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These sweet and sour meatballs are bursting with tangy pineapples and peppers. It’s an easy, 20-minute version of Chinese takeout.
Sweet, Sour + So yummy!
These sweet and sour meatballs are one of our FAVORITE weekday dinner ideas when we’re craving Asian-inspired food.
The sauce has all the complexity, richness, and balance of a takeout dish. But because it uses pre-made meatballs, it takes less than 20 minutes to make! So anytime we’re craving Chinese takeout, we make this easy recipe instead!
There’s a rich sweetness from brown sugar and ketchup, some tang from the vinegar, pineapple chunks, and pineapple juice, and a fresh element from peppers and scallions.
For more sweet and sour favs, check out our: Sweet and Sour Chicken and Sweet and Sour Pork.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes
- ½ cup brown sugar loosely packed – light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup rice vinegar – add more for a more sour flavor
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2¼ cups pineapple juice, divided – add more for a sweeter dish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 25 all-purpose meatballs (frozen is fine) – ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken
- 2 bell peppers chopped (optional) – or other veggies like carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, and onions
- 1 cup drained small pineapple chunks
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions for garnish
- rice for serving – Instant Pot Brown Rice or Crock Pot White Rice
- optional spice – Add heat with chili flakes or minced chilis when you add the meatballs and peppers for a deep, spicy kick. Or replace some of the ketchup with sriracha.
- balance flavor out a too-sweet flavor – Add in something acidic like more vinegar or citrus juice. If the dish is too sour, add a sweetener like additional brown sugar, pineapple juice, or honey.
How Much to Serve
- For a party appetizer plan 2-3 (2-inch) meatballs per person.
- For the main entrée plan 4-5 (2-inch) meatballs per serving. Keep warm in a crock pot.
how to make Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- SAUCE. Add ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 2 cups of pineapple juice to a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and the remaining ¼ cup of pineapple juice, whisking to get out all the lumps.
- MEATBALLS. Whisk into your skillet and 25 meatballs and 2 chopped red bell pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are heated through.
- SERVE. Stir in 1 cup pineapple chunks. Garnish with 2 tablespoons sliced green onions and serve warm over rice.
How to Thicken the Sauce
In a separate bowl mix 1-2 teaspoons of cold water with an equal amount of cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the sauce and simmer.
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Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar, loosely packed
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2¼ cups pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 25 all-purpose meatballs, frozen is fine
- 2 bell peppers, chopped (optional)
- 1 cup drained small pineapple chunks
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onions, for garnish
- rice for serving
Instructions
- Add brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and 2 cups of pineapple juice to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and the remaining ¼ cup pineapple juice, whisking to get out all the lumps. Whisk into your skillet.
- Add meatballs and chopped peppers. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are heated through.
- Stir in pineapple chunks. Serve warm over rice. Top with green onion.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Cook the sauce according to the recipe and simmer to thicken. Remove from the heat and cool. Add meatballs and peppers, place in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. You can heat them in the slow cooker or stovetop.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or 3 months in the freezer. For best results reheat in the oven, or on the stovetop, but the microwave also works.
Adapted from foodnetwork.com
Where did you find rice wine vinegar? All I can find in my local stores ( Wal-mart, Target, Publix, Fresh Market) is rice vinegar. Also ketchup is not listed in ingredent list, but is listed in the directions. Is it required or optional? If required how much? Picture shows bell peppers but no mention of them in recipe, so do we use them or not? Thanks for the clarification, can’t wait to try.
I use this recipe all the time leave the veg and meatballs out and use it for a dipping sauce for spring rolls ect
I use any vinegar it works all the same. I just make my meatballs cook them in the oven make the sauce bring it to a boil then throw the veg in cook until veg are tender then put the meatballs in the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes serve with rice.
Sounds great! Thanks for sharing that!
Hello.im reading the instructions it says to add ketchup, but doesnt so how much in the recipe?
The original recipe doesn’t list ketchup in the ingredients but it’s referenced in the instructions. How much do you use? Thanks!
In the comments someone says 1/4 cup ketchup but you’re right, it’s not listed as an ingredient in the recipe until it says to add it but then you don’t know how much.
Looks so good! I’m cooking this tonight for Sunday fam dinner..???? got 3 ‘lil kids to feed.
Yay! Let me know what they all think! Hope everyone loves it!
Forgot to update! 🙂 but it was a hit! I add shredded carrots to my meatballs. Brought the leftover in my workplace the following day and share it with my colleagues. They also love it! Thank you.
Thankyou. No seriously. THANK YOU!!! I made this up and added a few more veggies for my veggie loving kids – and kept the meatballs for my carnivore hubby and brother. The sauce is A-MAZE-ING! So so so yummy! It has to be said – it tastes better than my local Chinese Restaurant. This is going on the “must make again and again” list because it’s heavenly.
Tonight I am so thankful for you!
Wow..thank you so much!! I’m so happy to hear everyone loved it! Thank you 🙂
How is this in crockpot with just meatballs and sauce? No pineapple or peppers. How long in crockpot if so? Thanks much!
I haven’t done them in the crock pot. It’s done over the skillet, but you could probably transfer it to a crock pot, if you need to. You stir in pineapple chunks & you could add the peppers, until they are heated through. Hope that helps!
Sooo Yummy In Eating As Like As In Looking
Thanks @lilluna
Your Recipes Always Rocks
You’re welcome! I hope you’ll give it a try! Thank you!
The display is so pretty. Why did you omit putting in the peppers in your recipe
I did add peppers, but they are the red and yellow ones 🙂
At what point did you add the peppers? Making this tonight. Looks yummy!
Oh, sorry. When I add the meatballs 🙂 Hope that helps!
This will be dinner tonight for my family of 6!! I may double the recipe so the kids can take some for lunch.
Hope you all enjoy them!!! Thanks so much for stopping by!
These meatballs look really good.
They are!!! Hope you’ll give them a try! I’d love to know what you think 🙂
Added half a can of crushed pineapple to sauce, 1/4 cup ketchup,and all the juice from the canned pineapple(1/2 cup) with 1 cup water. Excellent and will make again! – Zomick’s
Sounds yum! Thanks so much for trying it! Glad you liked it 🙂
I want to make this recipe but I don’t have rice vinegar can I use regular white vinegar
You could use apple cider vinegar or lemon or lime juice. Hope that helps!