Description
Sweet and Sour Meatballs are a flavorful blend of juicy meatballs coated in a tangy, sticky, and slightly sweet sauce. Perfect as an appetizer, party snack, or served over rice for a hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (for browning)
- For the Sauce:
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes or until cooked through. Alternatively, brown in a skillet with oil over medium heat until fully cooked.
- While meatballs cook, prepare the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil.
- Add the cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
- Add cooked meatballs to the sauce and toss to coat evenly.
- Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot over rice or with toothpicks as an appetizer.
Notes
- Use ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
- Can be made ahead and reheated—the flavors get even better the next day.
- Add chopped bell peppers or pineapple chunks for extra flavor and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 meatballs with sauce
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: sweet and sour meatballs, party meatballs, Asian meatballs, pineapple sauce, easy meatball recipe