Sweet And Sour Meatballs
Tender meatballs simmered in a tangy and sweet homemade sauce, perfect over rice or noodles.
Servings: 4
Adjust the serving amount to scale the ingredient list. Written quantities in the steps refer to the original recipe; adjust them in the same proportion. Timing may vary with batch size.
Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
- 0.25 cup milk
- 1 egg egg
- 0.25 cup finely chopped onion
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil for browning
- 0.5 cup ketchup
- 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar
- 0.25 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 0.5 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- 0.5 cup diced pineapple optional, for garnish
- 1 serving cooked rice for serving
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, chopped onion, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined; do not overmix.
- Shape the mixture into 16 small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. They do not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and pineapple juice. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet, spooning sauce over them. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve hot over cooked rice, garnished with diced pineapple if desired.
Notes
For a thicker sauce, increase the cornstarch slurry slightly. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.