • 1/2 pound ground beef
    • 1/2 pound ground pork
    • 4 to 5 fresh shiitake or any mushroom caps, finely chopped
    • 1/4 medium onion finely chopped
    • 2 scallions finely chopped
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
    • salt about 1/4 teaspoon and pepper to taste
    • 1/2 cup cornstarch or flour for dredging

    For the sauce

    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce You can replace with 1 TB gochujang for a little spicy kick
    • 3 tablespoons rice wine or mirin
    • 3 tablespoons water
    • 2 tablespoons corn syrup oligodang
    • 2 plump garlic cloves thinly sliced
    • 1 inch piece ginger thinly sliced

    Optional garnish:

    • chopped peanuts or pine nuts
    • chopped scallion

    Instructions

    • Finely chop the mushrooms, onion, and scallions. Combine all the meatball ingredients well by hand until evenly blended.
      meatballs recipe 4 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)
    • Shape the mixture into about 1 1/4-inch balls. Dredge the meatballs in the cornstarch or flour to lightly coat.
      meatballs recipe 5 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)
    • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add half of the meatballs to the pan. Turning as necessary, fry until all sides are golden brown but not cooked through, about 5 minutes. The meatballs will finish cooking in the sauce. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
      meatballs recipe 6 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)
    • Add all the sauce ingredients to another pan. Boil over medium heat until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 – 4 minutes.
      meatballs recipe 7 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)
    • Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until the sauce becomes a thick glaze, turning to coat evenly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the optional garnish. Serve warm with your choice of vegetables.
      meatballs recipe 8 - Glazed Korean Meatballs (Wanja Jorim)
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sue says

      July 04, 2024 at 11:08 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! I made this for the 4th. These were incredible! Super moist and flavorful. I gave up hand cutting and threw the veg into a food processor. Worked out great!
      Half way through, I ran out of cornstarch and dredged the rest with flour. I couldn’t tell the difference.

      I’m going to make this my go to dish to bring to gatherings. So delicious and easy! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Matt says

      January 15, 2024 at 4:55 pm

      4 stars
      I noticed that the recipe does not call for breadcrumbs or any other binder for the meatballs. Is that normal? I would think that the meatballs would be loose and difficult to make hold their shape.

      Reply
      • Jaye says

        March 01, 2024 at 6:07 pm

        I’d think that between the fat from the meat and the egg, it’ll stick together just fine. If you have problems with them kind of falling apart in the pan from handling/while turning, make sure veggies are finely diced and try baking instead of pan frying so you don’t have to mess with them a bunch while they’re cooking. I have always baked my meatballs because I could never get them browned evenly in a skillet and found that it’s best to use a glass pan and turn after cooking halfway. You can use a metal pan but because of the way it conducts heat, you may get an extra brown/crusty spot on the part touching the pan. This goes for anything you want browned evenly in the oven (sausage balls, for instance- glass pan, turn halfway).

        Reply
    3. Caroline says

      February 09, 2022 at 10:54 pm

      5 stars
      Had this for dinner! Super yummy!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        February 10, 2022 at 10:23 am

        Awesome!! Glad you liked it. Thanks!

        Reply
    4. aliana says

      May 07, 2021 at 2:12 pm

      5 stars
      Recipe is fabulous!! I’m so glad I found you.
      Instead of adding gochujang in the meatball mixture, I added it in the glaze sauce. It was amazing. Thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        May 28, 2024 at 9:27 pm

        5 stars
        I made this recipe for dinner with some rice and it was a huge hit! My 2 year old loves it!

        Reply
        • Hyosun says

          May 28, 2024 at 9:52 pm

          Oh so happy to hear that! Thank you for trying it out and letting me know!

          Reply
    5. Stephen Fryer says

      January 21, 2021 at 3:16 pm

      5 stars
      Have just made this recipe using 50/50 pork and turkey mince. We also put 2 heaped teaspoons of gochujang paste into the sauce and it was fabulous! Served with plain boiled rice and stir-fried veg (ginger, garlic, onion, broccoli, carrot, pak choi and beansprouts) cooked with kikomen soy sauce and rice win vinegar.

