Are you craving those irresistible, tangy, sweet, and savory flavors from your favorite Chinese restaurant, but want a fresh, easy, and homemade version you can feel great about? This incredible, from-scratch Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe is your new weeknight hero! We’re talking tender, juicy, baked beef meatballs and a colorful medley of crisp vegetables, all tossed in the most luscious, glossy, and perfectly balanced homemade sweet and sour sauce you’ve ever had.
This isn’t just another meatball recipe; it’s your definitive guide to a “better than takeout” classic that is secretly simple to make. We’ll show you the crucial secrets to a flawless, non-lumpy sauce and perfectly tender baked meatballs. This is a satisfying, crowd-pleasing meal that is perfect for a busy night and is guaranteed to become a new family favorite.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate “Better Than Takeout” Dinner
What makes these Sweet and Sour Meatballs so spectacularly delicious is their incredible, authentic-tasting sauce and their wonderfully simple preparation. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, American-Chinese flavors. The dish features tender, savory, from-scratch beef meatballs, which are baked, not fried, for a healthier and easier result. The true star of the show, however, is the homemade sweet and sour sauce. It’s a perfect, harmonious balance of flavors: the “sweet” comes from brown sugar and pineapple juice, the “sour” comes from tangy rice vinegar, and the savory depth comes from soy sauce and tomato paste. This beautiful, glossy sauce is tossed with the baked meatballs, a colorful stir-fry of bell peppers and onions, and sweet chunks of pineapple.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 40 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4-6 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Takeout Classic
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality pantry staples and fresh ingredients to create its signature vibrant and savory flavor.
- The Tender Baked Meatballs:
- Lean Ground Beef: For the best, most flavorful, and juiciest result, it is highly recommended to use a lean 85/15 ground beef.
- Baking vs. Frying: Baking the meatballs on a parchment-lined sheet is a brilliant, healthy, and easy alternative to pan-frying. It ensures the meatballs cook evenly, creates less mess, and uses significantly less oil.
- The Perfect Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- The Flavor Balance: A great sweet and sour sauce is all about harmony. This recipe achieves that with a classic combination of pineapple juice and brown sugar for the sweet, rice vinegar for the tangy sour, soy sauce for the salty umami, and a touch of tomato paste for depth and a beautiful, vibrant color.
- The Cornstarch Slurry: This is the most important secret to a perfect sauce! It is absolutely crucial to whisk your cornstarch into your cold sauce ingredients before you add the mixture to the hot pan. This is the non-negotiable key that prevents the cornstarch from clumping and guarantees a perfectly smooth, glossy, and beautifully thickened sauce every single time.
- The Stir-Fry: A classic, colorful, and crunchy combination of fresh onion, red bell pepper, and yellow bell pepper, plus the sweet, juicy burst from chunks of pineapple.
Step-by-Step to the Best Sweet and Sour Meatballs
This delicious, one-pan (mostly!) meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Bake the Meatballs
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs: the 1 pound of ground beef, the 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, the 1 large egg, the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
Pro Tip: The number one secret to a tender, not tough, meatball is to not overmix the meat mixture. Use your clean hands to gently combine the ingredients until they are just evenly distributed.
Step 3: Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop or a spoon to portion and roll the mixture into uniform balls. Place the meatballs in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet.
Step 4: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the meatballs are browned and have reached an internal temperature of 160°F.
Part 2: Build the Sauce and Stir-Fry
Step 1: While the meatballs are baking, prepare your sauce and vegetables. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce: the 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, the 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, the 1/4 cup of brown sugar, the 1/2 cup of chicken broth, the 2/3 cup of pineapple juice, the 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, and the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Set this aside.
Step 2: In a large skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon of avocado oil over a medium-high heat. Add your 1 diced medium onion and your diced red and yellow bell peppers. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
Part 3: Combine and Thicken
Step 1: Once the meatballs are done baking, add them to the skillet with the sautéed peppers and onions. Step 2: Give your prepared sauce mixture one final whisk, and then pour it into the skillet over the meatballs and vegetables. Step 3: Let the sauce come to a gentle simmer and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce has thickened beautifully and is glossy. Step 4: Add in your 1/2 cup of diced pineapple and toss everything to combine.
