This Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe is bursting with flavor from a tangy sweet-and-sour sauce, colorful bell peppers, and juicy pineapple. Serve the meatballs over rice for a comforting, takeout-style dinner the whole family will love.
author’s note
Dinner That’ll Have Everyone Going Back for More!
Meatballs are a reliable weeknight solution for me, especially when I’m deciding what to make for dinner. After making a sweet and sour chicken stir-fry, I swapped the chicken for ground beef and rolled the mixture into meatballs — and it was a hit. These meatballs are tender and juicy, and the sauce is tangy and slightly sweet. My kids ask for this one on repeat, and it comes together quickly enough for a busy evening.
The texture of panko in the meatballs and the addition of mandarin oranges and pineapple give this dish a fresh, balanced flavor. Finish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions for a restaurant-style presentation at home.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Helpful Note |
|---|---|
| Ground Beef | Use 85/15 for extra flavor and juiciness. |
| Panko Breadcrumbs | Gives a crispier texture than regular breadcrumbs. |
| Coconut Milk | Full-fat gives a richer flavor; lite works too. |
| Bell Peppers | A mix of colors makes the dish vibrant, but any bell pepper will work. |
| Mandarin Oranges | Choose canned in juice (not syrup) for natural sweetness. |
| Yellow Onion | Grating helps it cook faster and distribute flavor evenly. |
| Pineapple Chunks | Drain well and reserve the juice for the sauce. |
Featured Comment
“Love this recipe — the house smells amazing and it tastes so good!”
– Joy
How To Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Mix: Combine ground beef, panko, egg, coconut milk, grated onion, and seasonings. Mix just until combined and shape into meatballs.
- Cook: Broil or pan-sear the meatballs until cooked through and nicely browned.
- Sauté: Cook grated onion, garlic, fresh ginger, and chopped bell peppers until crisp-tender.
- Make sauce: Whisk together sugar, rice vinegar, pineapple juice, ketchup, soy and oyster sauces, Worcestershire, and a cornstarch slurry; simmer until thick.
- Toss and serve: Add mandarin oranges and pineapple to the sauce, then toss meatballs with the sauce and veggies. Serve over cooked rice.
Meatball Tips
- Avoid overmixing: Stir the meatball mixture only until ingredients are combined to keep meatballs tender.
- Keep ingredients cold: Cold meat and wet ingredients make rolling easier. Lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking.
- Size: Aim for meatballs about 1 1/4 inches in diameter so they cook evenly. A small scoop helps keep sizes consistent.
- Cooking temperature: Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160°F for ground beef.
- Nonstick surface: When broiling or baking, line and grease the pan to prevent sticking and aid cleanup.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Store cooked sauce, meatballs, and rice separately in airtight containers for 3–4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze meatballs or sauce for up to 3 months in sealed containers or freezer bags.
- Reheat: Thaw if frozen and reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through. Reheat sauce on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen it.
Pair Sweet And Sour Meatballs With:
Side Dishes
Roasted Asparagus (Two Ways!)
Salads
Asian Cucumber Salad
Salads
Asian Pasta Salad
Fruit Salads
Peach Fruit Salad
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Equipment
- Sheet pan (15″ x 10″)
- Aluminum foil
- Large pan or wok
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef (85/15)
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup coconut milk (full-fat or lite)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Veggies
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 cup grated yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces (mix colors if desired)
- 1/2 cup mandarin oranges, canned in juice
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, canned in juice
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pineapple juice (from the can)
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup water
- 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
- Cooked rice, for serving
- Toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler to high with the oven rack positioned about 4 inches from the heating element. Line a sheet pan with foil and grease it well with cooking spray or a little oil.
- Prepare produce: grate the yellow onion to measure 1/2 cup. Grate garlic and fresh ginger on a fine grater to yield about 1 teaspoon each. Cut bell peppers into 1-inch pieces. Measure 1/2 cup mandarin oranges, including juice, and drain 1 cup of pineapple chunks, reserving 3 tablespoons of the pineapple juice for the sauce.
- Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, panko, dried minced onion, grated onion, egg, coconut milk, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Lightly oil your hands and roll the mixture into meatballs about 1½ tablespoons each (roughly 30–32 meatballs). Place on the prepared sheet pan, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and broil. Flip every 2 minutes and check for doneness with a meat thermometer; meatballs are done when they reach 160°F. Broiling typically takes 4–8 minutes depending on your oven.
- Cook the veggies: While the meatballs cook, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add grated onion, garlic, and fresh ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook 4–6 minutes until they are mostly crisp-tender.
- Make the sauce: To the pan with veggies, add granulated sugar, rice vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and the mandarin oranges with their juice. Gently mash the oranges as you stir. Whisk the cornstarch and water until smooth, then pour the slurry into the pan while whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a rapid simmer and simmer 1–2 minutes, then reduce heat and simmer another 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in the drained pineapple chunks and remove from heat, finishing with sesame oil.
- Assemble and serve: Place cooked rice on plates or a serving platter. Arrange the meatballs on top and spoon the sweet-and-sour sauce and vegetables over them. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: If you prefer more sauce, reduce the meatball quantities by half so there’s more sauce per meatball.
Note 2: Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style crumbs that produce a lighter, crispier texture. They’ll usually be found near other breadcrumbs or in the Asian food aisle.
Note 3: Rice suggestion — basmati works well with this dish. For stovetop basmati: rinse the rice until water runs clear, soak 5–10 minutes, then boil in a large pot of water for 5 minutes until tender; drain and fluff with a fork.
Storage: Store sauce, meatballs, and rice separately in airtight containers. Each will stay good for 4–5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 909 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 74 g |
Protein: 52 g |
Fat: 44 g |
Saturated Fat: 20 g |
Cholesterol: 201 mg |
Sodium: 865 mg |
Potassium: 1203 mg |
Fiber: 6 g |
Sugar: 41 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used only as an approximation.