Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

These sweet and sour meatballs are bursting with sweet, hot, sour, and garlicky flavors! It’s perfect for a quick and easy dinner that tastes like takeout!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe - The Big Man's World ® (1)

I love quick, hearty, flavorful dinner ideas. And when you crave takeout dishes like honey walnut shrimp or Empress chicken, this sweet and sour meatballs recipe fits right in.

The tanginess from the vinegar, sweetness from the brown sugar, subtle heat from the chili sauce, and fragrance from the garlic make these sweet and sour meatballs incredibly satisfying!

Table of Contents
  1. Why this recipe works
  2. Ingredients Needed
  3. How to make sweet and sour meatballs
  4. Can I use a crockpot?
  5. Tips to make the best recipe
  6. Storage instructions
  7. More delicious ways to enjoy meatballs
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Sweet and Sour Meatballs (Recipe Card)

Why this recipe works

I tend to make these meatballs for quick dinners, but they are also great for entertaining too. When I have to feed a crowd, it’s so easy to double or triple this recipe, and there are NEVER any leftovers.

  • Easy to make. If you think making meatballs would be time-consuming and tedious, try this recipe. Trust me, it’ll soon become your kitchen regular.
  • It tastes like takeout. This copycat recipe tastes like the one from your favorite takeout but is homemade, healthier, and cheaper.
  • Quick to make. It takes about 30 minutes to make, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights or when you want something fast.

Ingredients Needed

These sweet and sour meatballs are so easy to make: besides the meat and some seasonings, there isn’t much else that is needed. Here is what you’ll need:

  • Ground beef. I have used ground beef, but feel free to combine ground beef and pork to make your meatballs. Ensure your ground meat has a little fat in it so the meatballs remain juicy.
  • Bread crumbs. Any regular breadcrumbs will do, but I like to use Italian flavored ones because they work so well with the sauce.
  • Onion. For the flavor. Personally, I find grating the onion really adds some depth of flavor compared to mincing or chopping them up.
  • Egg. To bind everything together.
  • Salt and pepper. To taste.
  • Italian seasoning. To flavor the meatballs.
  • Oil. To sauté the meatballs.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

  • Oil. To sauté the aromatics. Any neutral oil will work for this step.
  • Garlic. For a smooth sauce, I prefer using minced garlic.
  • Water. To make the sauce. If I have leftover vegetable or chicken stock, I use it instead of water for added flavor.
  • Vinegar. For the acidity. White vinegar is best, but apple cider vinegar will also work. If you don’t have either on hand, use some lemon juice.
  • Sweet chili sauce. This slightly spicy and sweet sauce is my absolute favorite. Buy Thai or Asian sweet chili sauce from any grocery store.
  • Light brown sugar. It adds a lovely color and the necessary sweetness to the recipe.
  • Salt. To taste.
  • Cornstarch. To thicken the sauce.

How to make sweet and sour meatballs

You don’t have to wait hours to enjoy this mouthwatering recipe. Making my favorite version takes a little over half an hour and six simple steps. Here’s an overview!

  1. Make the meatball mix: Combine the sweet and sour meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Shape the meatballs: Make roughly 1-1/2 inch wide meatballs using your hands.
  3. Cook the meatballs: Cook the meatballs with oil over medium heat until evenly browned on all sides. Then, remove them from the pan.
  4. Make the sweet and sour sauce: Clean your skillet, heat oil, and sauté garlic until fragrant over medium heat. Add the water, vinegar, sweet chili sauce, sugar, and salt, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Thicken the sauce: Add cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water) to the skillet, stir well, and simmer until it thickens.
  6. Coat the meatballs: Add the cooked beef meatballs back into the skillet and stir until all are coated with the sweet and sour sauce.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe - The Big Man's World ® (2)

Can I use a crockpot?

You can totally make this dish in the crockpot. Crockpot sweet and sour meatballs are more hands-off, but the meatballs still turn out extra juicy and tender. Also, it requires even less clean up!

To slow cook, combine meatballs with a sauce in the crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Tips to make the best recipe

  • Use a stand mixer: To mix the ingredients efficiently, combine the meatball mixture in a stand mixer on a paddle attachment.
  • Chill the mixture: While it is not essential, chilling the mixture helps it bind better and easier to handle.
  • Make the sauce ahead of time: Make the sauce up to a week in advance to save time. When ready to eat, prep your meatballs and toss them with the premade sauce. Or use store-bought sweet and sour sauce to save time.
  • Adjust the sweetness: Reduce the sugar quantity if you like your sauce a little less sweet. Substitute brown sugar with honey, agave, or maple syrup instead for a deeper flavor.

Storage instructions

Leftover meatballs soak up all the sauces and taste better the next day. Here’s how you can store them:

To store. Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

To freeze. Freeze the leftover meatballs in freezer-safe containers for 4-5 months.

To reheat. Allow the frozen sweet and sour balls to thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave before serving, and serve hot.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe - The Big Man's World ® (3)

More delicious ways to enjoy meatballs

  • Eggplant meatballs
  • Keto meatballs
  • Lamb meatballs
  • Albondigas soup
  • Meatball sub
  • Meatballs and gravy

Frequently asked questions

How many meatballs does this recipe make?

Depending on the size of the rolled meatballs, you can expect to make 12-15 meatballs using this recipe.