      Reply
    6. Molly L says

      December 16, 2020 at 9:04 pm

      5 stars
      I have just prepared these for a work Christmas party and they look gourmet and smell and taste unbelievable! I not an adventurous cook so I’m very proud of these. Thank you

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        December 16, 2020 at 9:07 pm

        Awesome! I’m proud of you too.

        Reply
    7. S Matsui says

      February 25, 2020 at 7:08 pm

      These are fantastic! I will definitely be making them again.

      Reply
    8. Benjamin F Linduff says

      January 02, 2020 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      very good.

      Reply
    9. Jenny says

      May 25, 2019 at 9:19 pm

      Could these be made ahead of time, then warmed up in a slow cooker for a potluck?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        May 27, 2019 at 12:21 am

        Oh yes definitely! Enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Germaine says

      October 05, 2015 at 7:31 pm

      Wondering instead of frying the meatballs can they be baked in the oven And if I can can cornstarch be omitted – thank you

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        October 05, 2015 at 7:52 pm

        You can baked them in the oven about 20 min. at 400°F. Yes, you can omit cornstarch. Enjoy!

        Reply
    11. Maria says

      August 04, 2015 at 12:44 pm

      I’ve been making this meatballs since last year and truly enjoy it. This past couple of weeks though i was too lazy to roll them into meatballs so I made the whole mix into a meatloaf (I used the Dakgangjeong (Sweet Crispy Chicken) for glaze) and OMG…it was sooo delicious! The prep time (with the help of my Ninja) was cut down to just 20 minutes. The meatloaf smelled sooo good too as it was cooking in the oven.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 05, 2015 at 11:55 pm

        Meatloaf with the dakgangjeong saue? What a nice idea! I should try it one day. Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    12. Julia says

      June 03, 2015 at 1:30 pm

      My husband loooooved these when i first made them… today, i’m going to make them again!!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        June 03, 2015 at 8:33 pm

        Great! Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy!

        Reply
    13. Autumn | It's Autumn's Life says

      April 18, 2015 at 11:49 am

      Yum! This looks so good and I love jorim jang. 😀 I’ve never eaten this in Korea which is a shame because it looks so delicious. Now I can make it at home!

      Reply
    14. Joedy says

      January 08, 2015 at 10:26 am

      This is the second recipe I have made from your website and it was another hit! The flavors were so wonderful, especially with the addition on the chooped nuts as a garnish. We also added chopped scallions on top at the end for color and it was beautiful and delicious. We make and eat italian style meatballs very often, but now I feel like this dish is going to take over as our favorite way to use ground beef and pork to surprise and please our dinner guests. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
    15. Kara says

      June 07, 2014 at 4:44 pm

      Hi Hyosun! These meatballs have the most incredible flavor. I will make a batch and store them in the freezer. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        June 07, 2014 at 8:43 pm

        Hi Kara – You’re welcome! Thanks for using my recipe. Enjoy!

        Reply
    16. Livia Ellis says

      April 21, 2014 at 3:21 pm

      My son just ate about twenty meatballs. He’s laying on the couch moaning ‘so good so good’. I think he just might like them. Thank you for this keeper!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        April 21, 2014 at 6:41 pm

        Wow! So happy to hear your son enjoyed them. Thanks for letting me know.

        Reply
    17. Maria Lourdes says

      March 05, 2014 at 2:19 am

      Thank you for this recipe. I keep making them because both my son and I love them so much. Tomorrow I am making your beef with korean radish soup.

      Reply
    18. Anonymous says

      February 03, 2014 at 10:24 am

      Can i replace corn syrup for honey?

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        February 03, 2014 at 6:06 pm

        Yes definitely! Enjoy!

        Reply
    19. caroline k says

      September 14, 2013 at 3:36 am

      this recipe reminded me of my grandmother’s cooking – it’s just like she used to make me except she made hers in hamburger patty shape and i made mine meatballs like yours! my kids LOVED it and there was not a meatball left and i enjoyed remembering a beloved dish from my past. thank you!!!!!!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        September 14, 2013 at 12:43 pm

        That’s so good to hear this recipe is similar to your grandmother’s. Grandmothers are the best! Your kids will have fond memories of eating your meatballs when they grow up. So the tradition continues… Thanks for sharing your story, and happy cooking!

