Travel back in time with Sweet and Sour Meatballs, an American classic that promises heartwarming, homemade goodness in every bite! Dive into baked ground beef meatballs covered in homemade sweet and sour sauce. They're great as an appetizer or served over rice for a hearty dinner.
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What makes sweet and sour meatballs the perfect throwback party recipe?
The party scene in the 1950s and 60s was obsessed with meatballs. Of course, Swedish Meatballs may have been the most popular. But there were other options as well, including Grape and Chili Sauce Meatballs, and Sweet and Sour Meatballs.
The juicy beef and tangy, sweet, and salty sauce in Sweet and Sour Meatballs made it an instant favorite back then and is sure to be a hit with your guests today.
Why you'll love this Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe
This version of the recipe for Sweet and Sour Meatballs is slightly modified for modern tastes. Gone are the pineapple chunks and the green pepper strips, replaced by a smooth, sticky sauce that clings to the meatballs.
This dish is inexpensive and easy to make ahead of time, and you can keep it warm throughout the entire party, giving you more time to enjoy yourself.
Easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs ingredients
For the meatballs, you'll need:
- Ground chuck
- Unseasoned dry breadcrumbs or Panko
- Onion powder
- Granulated garlic
- Ground ginger
- Dry parsley
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Egg
- Whole milk
For the sweet and sour sauce, you'll need:
- Light brown sugar
- Water
- Cornstarch
- Ketchup
- Apple cider vinegar
- Soy sauce
For serving, you'll need:
- Green onions (optional)
- Sesame seeds (optional)
How to make meatballs with sweet and sour sauce
For the meatballs:
- Put the dry breadcrumbs, onion powder, granulated garlic, ground ginger, salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Beat an egg and add it to the bowl along with the whole milk.
- Use your fingertips to combine the ingredients thoroughly. Try not to squeeze the meat to prevent the meatballs from being too dense.
- Use a one-ounce food scoop to portion the meatballs and roll them into balls using slightly damp hands.
- Place the rolled meatballs on a greased rimmed baking tray and cover them with plastic wrap. Chill for about 20 minutes in the fridge to give time for the breadcrumbs to soak in the moisture.
- While the meatballs are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the rimmed baking tray of chilled meatballs in the oven.
- Bake until browned, about 16 to 18 minutes.
For the sweet and sour sauce:
- Place a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Pour in the light brown sugar, water, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, and soy sauce.
- Continuously whisk until the sugar melts and the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat if it comes to a full boil.
- Take the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool for about a minute before carefully tossing the cooked meatballs with it.
- Serve the meatballs over buttered rice or transfer the meatballs and sauce to a Crockpot set on WARM or a chaffing dish, and sprinkle chopped green onions or sesame seeds on top for garnish.
What to serve with them
Lots of people keep meatballs with sweet and sour sauce warm in a chaffing dish and let their guests serve themselves. But you can try these other options instead:
- Turn them into a meal. These meatballs make a great main course as well. Spoon the meatballs and plenty of sauce over buttered white rice, mashed potatoes, or soft polenta.
- Make skewers. Go old-school by threading meatballs, pineapple chunks, and grilled chunks of green pepper on a bamboo skewer.
- Dish up some sliders. Hawaiian Sweet Rolls make the ideal bun for these meatball sliders.
How to store Sweet and Sour Meatballs
In an airtight container, you can refrigerate room-temperature meatballs for up to three days. To save them for longer than that, freeze them in a freezer-safe container.
What is the best way to reheat them?
In a pinch, you can warm refrigerated or frozen meatballs in the microwave, but you'll get better results on the stovetop:
- Place a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the thawed meatballs and sauce.
- Slowly warm the meatballs while stirring. You may need to add water to thin out the sauce and prevent it from scorching.
What is the origin of Sweet and Sour Meatballs?
Although using contrasting sweet and sour flavors in a single dish is prevalent in most cuisines, Sweet and Sour Meatballs probably draws its initial inspiration from mid-century American-Chinese and Tiki-style restaurants. Many of the menu items at these restaurants included pineapples, an exotic ingredient in the 50s and 60s.
As canned pineapples were increasingly available to shoppers across the US, home cooks came up with dozens of new and unique ways to use them. Over time, apple cider vinegar replaced the pineapple chunks, and the green pepper strips disappeared, but the basic recipe remained the same.
More vintage dinner recipes
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground chuck
- ½ cup unseasoned dry breadcrumbs you can use panko
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon dry parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
For Serving
- buttered rice
- green onion tops sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or use a Silpat mat.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs and mix to combine.
- Scoop the mixture into portions using a 1-ounce scoop, and roll each portion into a ball. Place the meatballs onto the cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the meatballs are cooking, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium pot and whisk until well blended. Cook over medium-low heat until the sauce becomes opaque and thick.
- To serve, place the meatballs on a bed of buttered rice. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and garnish with green onions.
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