This article was updated on the 14th of August 2023 for clarity and freshness.
If you’re wondering what to serve with your teriyaki meatballs, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I list 45 of the most popular side dishes for teriyaki meatballs.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with teriyaki meatballs include pineapple fried rice, soba noodle salad, egg rolls, veggie tempura, and scallion noodles. For healthier options, try a vegetable stir fry, roasted broccoli, chopped salad, and gomae. You can also serve mashed potatoes, kani salad, potstickers, and korokke.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Starchy sides
Saucy dishes like teriyaki meatballs are best enjoyed with a starchy side to ensure none of that delicious sauce goes to waste. Plain rice is a classic, but there are plenty more exciting options too!
Pineapple fried rice
Looking to make your teriyaki meatballs a complete meal? Serve them alongside this flavorsome pineapple fried rice.
It’s sweet and savory, just like your meatballs. And it’s so much better than takeout fried rice because you get to control how big the pineapple chunks are (they’re always so small in takeout rice!).
Pro-tip: want to keep this meat-free? Swap the ham for tofu instead.
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Pineapple fried rice
Make it tropical
Coconut rice
Make it healthier
Quinoa fried rice
Scallion oil noodles
If you’re not up for rice with your teriyaki meatballs, swap it with scallion oil noodles instead.
This dish involves making your own scallion-infused oil spiced with chili flakes, giving it a delectable heat that pairs perfectly with your teriyaki meatballs’ sweet-savory flavor. And no worries, most of the ingredients you need are likely already in your pantry, aside from the scallions.
Pro-tip: don’t throw away the scallions after the infusion. You can add them to your noodles to bring a contrasting crunchy texture.
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Spicy scallion oil noodles
Make a favorite
Yakisoba
Make it low-carb
Kelp noodle salad
Garlic mashed potatoes
Garlicky mashed potatoes are another excellent base for teriyaki meatballs. Just imagine scooping a heaping serving of the meatballs with the sweet teriyaki sauce over a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes — it’s heaven on a plate.
There’s no shortage of mashed potato variations, and Half-Baked Harvest’s version is one of my favorites. They add roasted garlic to the mash, which adds a deep, nutty flavor that you don’t get with normal garlic.
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Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Preheat the oven
Cheesy twice-baked mashed potatoes
Make it lighter
Mashed cauliflower
Homemade deli rolls
Want to eat your teriyaki meatballs on the go? Stuff them inside these homemade deli rolls. They’re delightfully soft and tender, but still sturdy enough to hold the meatballs.
And they’re easier to make than you think. The recipe only calls for six ingredients, most of which you should already have in the kitchen. And you won’t need any fancy equipment — only your hands, bowls, and an oven.
Psst… you can also top these rolls with parmesan cheese, butter, and Italian seasoning to replicate the Italian rolls from Subway.
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Homemade deli rolls
Make a favorite
Hawaiian rolls
Go Greek
Homemade pita bread
Soba noodle salad
Add fresh flavors and vibrant colors to your plate with a serving of this soba noodle salad.
Aside from the noodles, it’s packed with sweet and crunchy vegetables that add a fresh bite to your teriyaki meatballs. But what really makes this dish special is its miso and orange dressing that brings a citrusy, umami kick to your meal.
And the best part about this dish? You only need to cook the corn and noodles – the rest is only prep work, making it ideal for busy weeknight dinners.
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Soba noodle salad
Skip the soba
Vietnamese noodle salad
Make it low-carb
Sesame zucchini noodle salad
Vegetables and salads
Want to make your meal lighter but still filling? Pair your teriyaki meatballs with a veggie side or salad. Aside from providing a fresh contrast, they also add a bright pop of color to your plate to make your meal even more enticing — we eat with our eyes first, after all.
Asian chopped salad
Craving something fresh to go with your teriyaki meatballs? This Asian chopped salad is exactly what you’re looking for.
It’s a medley of deliciously crisp vegetables dressed in a tangy sesame and ginger dressing that will tickle your taste buds. It also has fun additions like crunchy chow mein noodles and cashews that contrast nicely with your tender meatballs.
Want to make this salad in advance? Prep the veggies, but don’t toss them in the dressing or add the noodles and nuts. Only add them in when you’re ready to serve.
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Asian chopped salad
Keep it simple
Napa cabbage salad
Make it Vietnamese-inspired
Spring roll salad
Roasted garlic broccoli
This dish is ideal for days when you’d prefer a simpler cooking method rather than spending a lot of time at the stove. Everything gets tossed in your sheet pan, seasoned with lemon and pepper, and roasted in the oven. In 20 minutes, you’ll have a healthy side dish to go with your teriyaki meatballs.
Enjoy your teriyaki meatballs alongside this nourishing side dish and fluffy rice for a complete meal.
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Roasted broccoli and mushrooms
Make it cheesy
Baked parmesan broccoli casserole
Skip the stovetop
Steamed broccoli
Gomae
Gomae is a Japanese side dish that features vegetables tossed in a nutty sesame sauce. The most common version of this dish in the West uses blanched spinach, but you can use any vegetables you want. I’ve tried this recipe with green beans, broccoli, and asparagus and they all turned out delicious!
Pickled Plum uses toasted sesame seeds for this recipe, which you can purchase in stores. But if you have regular sesame seeds in your spice rack, you’re in luck. The recipe also shows how you can toast them in your kitchen.