        Reply
    20. Anonymous says

      August 12, 2013 at 12:16 am

      I made this for dinner tonite and it was a succes. Thanks very much for this wonderful recipe. It came out very well and tasty. So easy to make too.

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        August 12, 2013 at 4:49 pm

        That’s wonderful to hear!! Thanks for taking the time to give me a feedback. It means a lot to me.

        Reply
    21. Anonymous says

      August 11, 2013 at 5:18 pm

      This looks really delicious. I am actually going to attempt making it for dinner. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        August 12, 2013 at 4:44 pm

        These meatballs are delicious! Hope you enjoy as much as we do. Thanks!

        Reply
    22. Anonymous says

      February 21, 2013 at 8:44 pm

      Is there anything you would recommend as a substitute for the egg. Only I would REALLY like to make these!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        February 23, 2013 at 4:09 pm

        You can use a little bit of squeezed tofu (2 – 3 tablespoons) or simply omit it. Thanks for trying out my recipe!

        Reply
    23. Maho says

      January 03, 2013 at 2:25 am

      Hello again,
      I appreciate your prompt response. And thank you for addressing my concern.
      The get together is this Sunday, so I’ll probably make the meatballs the day before and cook them the next morning.
      I love korean food since lot of flavor profile overlaps with Japanese dishes. And I like how Korean dishes incorporate a lot of veggies.
      I look forward to trying many of your other recipes! Thanks once again.

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        January 03, 2013 at 2:43 am

        Sounds good! Hope it turns out well for you and your party. Cheers!

        Reply
    24. Maho says

      January 02, 2013 at 7:08 pm

      Hi, I love your blog. Thank you for all these wonderful recipes. I can see how much attention you pay to the details. 🙂
      I was thinking of making these meat balls for a pot luck party. Would it still taste good at room temperature? And if I made a day in advance, would the texture get tough?

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        January 03, 2013 at 1:57 am

        Hi Maho – Thank you so much for your kind words. The meatballs will be fine at room temperature. But, if you cook a day in advance, I think they will get tough. Can you just make the meatballs a day in advance and freeze them without cooking? See my mandu recipe for freezing tips. That way, you can simply leave them out to defrost and cook before taking them to a party. Not sure if this is feasible for you, but hope it helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

        Reply
    25. katherine Martinelli says

      December 02, 2012 at 1:12 pm

      I just made these and they are SO good!! Some of the best meatballs I’ve ever tasted 🙂

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        December 05, 2012 at 4:00 am

        Thank you, Katherine! I’m ecstatic to hear that from you – an amazing food and travel writer!

        Reply
    26. Jill says

      September 11, 2012 at 2:50 am

      Made these tonight. I only glazed half of them though. The other half went into a spicy Korean noodle soup. I normally don’t like glazes on meat, but these were fantastic! (They worked very well in the soup also)
      Thanks for putting up your recipes!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        September 11, 2012 at 3:02 am

        That’s great, Jill! So happy to hear it worked out well for you. Thank YOU so much for trying out my recipe! Cheers!

        Reply
    27. Ola says

      April 16, 2012 at 2:09 pm

      nice! meatballs are made all over the world but always in a bit different way, thanks for this recipe!

      Life and travelling
      Cooking

      Reply
    28. Anonymous says

      April 06, 2012 at 4:32 pm

      Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe (with exact measurements!). I plan on making these for our church’s Easter Sunday service. Just one question, I am a big fan of using tofu to soften up the meat even more. If I do use tofu, how much would you recommend for this amount?

      Thank you so much. I can’t wait to make these.

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        April 06, 2012 at 8:15 pm

        I’d recommend 6 – 8 ounces. Squeeze out water well and adjust the seasoning. Hope this helps. Happy Easter!

        Reply
    29. Yaoli says

      April 06, 2012 at 2:31 am

      Made them tonight! They were perfect!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        April 06, 2012 at 2:33 am

        Great!! Thanks for letting me know, Yaoli!

