Easy Recipe for Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Love sweet and sour sauce? It is a great addition to your favorite meatball recipe! This homemade sweet and sauce meatballs recipe can be an appetizer or part of your main dish. Serve with cubes of fresh pineapple and bell pepper for a tangy crunch. I love to serve these easy sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple over white rice for dinner.  It’s a big hit with the whole family.

 

Tips for Making Homemade Meatballs

Making homemade meatballs is quick and easy.  Honestly, it’s just meat, some sort of binder, and some seasonings.  But, you can get as crazy as you want with your meatball recipe.  Change up the type of meat.  Add weird seasonings.  Make them gluten-free if you need to. 

Meatballs freeze really well so make up a huge batch and freeze them back.  Then, just toss into your homemade sweet and sour sauce and dinner is ready! Here are a few tips for making homemade meatballs:

• Pick the right meats. Fattier meats like beef, lamb, and pork will make your homemade meatballs more tender.
• Keep things cold. The warmer your meat and ingredient, the messier the process of making meatballs becomes. 
• Add moisture. This can be water or bullion, depending on what you have on hand. 
• Be gentle when forming the meatballs! Do not pack them too tightly. 
• Bake, not fry. Frying meatballs is a huge mess and unnecessary.  Bake your homemade meatballs in the oven instead. 

Sweet and Sour Meatballs Ingredients

As I have mentioned, the ingredients for these homemade meatballs are simple.  Here is what you will need:

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• Water
• Brown sugar
• Lemon juice
• Ketchup
• Cornstarch

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS

• Ground beef
• Ground pork
• Eggs
• Seasoned breadcrumbs
• Instant bouillon
• Worcestershire sauce
• Parmesan cheese
• Bell Pepper

How to Make Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

This quick and easy sweet and sour sauce takes 5 ingredients and comes together in just 5 minutes.  It is really just as easy as heating a few ingredients on the stove.  This healthier version of your favorite takeout condiment will last a week or so in the refrigerator.  

Sweet and sour is a very popular sauce in Chinese cuisine, however, it is great on homemade meatballs as well! In fact, this sweet and sour sauce recipe for meatballs can actually be used on chicken, beef, or just about anything else you want to make!

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Cook and stir until thick. Keep warm until you need it.

To make the meatballs, mix all ingredients and roll them into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Place them on cookie sheets (with sides to catch overflow) and bake at 350 degrees until done (20 to 30 minutes, depending on meatball size).

Put the meatballs in the sauce or onto a toothpick to serve. Add a bit of bell pepper and cubes of pineapple if desired.

More Ground Beef Recipes

• Easy Shepherd’s Pie Recipe with Leeks
• Creamy Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
• Easy Layered Taco Pie Recipe

 

 

Easy sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple

This is such an easy recipe for sweet and sour meatballs and it is great party food! If you want bite-sized appetizers, stick a small meatball (covered in sauce) and a bite of bell pepper on a toothpick and sprinkle with fresh parsley.   

Like this sweet and sour meatballs recipe? Double it and freeze them for next time. If you want to try making these on the grill, check out my post on how to grill meatballs for a few tips. 

Yield: 4 servings

Homemade Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Print

  This homemade sweet and sauce meatballs recipe can be an appetizer or part of your main dish.  Serve with cubes of fresh pineapple and bell pepper for a tangy crunch! 

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• SAUCE INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 TBSP cornstarch
• MEATBALL INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 pound of ground beef
• 3/4 pound of ground pork
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 4 tsp instant bouillon
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded)bell pepper (sliced into bite sized pieces if desired)

Instructions

1. FOR THE SAUCE
2. Combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Cook and stir until thick. Keep warm until you need it.
3. FOR THE MEATBALLS
4. Mix all ingredients and roll into 1 1/2 inch meatballs.
5. Place on cookie sheets (with sides to catch overflow) and bake at 350 degrees until done (20 to 30 minutes, depending on meatball size).
6. Put in sauce or onto toothpick to serve.
7. Add a bit of bell pepper and cubes of pineapple if desired. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 814Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 274mgSodium: 1425mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 56g

Nutrition information not always accurate