Lion's Head Meatballs is a Chinese New Year celebratory dish, featuring extra large pork meatballs, along with Napa cabbage and mushrooms, braised in a rich, savory sauce.
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What are lion's head meatballs?
Lion's head meatballs are a Chinese celebratory dish, typically eaten during Chinese New Year.
They consist of large, oversized pork meatballs, braised and simmered with Napa cabbage and mushrooms in a soupy broth, or thickened savory and umami-filled sauce.
Why you'll love this recipe
This recipe for Lion's Head Meatballs is:
Worth the effort: there are some steps to make this celebratory dish, but I've streamlined it so it is easy to follow.
Cozy and comforting: the tender, braised flavorful meatballs, along with the cabbage and mushrooms are delicious, rich and in between a soup and stew.
A crowd-pleaser: with each meatball weighing close to 100g, these are not your average meatballs, and one will fill you up.
Ingredients you'll need
- Chinese mushrooms (冬菇): reserve mushroom soaking liquid
- ground pork (碎豬肉): you can use lean ground pork, or regular ground pork, up to your preference
- soy sauce (醬油)
- oyster sauce (蠔油): a thick, brown sauce with a savory flavor
- Chinese 5-spice powder (五香粉): a combination of five spices including fennel, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and Sichuan peppercorn
- white pepper: or black pepper (胡椒粉)
- garlic powder (大蒜粉)
- onion powder (洋蔥粉)
- fennel seed powder (茴香籽粉)
- sand ginger powder (沙薑粉)
- Shaoxing wine (紹興酒)
- egg (蛋): acts as a binder
- water chestnuts (馬蹄): diced; adds a crunchy texture to the meatballs
- tapioca starch (木薯澱粉)
- sesame oil (芝麻油): for aroma and flavor
- Napa cabbage (大白菜)
For frying:
- peanut oil (花生油): or high smoke-point vegetable oil (菜油)
Braising liquid:
- hot water (熱水)
- ginger (薑)
- bay leaves (月桂樹葉)
- star anise (八角)
- cinnamon stick (肉桂棒)
- light soy sauce (生抽)
- oyster sauce (蠔油)
- granulated sugar (砂糖)
- sea salt (鹽)
You can find these ingredients at Asian grocery stores or large supermarkets.
How to make the meatballs
Soak mushrooms
The night before, soak mushrooms in clean water and let it rehydrate. Reserve the mushroom liquid.
Season the meat
In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, add in the ground pork, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, fennel seed powder, sand ginger powder and Shaoxing wine.
Mix on low speed for 3-4 minutes, and then gradually pour in the mushroom liquid in 3 additions, making sure the liquid is fully absorbed into the meat before continuing to pour in the liquid.
Note: only add enough liquid to make sure the meat is capable of forming into a ball shape.
Add in the egg and continue to mix, until incorporated.
Add in the chopped water chestnuts and mix well.
Next, add in tapioca starch and continue to mix for another 3 minutes.
Divide the meat mixture into 8 portions, about 100g each, using a ⅓rd measuring cup or ice cream scoop.
Place the meat into the fridge to chill, about 30 minutes.
Fry the meatballs
Heat up peanut oil over medium-high heat, until it reaches 350F.
Wet hands with water and form the meat into a round ball shape.
Working in batches, carefully slide the meatballs into the hot frying oil, and fry for 7-8 minutes, until dark golden brown in color.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried meatballs, and transfer to a paper towel to drain.
Repeat with the remaining meatballs.
Braise the meatballs
In a large pot, add in 2 C hot water, ginger, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and salt.
Bring the liquid to a boil and add in the meatballs and mushrooms.
Cover with a lid and simmer on medium heat, braising the meatballs and mushrooms for about 20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to about 1 ½ C remaining. Remove the spices and discard.
Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl.
Add the cornstarch slurry into the liquid and bring the mixture to a boil.
Remove from heat, add a drizzle of sesame oil and serve with steamed Napa cabbage.
Alternative method cooked with Napa cabbage in a clay pot
This method produces a more soupy broth.
Line an earthenware pot with 5-6 Napa cabbage leaves, place the meatballs and Chinese mushrooms over the leaves.
Add in the reduced braising sauce (cook the sauce as above in a separate pot first) over the meatballs, cover with a lid and braise on low heat for 15-20 minutes, until cabbage has softened.
