Sweet And Sour Meatballs

Tossed together with chunks of sweet pineapple and stir-fried veggies, these tasty quick and easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs can be baked or air fried! Made with juicy ground beef and coated in a simple sweet tangy sauce, these delicious meatballs are a dish that the whole family will love!

Easy Sweet And Sour Meatballs Recipe

Move over saucy Swedish Meatballs and yes you too Italian Meatballs! There is a new bite-size ball of deliciousness taking center stage on the plate tonight! But all jokes aside, you guys know I love making meatballs and I must say this recipe is amazing! 

Just imagine if yummy Sweet and Sour Chicken got turned into a juicy beef meatball and then tossed in a sweet and tangy sauce with some stir-fried bell peppers, onions, and pineapple! It would be this incredible dish! And you can cook these meatballs in the air fryer or in the oven. Talk about a versatile recipe!

So whether you’re after a quick dinner or an easy party food, this sweet and sour meatballs recipe is an excellent choice. You can serve them with steamed rice or noodles and the kids love them too!

• Ground Beef – I used ground beef for these meatballs. Yet, you can also make this recipe with ground pork or ground turkey if you prefer. Even ground chicken will work, but just keep in mind that ground meat with a lower fat content can make the meatballs dry. 
• Breadcrumbs – Make sure to use plain breadcrumbs. Panko is another option.
• Onion – I always use brown onion, but any type of onion you have on hand will work.
• Eggs – Used to bind the meatballs together along with the breadcrumbs.
• Garlic Powder – I opted to use garlic powder for the meat mixture. Make sure not to use garlic salt by mistake.
• Seasonings – Salt and black pepper are used to season the meatballs.

• Rice Vinegar – Less intense than regular vinegar it adds a touch of tang to the sauce.
• Brown Sugar – It naturally has a bit of molasses in it that adds a lovely bit of sweetness along with the pineapple. 
• Chicken Broth – To control the amount of added salt I always like to use a low-sodium chicken broth.
• Ketchup – This everyday ingredient adds a little bit more umami, tang, and texture to the sauce. 
• Tomato Paste – The tomato flavor helps to marry all the flavors of the sauce together. 
• Pineapple Juice – You’ll need some pineapple juice from canned chunks of pineapple. 
• Cornstarch – Used to thicken the sauce once it’s heated.
• Salt – Just a bit is used to balance the sweetness of the sauce.

• Vegetable Oil – Needed to stir-fry the veggies. Peanut oil is another option. 
• Onion – Any kind of onion will work. But I like to use brown onions. 
• Garlic – Always use fresh minced garlic cloves for the best taste.
• Bell Peppers – I used both green bell pepper and red bell pepper. Yet, you can use any color of bell peppers you like.
• Pineapple Chunks – A can of pineapple chunks is perfect.

This yummy dish is super easy! And I’ve provided you with instructions on how to both bake and air fry the meatballs. They turn out perfect either way! 

Before you begin, if you are baking the meatballs you need to preheat your oven temperature to 400°F (204°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. However, if you are going to air fry them, you’ll need to preheat your air fryer to 380°F (193°C). Yet, whether or not you need to preheat the air fryer depends on your particular model. So you will need to check your manufacturer’s guide.

To start, put all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl and then mix everything together really well with a wooden spoon or your hands. I prefer to use my hands! But however you do it, the most important thing is that all the ingredients are fully incorporated. 

Next, take the meat mixture and start forming golf ball size meatballs. And for the most even cooking try your best to make them all about the same size and shape. Also, if you notice that your meatballs are not holding together well it is most likely because the meat mixture is either too wet or too dry. To fix that, if it’s too mushy and moist just add a few more breadcrumbs, and if it’s too dry then add a little bit more egg.

Now, let’s cook these meatballs! If you are baking them, just put the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and then pop them into the preheated oven to bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. But if you are air frying them, put the meatballs in the basket of the air fryer and then air fry them for 10 minutes, shaking them halfway through the cooking time.

While the meatballs are cooking away you can make the sweet and sour sauce. To do this, just whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl making sure that they are fully combined. Note, the cornstarch really needs to be incorporated well, which is why you should use a whisk.

After the meatballs are cooked, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large wok or large frying pan. Next, add the onion and bell peppers to the wok and sauté them for 1 minute. Then add the minced garlic and sauté everything for another 30 seconds just until aromatic.

To complete the recipe, stir the sauce mixture into the wok with the veggies and cook it until it gets glossy and thick.

Next, add the meatballs and pineapple chunks. Then toss everything together and cook for another 2 minutes before removing the dish from the heat. Now, serve the finished sweet and sour meatballs over rice or noodles.

Why Do My Meatballs Keep Falling Apart?

The most common reason that meatballs fall apart has to do with the binder, which means that the ratio of your eggs to breadcrumbs is off. So if the meatballs are mushy and wet, you need to add more breadcrumbs. But if they are crumbly and dry you need to add a bit more egg. However, when adding egg just beat an egg and add a little at a time or the meatballs will just become too wet.

Can I Fry The Meatballs?

Yes, of course! Once the meatballs are made just add some vegetable oil to the wok and heat it over medium. Then once the oil is hot, add the meatballs to the pan in a single layer and cook until well browned on all sides and cooked through.

Storage

Leftover sweet and sour meatballs will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply put them in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power or heat them on the stove in a skillet. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 5 months in an airtight container. Just let the meatballs thaw out overnight in the fridge before reheating them. 

Other Delicious Meatball Recipes To Try

• Korean Meatballs
• Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
• Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy
• Salisbury Steak Meatballs
• Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs
• Chicken Meatballs Alfredo