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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
Oh my, this was SO good!!!! Husband and I both loved it!!! Definitely added to our favorite list of recipes.
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed the meatballs! Thanks for sharing!
Sauce was delicious! We ate it with wildmeat meatballs. Added a tiny bit more cornstarch and 1/4 cup less pineapple juice for less sugar 🤗
Ooh I have never had wildmeat meatballs. Sounds exciting and delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed the sauce. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe is a big hit with my family. I use Gardein meatless meatballs. I also double the sauce as I like lots of sauce. In addition I add carrots, pineapple tidbits, a bag of frozen stir fry peppers and onions, and today I am adding Brussels sprouts. Once I whisk in the cornstarch and pineapple juice mixture I add the meatballs, pineapple, etc. and leave it in the crockpot for several hours to cook the veggies and get that flavorful sauce really imbedded in the meatballs, etc. Yummy served over brown rice!
Yum!! Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing what you do. I’m so happy to hear this recipe is a winner with your family!
This is a post script. I made more sauce to go with leftovers. Perhaps one should just make the sauce to taste. This time I would have preferred a bit less vinegar and perhaps a bit more sugar. I still love the recipe.
Thanks for your feedback. Glad you enjoyed the meatballs!
This is a delicious recipe, and easy! I used Shady Brook Farm turkey meatballs, not frozen, and they were great, even with their Italian seasoning. I am so glad that they are finally back. I used green and yellow peppers, and onion chunks. I threw in some broccoli florets. They lose their bright green color but tasted crisp and good. Ten minutes is a good amount of time to get the vegetables done but not mushy. I did add again as much cornstarch near the end of cooking–mixed in water first of course. I question adding the scallions, but my husband loved them.
Thanks for sharing what you used. Love the addition of the extra veggies. So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Made this for my wedding reception/cocktail hour, multiplied the recipe by 6 so there would be enough for everyone to have some. Took about two hours for the sauce to cook and it didn’t really thicken up at all but they still tasted amazing! Will definitely make these again but maybe not as large a batch
Oh what a fun way to use this recipe! I wonder if it could have used a bit more cornstarch to thicken since the quantity was so large? I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor though and will make again!
Best recipe ever…just cut the rice wine vinegar to 1/4 cup or less….1/2 burns!!
Thank you for your recipe!!♥️
So glad you enjoy the recipe and have found a way to make it your own too. Thanks for trying it!
I am trying to eat more plant based meals. I made this recipe with Beyond Meatballs(Italian style). Slow cooked it for 35 minutes and added broccoli the last 5 minutes. It turned out great!
Ooh that is good to know! Thanks for sharing! Glad you enjoyed the recipe.
This recipe is awesome!! So wonderfully easy, and our littles loved it! We have a couple of pineapple allergies in the family, so I subbed orange juice; still turned out perfect!
Oh I’m so glad to hear it was a hit. That’s a great idea to sub with orange juice. My little like this recipe as well! Thanks for sharing!
The best sweet and sour sauce ever
Thank you!! So glad you like the dish!