Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Looking for the perfect blend of sweet and tangy? Try our Sweet & Sour Meatballs recipe, it’s sure to be a hit at your dinner table.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs are a classic for a reason. Tasty meatballs, bell peppers, and pineapple mixed with a sauce that’s both sweet and tangy – it’s like a party in your mouth!

In this blog post, we’re going to learn how to make these delicious meatballs step by step. Don’t worry, it’s easy – even if you’re not a kitchen whiz.

So, let’s roll up our sleeves, gather our ingredients, and get ready to cook up some serious flavour. Trust me, once you try these Sweet & Sour Meatballs, you’ll want to make them again and again. Let’s get started!

About the Ingredients for Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Cornstarch – To thicken the sauce when it cooks.

Rice vinegar – The sour part of the sauce, helps to balance out the sweetness. You can substitute with apple cider vinegar.

Brown sugar – The sweet part of the sauce. I would not use granulated sugar or substitute with other sugars.

Ketchup – Ketchup boosts the flavour and gives the sauce it’s signature red colour.

Pineapple – The juice gives the sauce a fruity flavour. I got the perfect amount of juice from the cans.

Soya sauce – It not only seasons the sauce with saltiness but also has a bit of sweet and sour going on itself.

Ginger – Can be omitted but I think fresh ginger adds great flavour to sweet and sour sauce.

Oil – Any neutral flavoured oil for frying will work.

Veg – Onions and bell peppers are wonderful in sweet and sour and pairs perfectly with the meatballs.

Pineapple – The pineapple chunks are my favourite part of this dish. They balance out the meatballs incredibly well. I have not tried fresh pineapple but that should work in place of the canned pineapple.

Meatballs – Use your favourite frozen meatballs or make homemade meatballs. They should be small in size. If you have time you can cook the meatballs first to get them browned, then set aside and prepare the recipe as directed.

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How to Make Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Ingredients:

For the Sweet & Sour Sauce:

• ½ tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 cup pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple
• 2 tablespoons soya sauce
• ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

Main Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 20 oz (591 ml) can pineapple chunks, juice reserved for sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 32 oz (907 g) frozen meatballs

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine together the cornstarch and water, whisking until smooth. (Image 1) Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients. (Image 2) Set aside.

Heat a large wok or pan over medium high heat. Add the oil, onion and bell peppers and cook for until onion softens slightly. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. (Image 3)

Add the meatballs and pineapple chunks to your pan and continue to cook until meatballs are heated through, about 5 minutes. (Image 4)

Give your sweet and sour sauce a quick stir, then pour into the pan, and stir well. (Image 5)

Cook, stirring often, until the sauce boils then thickens and coats everything. (Image 6)

Serve with rice.