CogniCuisine Recipe
Sweet Potato–Gochujang Meatballs
with Coconut–Miso Sauce and Steamed Rice
↓ Download Recipe PDFSweet potato replaces eggs and breadcrumbs with no fuss: bake well, scoop, mash, and move on. The meatballs bake evenly, then finish under the broiler. The coconut–miso sauce was balanced at the stove with lime, fish sauce, brown sugar, and finished with a cornstarch slurry so it pools, holds, and carries the bite.
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Ingredients
Sweet Potato Binder
- 1 lb sweet potatoes, baked until very soft
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork shoulder
- ¾ lb ground beef chuck
- ¾ cup sweet potato binder
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Coconut–Miso Sauce
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 2 medium shallots, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 1 can (13.5 oz / 400ml) full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup light chicken or pork stock
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons fish sauce
- 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
To Serve
- Steamed short-grain white rice
- Butter or neutral oil
Method
1. Prepare the sweet potato binder.
Bake 1 lb sweet potatoes until very soft. Scoop out the flesh and mash until mostly smooth. Stir in 2 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons neutral oil, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside to cool.
2. Mix the meatballs.
Gently combine 1 lb ground pork shoulder, ¾ lb ground beef chuck, ¾ cup sweet potato binder, 2 finely grated garlic cloves, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon white pepper just until cohesive. Do not overwork.
3. Bake and broil.
Form meatballs and arrange on a lined sheet pan. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes, then switch to broil and cook about 2 minutes, until browned and set.
4. Start the sauce.
Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add 2 finely minced shallots and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.
5. Build the base.
Stir in 1 tablespoon gochujang and 1 tablespoon white miso. Cook 45 to 60 seconds until fragrant.
6. Simmer the sauce.
Whisk in 1 can coconut milk, ¼ cup stock, and 2 teaspoons brown sugar. Simmer gently until spoonable, about 5 minutes.
7. Finish the sauce.
Remove from heat and stir in 1½ teaspoons fish sauce and 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry, then return briefly to low heat until the sauce turns glossy.
8. Serve.
Spoon sauce generously onto warmed plates or a platter. Nestle meatballs into the sauce. Serve with steamed short-grain rice finished with butter or neutral oil.
Chef’s Notes
- Sweet potato binder: The baked sweet potato must be very soft — underbaked potato produces a dense, starchy binder that does not integrate properly with the meat.
- Gochujang: Heat levels vary by brand. Taste your gochujang before using and adjust quantities accordingly.
- Do not overwork the meatball mixture: Mix just until cohesive. Overworking develops the proteins and produces a tough meatball.
- Broiling: Watch the meatballs closely under the broiler. Two minutes produces a browned, set exterior. Beyond that they will dry out.
- Sauce finish: Add fish sauce and lime juice off-heat to preserve their brightness. Both lose complexity when simmered.
- Rice: Short-grain white rice finished with butter absorbs the sauce more evenly than long-grain. Do not skip the fat.