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Gomae
Make it unique
Mizuna myoga
Make it Korean-inspired
Spicy radish salad
Kani salad
Kani salad is a staple side dish in sushi restaurants, but who said it’s meant to go with just sushi rolls? This salad goes superbly with teriyaki meatballs too.
Its creaminess pairs well with the sticky teriyaki sauce, and its sweet, tangy, and spicy notes go nicely with the savory meatballs.
The key ingredient for this dish is Japanese mayo. It seems simple, but it’s richer than regular mayonnaise and has an umami kick that makes all the difference in this salad. If you can’t find it, Suburban Soapbox suggests mixing your usual mayo with a few drops of fish sauce.
Or you can take a look at my article on the best kewpie mayo substitutes.
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Spicy kani salad
Skip the fake crab
Mango slaw
Another Japanese favorite
Japanese potato salad
Vegetable stir fry
If you want a fresh addition to your teriyaki meatballs, try making this easy vegetable stir fry to go with them.
This bright and vibrant medley of vegetables is packed to the brim with vitamins and nutrients to complete your meal. And you can also toss in whatever vegetables you have in your fridge!
If that’s not enough, this vegetable stir fry comes together in only one pot, which means less mess for you to clean up.
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Vegetable stir-fry
Make it simple
Steam-fried vegetables
Add starch
Vegetable stir-fry noodles
Appetizers
Teriyaki meatballs aren’t just a main dish, they’re great as an appetizer too. So it’s not a shocker that they pair well with other fun finger food, like crunchy egg rolls or creamy mozzarella sticks.
Egg rolls
Are you serving your teriyaki meatballs as finger food? Don’t forget to make a platter of egg rolls to go with them. They’re excellent party food.
You can go with the classic filling of ground pork and cabbage, but you can also experiment and try different proteins and vegetables. The possible filling combinations are endless with these tasty treats.
These egg rolls are traditionally fried, but Simply Recipes takes the easier route by making them in the air fryer. They get extra crunchy without deep-frying. Win-win!
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Air fryer egg rolls
Make it different
Fried shrimp wontons
Make it creamy
Crab rangoon
Vegetable tempura
Vegetables are better when coated in a tempura batter and deep-fried. This Japanese-style batter gives the veggies an airy, lightly crisp coating without being overly greasy, making each bite extra satisfying.
Tempura is typically served with a dipping sauce called tentsuyu, but you can also dip them in the sauce from your teriyaki meatballs.
Pro-tip: Serve them immediately after cooking to enjoy them at their best.
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Vegetable tempura
Make it familiar
Beer-battered onion rings
Fire up the oven
Parmesan cauliflower bites
Korokke
Korokke is a Japanese-style stuffed potato croquette. There are many recipes for these tasty treats, some involving a ground beef filling. But I prefer Tiffy Cooks’ version, which involves stuffing the mashed potato mixture with corn, sauteed onions, and cheese.
These treats are perfectly crunchy, with fluffy, cheesy goodness in every bite.
Tiffy serves these croquettes with tonkatsu sauce, but (like with the tempura) I’ve found the teriyaki sauce from the meatballs works just as well.
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Korokke
Make a favorite
Homemade French fries
Make it simple
Baked potatoes
Potstickers
Serve your teriyaki meatballs with a side of potstickers for a tasty Japanese-Chinese fusion.
Potstickers are a crowd favorite that’ll give you the best of both worlds: crispy bases and tender interiors. You might think they’re hard to make – especially the part when you have to fold and assemble them. But Rasa Malaysia’s fool-proof recipe will help you be a potsticker master in no time.
Psst… using gyoza wrappers for the potstickers saves a ton of time – and you won’t be able to tell the difference.
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Potstickers
Make it Korean-inspired
Fried Korean dumplings (Yaki mandu)
Skip the stovetop
Baked spinach artichoke wonton cups
Mozzarella sticks
Serving mozzarella sticks and teriyaki meatballs isn’t common, but it’s a combo that makes sense when you think about it. Aside from the crunchy contrast, the lightly salty, creaminess of the mozzarella pairs well with the rich, sweet-savory teriyaki sauce.
You can easily go with the store-bought mozzarella sticks if you’re in a rush, but I highly encourage you to try making them from scratch if you have the time to spare. The key lies in double-coating the cheese sticks to ensure they develop a golden, crunchy crust and don’t leak.
Psst… make a big batch and freeze the extras so you’ll always have homemade mozzarella sticks ready to go.
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Mozzarella sticks
Make it Mediterranean-inspired
Crispy halloumi nuggets
Add veg
Broccoli cheese balls
What To Serve With Teriyaki Meatballs [45 Ideas]
Ingredients
- 1 portion pineapple fried rice
- 1 portion asian chopped salad
- 1 portion air fryer egg rolls
- 1 portion spicy scallion oil noodles
- 1 portion kani salad
- 1 portion mozzarella sticks … and more
Instructions
- Prepare your teriyaki meatballs according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: pineapple fried rice, soba noodle salad, egg rolls, vegetable tempura, Asian chopped salad, scallion oil noodles, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted garlic broccoli, korokke, gomae, kani salad, potstickers, and a vegetable stir fry.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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