Serve the hot sweet and sour meatballs immediately over a bed of fluffy, steamed rice and garnish with some fresh, chopped cilantro and sliced green onions.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs (Better Than Takeout!)
A hearty and healthy fall-themed salad featuring curry-spiced quinoa and roasted Brussels sprouts on a bed of massaged kale. The quinoa is cooked in vegetable broth with curry powder for a flavorful base, then tossed with sweet dried cranberries, pomegranate arils, and slivered almonds for texture. Shredded Brussels sprouts are roasted until lightly browned and tender. The entire salad is brought together with a simple and tangy lemon Dijon dressing.
Ingredients
- For the Curry Quinoa:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- For the Kale & Brussels Sprouts:
- 3 cups shredded brussels sprouts
- 1 small head kale, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- For the Lemon Dijon Dressing:
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a small pot, combine the quinoa, vegetable broth, and curry powder. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
- While the quinoa cooks, toss the shredded Brussels sprouts with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking pan. Roast for 5-8 minutes, tossing halfway through, until lightly browned.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing (lemon juice, olive oil, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper).
- Assemble the Salad: Add the chopped kale to a large bowl and toss it with the prepared dressing, using your hands to massage the dressing into the kale to tenderize it.
- Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and toss in the pomegranate arils, dried cranberries, and slivered almonds.
- Add the quinoa mixture and the roasted Brussels sprouts to the bowl with the kale and toss everything to combine. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This is a healthy, well-balanced vegetarian and gluten-free meal, perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
- Massaging the kale with the dressing is a key step that helps to break down its tough texture, making it more tender and pleasant to eat.
- Roasting the Brussels sprouts brings out their nutty, sweet flavor, which complements the other ingredients in the salad.
- Watch the Brussels sprouts closely while they roast, as they can burn quickly.
What to Serve With Your Sweet and Sour Meatballs
This beautiful and rich dish is a fantastic, all-in-one meal. It pairs wonderfully with classic, simple side dishes.
- Fluffy Rice: A bed of simple, steamed white or brown rice is the perfect, classic partner for this dish, ideal for sopping up every last drop of that incredible, savory-sweet sauce.
- Steamed Vegetables: A side of simple, steamed broccoli or some crispy snow peas is another fantastic and healthy choice.
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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe is the ultimate make-ahead and freezer-friendly meal.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the entire dish a day or two in advance and store it in the refrigerator. The flavors will actually be even more delicious on the second day!
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: The baked meatballs and the finished sauce both freeze beautifully! You can freeze the components separately or the entire finished dish in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a perfectly smooth and glossy, not lumpy, sweet and sour sauce?
The secret is to create a cornstarch slurry by whisking your cornstarch into your cold liquid ingredients before you add them to the hot pan. Cornstarch granules need to be fully dispersed in a cold liquid first. If you add dry cornstarch directly to a hot liquid, it will seize up and create lumps immediately.
Q2: Can I make these meatballs ahead of time and freeze them?
Yes, absolutely! The baked meatballs freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, then you can lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once they are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe, resealable bag. You can then add them directly to the simmering sauce from frozen.
Q3: Can I make this recipe in a slow cooker?
Yes, this is a fantastic slow cooker recipe, especially for a party! Simply bake your meatballs as directed. While they are baking, sauté your vegetables in a skillet. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to your slow cooker. Whisk together your sauce ingredients and pour it over the vegetables. Add the baked meatballs, stir everything together, and cook on Low for 2-3 hours.
Q4: Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?
Of course! Fresh pineapple will be absolutely delicious. You will need about 1/2 cup of fresh, diced pineapple and about 2/3 cup of fresh pineapple juice.
Q5: Can I make this recipe with a different ground meat?
Yes! This recipe is wonderfully versatile. It would also be delicious with an equal amount of ground pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken.