Sweet And Sour Meatballs
Tender, juicy meatballs drenched in a sticky sweet and sour sauce. Serve solo with toothpicks for a tasty appetizer or make them into a full meal by serving over rice with roasted veggies on the side!
Servings: 6 - About 5 meatballs each.
Calories: 483kcal
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet *I use my 3 qt stainless steel skillet for this recipe.
Ingredients
Meatballs *see note below
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20% *see note below
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs *see note below
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon mustard *regular yellow or dijon
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper
Sweet And Sour Sauce
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ⅔ cup cool water
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar *or white vinegar, rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup orange juice *or pineapple juice *see note below
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Recipe notes:
Panko: I use Kikkoman brand (they're egg & dairy free). If you're accommodating food allergies like me, be sure to check labels. Meatballs: I love homemade meatballs in this recipe, but frozen are also delicious! I use Cooked Perfect All Natural frozen meatballs because they're egg and dairy free (my daughter has food allergies). You can also make your own meatballs ahead of time for easier weeknight cooking. Ground beef: Fattier beef works best for this recipe. Fat acts as a binder and prevents meatballs from crumbling. Egg is often used as a binder in meatballs, but I keep mine egg free. Fat is a good replacement binder, making egg unnecessary. Juice: If you opt to use pineapple juice from a can of pineapples, you can also choose to mix pineapple chunks into your dish so they don't go to waste.Instructions
- Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Mix well to combine but don't overwork the meat which can result in a dense/tough texture.½ cup panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon mustard, 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, 2 pounds ground beef 80/20%
- Roll mixture into 1-inch (1 ounce) balls. You'll have about 30 meatballs in total. Brown on all sides in a skillet over medium-high heat. Work in batches if necessary.
- While meatballs brown, combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well.⅔ cup ketchup, ⅔ cup cool water, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar, ⅓ cup orange juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon corn starch
- Once meatballs are fully browned, pour sauce into the skillet and stir everything together gently. Reduce heat to medium, place a lid on the skillet and cook everything together for about 10 minutes.
- Remove lid and simmer 5 minutes longer until sauce is thickened and glossy.
- Serve and enjoy!
Storage:
- Leftovers: Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate 3-4 days. Freeze up to 4 months.Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop. Add a splash of water to thin if needed.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6th of recipe, about five meatballs. (All values are approximate). | Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.9g | Protein: 26.4g | Fat: 29.6g | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 20.4g