Description
This Easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe features tender baked meatballs coated in a tangy, flavorful sweet and sour sauce. Perfect as an appetizer or a main dish served over rice or noodles, this dish combines the savory goodness of ground beef with a bright, balanced sauce made from ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce. The meatballs are simple to prepare and baked to juicy perfection, making it a family-friendly meal ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef (or combination of meats)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (cornstarch slurry)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatballs: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it reaches the correct temperature while you prepare the meatballs.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, salt, and black pepper. Use your hands or a spoon to mix everything until well combined but do not overwork the mixture.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs, ensuring they are evenly sized for consistent cooking. Place the formed meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown and fully cooked through. Use a meat thermometer if desired to confirm an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- Make the Sauce: While the meatballs bake, prepare the sweet and sour sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Stir occasionally and bring to a simmer.
- Thicken Sauce: Stir in the cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) into the simmering sauce. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened to a glossy consistency.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Add the baked meatballs into the saucepan with the thickened sauce. Toss gently to coat each meatball thoroughly in the sweet and sour sauce.
- Simmer Together: Allow the meatballs to simmer in the sauce for an additional 5 minutes. This helps the flavors meld and the meatballs soak up the delicious sauce.
- Serve: Serve the sweet and sour meatballs hot as an appetizer, or over steamed rice or noodles for a satisfying main dish.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef with ground pork, chicken, or a mix of meats for different flavor profiles.
- For gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs and tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Adjust the sweetness or tanginess of the sauce to taste by altering the amount of brown sugar or vinegar.
- To make meatballs ahead, bake and store them separately, then reheat in the sauce just before serving.
- Leftover meatballs in sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