        Reply
    30. Soyon says

      April 04, 2012 at 12:59 pm

      They look so yummy!!! Do you think I can use turkey meat and still be okay? I know beef and pork are more traditional with Korean dishes…

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        April 05, 2012 at 3:14 pm

        Hi Soyon – Of course! Let me know how it turns out. I may try that one day.

        Reply
    31. MyFudo™ says

      March 27, 2012 at 3:48 pm

      I adore the sauce…I bet I can still use this for my other dishes that seem to lack in taste. love multipurpose sauces. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    32. Sara says

      March 27, 2012 at 3:39 am

      These meatballs look really wonderful – so tasty! Great flavors – love these!

      Reply
    33. Katherine Martinelli says

      March 26, 2012 at 9:02 pm

      These look so delicious and I can’t wait to try making them at home! Great choice for our inaugural World on a Plate! So happy to be in this group with you 🙂

      Reply
    34. Food Jaunts says

      March 26, 2012 at 8:17 pm

      I love, love, LOVE Korean meatballs. Bookmarked so I can give them a shot soon!

      Reply
    35. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

      March 26, 2012 at 7:56 pm

      I assume meatballs are more home dish in Korea? I haven’t seen it on the restaurant menus. Love the luster on meatballs – just perfectly cooked and I can totally eat 2-3 bowls of rice with them. Ok I’ll eat that broccoli too (just kidding I love veggies hehee).

      Reply
    36. Sissi says

      March 26, 2012 at 8:38 am

      This is another bookmarked recipe! Your meatballs look extraordinary and your photos are as always so beautiful!
      I have never heard of Korean meatballs (not to mention seeing them in restaurants here).
      My mum has always used a mixture of pork and beef in meat patties, saying it gave the best results and I totally agree. (Of course when she did chicken or turkey meat patties, she didn’t mix different meats). Thanks for this terrific recipe!

      Reply
    37. Jeannie Tay says

      March 26, 2012 at 2:47 am

      Wow! I am so drooling here! Can tell they are delicious just by looking at the photos!

      Reply
    38. angsarap.net says

      March 26, 2012 at 6:12 am

      Happy to meet you as well! Look at those perfectly shaped meatballs and that glaze makes it more appetizing, I wanna grab a bowl now.

      Reply
    39. Vijitha says

      March 25, 2012 at 10:13 pm

      Awesome! Loving your version of the meat balls. They look so juicy and sticky. Yum! Pass me that bowl.

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        March 26, 2012 at 8:42 pm

        Thank you, Vijitha! I am so happy to meet you through our project.

        Reply
    40. Cynthia says

      March 26, 2012 at 12:27 am

      Oh yum, yum, yum! Why do you tease me so 🙂

      Reply
    41. Pola M says

      March 25, 2012 at 10:56 pm

      Wow these meatballs look seriously yummy! I love the sirupy soy sauce! I have to try this Korean meatballs!

      Reply
    42. Sofie Dittmann @thegermanfoodie says

      March 25, 2012 at 10:52 pm

      Scallions & mushroms? I’m IN. I have on occasion added that to my German version of these. We never roll them in starch, though – that was new to me. These look SO GOOD, and I just told Katherine this group will make me gain a gazillion pounds if we keep going w/ entries like these!

      Reply
    43. Andrea@WellnessNotes says

      March 25, 2012 at 10:47 pm

      World on a plate sounds like a great project!

      Your meatballs look and sound wonderful!

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        March 26, 2012 at 8:48 pm

        Thank you, Andrea! This was the first round, but we’re already having so much fun and learning a lot from each other. Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    44. Biren says

      March 25, 2012 at 10:37 pm

      Your meatballs look super delicious and tasty! We love meatballs and I can’t wait to give them a try.

      Reply
      • Hyosun Ro says

        March 26, 2012 at 8:44 pm

        Biren – Thank you! I think all the dishes came out really good this month. Thanks to you, I am so happy to be part of the group.

        Reply
    4.57 from 30 votes (22 ratings without comment)

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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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