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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
My family loved this recipe. It has a nice balance of flavors and is so easy to throw together! I love the sauce!
Making these tonight. So far they smell amazing! My entire kitchen smells wonderful. Will add another comment a bit later to let you know what my husband and daughter though.
Thank you for trying them 🙂 They smell so good!
Thank you so very much. I have finicky Grandchildren, and they love these things. The only problem is that I have to take them out to get them, and we all know that’s not an option with the pandemic. I have made them yet but will experiment on myself and follow the recipe. Hopefully, a Grandpops could earn some points. Thank you again. I appreciate you. 🙂
I hope you do earn points!! Hope they are a hit! Thank you!
My family just loves this recipe!!
♥️♥️♥️
I’m so glad!! Thank you!
So much flavor packed in such a delicious appetizer! Making these again for our next football get together!
These meatballs are so tasty!! Love the asian flavors..it’s a nice change!
This recipe was absolute perfection! So glad i tried it, im adding it to my forever recipe collection
I am so glad you tried it, too! That makes me so happy! Thank you!
Love this recipe! Make it often!
Happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know!
How many pounds of meat is this sauce for? I would like to make my own meatballs instead of frozen. Thank you.
It might be close to 1 lb. Hope that helps 🙂 Enjoy!
Easy and delicious! I had just purchased the IKEA frozen meatballs (chicken for my husband and vegetarian for me) and wanted to use them in an easy recipe. I sauteed a red bell pepper and added it to the mix. Thanks for the recipe. It was perfect!
Sounds yum! Love the ones from IKEA! Thank you for letting me know!