What side goes with sweet and sour meatballs?

Anything that soaks up the glorious sauce makes the perfect side dish. I love white rice, mashed potatoes, or even mashed sweet potatoes.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe - The Big Man's World ® (4)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

5 from 12 votes

These sweet and sour meatballs are bursting with sweet, hot, sour, and garlicky flavors! It's perfect for a quick and easy dinner that tastes like takeout!

Servings: 4 servings

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Rate This Recipe

Print

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 small onion grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon oil

Sweet and sour sauce

  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons water divided
  • 1/3 cup vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce optional
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, bread crumbs, grated onion, egg, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and mix well.

  • Using your hands, shape them into small meatballs, around 1 1/2 inches wide.

  • Add oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat. Cook the meatballs until evenly browned on all sides. Remove the meatballs from the pan.

  • Wipe the skillet, add oil, and place back over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add 2/3 cups of the water, vinegar, sweet chili sauce, sugar, and salt and allow everything to simmer for 5 minutes.

  • Mix the cornstarch with the remaining two tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Add it to the skillet and stir well. Continue simmering everything until it thickens.

  • Add the meatballs back into the skillet and gently mix until completely coated in the sweet and sour sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 328kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 30gFat: 10gSodium: 773mgPotassium: 501mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 78IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 5mgNET CARBS: 24g

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Author: Arman Liew

Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe - The Big Man's World ® (2024)

FAQs

Can I freeze uncooked meatballs? ›

You could freeze the uncooked meatballs if that suits your schedule better. We suggest putting the formed meatballs onto a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment (parchment paper). Loosely cover the baking sheet with food wrap then freeze the meatballs until solid.

How many calories are in sweet and sour meatballs? ›

Today's Kitchen
Nutrition Facts
For a Serving Size of 4 meatballs (112g)
How many calories are in Sweet & Sour Meatballs? Amount of calories in Sweet & Sour Meatballs: Calories 270Calories from Fat 144 (53.3%)
% Daily Value *
How much fat is in Sweet & Sour Meatballs? Amount of fat in Sweet & Sour Meatballs: Total Fat 16g-
17 more rows

How to reheat sweet and sour meatballs? ›

Sweet and sour meatballs will last in the fridge for up to 4 days if stored in an airtight container. Reheat. The best way to reheat meatballs is in the oven, for 8-10 minutes at 350°F.

Can I freeze meatballs? ›

Meatballs make great freezer meals. They can be frozen either cooked or uncooked and keep well for up to 2 months. For super convenient and time saving meals, simply make a double batch of meatballs and freeze the extra!

Is it better to freeze meatballs in sauce or not? ›

Freezing raw would work. That said, we usually eat Italian style meatballs with a tomato sauce - browning them first then finish cooking in the sauce. They freeze very well in the sauce and, defrosted, reheat nicely.

What can I add to meatballs to stick together? ›

Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

What sticks meatballs together? ›

Egg: A lot of meatball recipes add egg to the mince mixture because it helps to bind the balls together. Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs also help to bind your meatballs. If the mince mixture is quite wet, breadcrumbs will help soak up excess moisture so that the balls don't fall apart.

How much sugar is in sweet and sour meatballs? ›

Nutrition Facts
Sweet and Sour Meatballs (5)
Sugar16 g
Protein16 g
Vitamin A0 IU
13 more rows

How many calories are in homemade sweet sour Meatballs? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
601Calories
26gFat
71gCarbs
20gProtein
Feb 15, 2023

Is Sweet and Sour high in calories? ›

Homemade recipes can vary, but a typical serving of sweet and sour sauce might contain around 50-70 calories per 2-tablespoon serving.

How long can you keep sweet and sour meatballs in the fridge? ›

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.

Why do you chill meatballs before baking? ›

This is especially important when working with pork, turkey and chicken, which are very wet when ground. Refrigerating gives the fat in the meat time to solidify, which helps maintain the shape. Chill your meatballs for anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on their size.

Is it safe to reheat meatballs twice? ›

If food has been hygienically prepared, cooled quickly after cooking (or reheating) and stored cold, reheating more than once should not increase the risk of illness. However, prolonged storage and repeated reheating will affect the taste, texture, and sometimes the nutritional quality of foods.

Is it better to freeze meatballs, cooked or uncooked? ›

Yes, you can definitely cook meatballs and then freeze them for later use. In fact, it's a great way to save time and have a quick meal on hand for busy weeknights.

How do you freeze dry meatballs? ›

Freeze drying meatballs is easy. Arrange whole or halved meatballs on the trays, run the freeze dryer through a standard setting (add more dry time, if needed), then store in an air-tight container. Rehydrate slowly with hot water, covered in a dish, or in a microwave until water is absorbed.

Can frozen meatballs be thawed before cooking? ›

In this case, transferring the frozen meat from the freezer to the refrigerator is usually the preferred method. The refrigerator allows the meat to defrost gradually without subjecting it to a major temperature change, which can affect the taste and texture of the dish.

How long do uncooked meatballs last in the fridge? ›

Kitchen Fact: Raw ground meats and poultry should be cooked in 2 days, and roasts, steaks, and chops should be cooked in five days. For raw poultry, ground meats, and other chopped-up cuts of meat, cook them within two days.

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