This sweet and sour meatballs recipe has become a family favorite in my kitchen. The moment these little flavor bombs hit the table, they disappear in minutes. I first tried them at a friend’s gathering and knew I had to recreate them at home. The tangy sauce balances perfectly with the tender meatballs, making this dish a go-to for busy weeknights or casual weekend dinners.
Beyond being delicious, this recipe is easy to scale up for a crowd or halve for just a couple of servings. You’ll love how simple pantry ingredients transform into something extraordinary. Here’s how I make these irresistible sweet and sour meatballs.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 onion, chopped
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
½ cup ketchup
½ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
Make the meatballs:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, chopped onion, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until well blended. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs—I usually get about 20 to 24.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on all sides and cooked through, turning gently to keep their shape. You can do this in batches if needed so the pan doesn’t get overcrowded.
Make the sauce:
In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, water, ketchup, cider vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch until the mixture is smooth and the cornstarch is fully dissolved.
Pour the sauce over the cooked meatballs in the skillet. Bring the heat down to low and let it simmer, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens—this usually takes about 3 to 5 minutes. The sauce should be glossy and cling to the meatballs beautifully.
Serve warm with rice, noodles, or on their own as a tasty little treat.
These meatballs are always a hit, whether it’s dinner at home or something you’re taking to a potluck. They’re easy to make, full of flavor, and that sauce is just so good you’ll want to drizzle it over everything.