How to serve
Serve the Lion's Head Meatballs with steamed rice, as part of a festive meal, alongside other dishes such as steamed pompano, savory tang yuan (glutinous rice ball) soup, turnip cake, longevity noodles, dumplings and Chinese fried spring rolls.
How to store
Store the meatballs with sauce and mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can also freeze the fried meatballs ahead of time, and then put the rest of the dish together.
Expert tips
For a more soupy broth, add more Napa cabbage leaves to the dish and braise over low heat.
The cabbage leaves will release liquid while it cooks.
Other Chinese New Year recipes you may like
Be sure to check out these recipes:
Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go)
Vegetable and Turkey Dumplings with Black Vinegar Dipping Sauce
Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!
Lion's Head Meatballs (狮子头)
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 4 Chinese mushrooms soaked in water (reserve mushroom soaking liquid for the meatballs)
For the pork:
- 500 g ground pork (碎豬肉)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (醬油)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (蠔油)
- ½ teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder (五香粉)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper (胡椒粉) or black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (大蒜粉)
- ½ teaspoon onion powder (洋蔥粉)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed powder (茴香籽粉)
- 1 teaspoon sand ginger powder (沙薑粉) optional
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (紹興酒)
- 120-150 ml reserved mushroom liquid (冬菇水) from soaking mushrooms
- 1 large egg (蛋)
- 50 g water chestnuts (馬蹄) diced
- 30 g tapioca starch (木薯澱粉)
For frying:
- 2-3 C peanut oil (花生油) or high smoke-point vegetable oil (菜油)
Braising liquid:
- 2 C hot water (熱水)
- 2 slices ginger (薑)
- 2 bay leaves (月桂樹葉)
- 2 star anise (八角)
- 1 cinnamon stick (肉桂棒)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (生抽)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (蠔油)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (砂糖)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (鹽)
For serving:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (芝麻油)
- 5-6 leaves Napa cabbage (大白菜) lightly steamed (unless steaming in a claypot)
Instructions
Soak mushrooms:
- The night before, soak mushrooms in clean water and let it rehydrate. Reserve the mushroom liquid.
Season the meat:
- In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, add in the ground pork, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, white pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, fennel seed powder, sand ginger powder and Shaoxing wine.
- Mix on low speed for 3-4 minutes, and then gradually pour in the reserved mushroom liquid in 3 additions, making sure the liquid is fully absorbed into the meat before continuing to pour in the liquid.
- Note: only add enough liquid to make sure the meat is capable of forming into a ball shape.
- Add in the egg and continue to mix, until incorporated.
- Add in the chopped water chestnuts and mix well.
- Next, add in tapioca starch and continue to mix for another 3 minutes.
- Divide the meat mixture into 8 portions, about 100g each, using a ⅓rd measuring cup or large ice cream scoop.
- Place the meat into the fridge to chill, about 30 minutes.
Fry the meatballs:
- Heat up peanut oil over medium-high heat, until it reaches 350°F/177°C.
- Wet hands with water and form the meat into a round ball shape.
- Working in batches, carefully slide the meatballs into the hot frying oil, and fry for 7-8 minutes, until dark golden brown in color.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried meatballs, and transfer to a paper towel to drain.
- Repeat with the remaining meatballs.
Braise the meatballs:
- In a large pot, add in 2 C hot water, ginger, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and salt.
- Bring the liquid to a boil and add in the meatballs and Chinese mushrooms.
- Cover with a lid and simmer on medium heat, braising the meatballs and mushrooms for about 20 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to about 1 ½ C remaining. Remove the spices and discard.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl.
- Add the cornstarch slurry into the liquid and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Remove from heat, add a drizzle of sesame oil and serve with steamed Napa cabbage.
Alternative method cooked with Napa cabbage:
- This produces a more soupy broth.
- Line an earthenware pot/claypot with Napa cabbage leaves, place the meatballs and mushrooms over the leaves.
- Add in the reduced braising sauce (cook the sauce as above in a separate pot first) over the meatballs, cover with a lid and braise on low heat for 15-20 minutes, until cabbage has softened.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
These meatballs are the perfect way to add some fun new flavors to a party! I especially loved your easy step-by-step instructions. So easy!!
Michelle
Thank you Heidi! I always look forward to these meatballs during Chinese New Year 🙂
Raymund | angsarap.net
The combination of ground pork, Chinese spices, oyster sauce, and Shaoxing wine creates a complex and umami-rich taste that's truly mouthwatering. Yum!
Michelle
A must-have dish for the Lunar New Year, for sure!