Sweet and Sour Meatballs
These sweet and sour meatballs are easy to make with homemade meatballs, peppers, and pineapple, tossed in a tangy sauce. Serve over rice for a simple meal or as an appetizer.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1/2 inch piece ginger grated
- 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/8 teapoon salt
- 1 pound ground beef
For the Stir-Fry
- 1 medium sweet red pepper cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 green onions sliced (reserve green parts for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for frying meatballs
For the Sauce
- 2 cups sweet and sour sauce (see notes for options)
For Serving (Optional)
- 3 cups cooked rice (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Prepare your preferred sweet and sour sauce. You can use either of the following:• Orange Sweet and Sour Sauce• Cherry Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Set aside until ready to use.
Make the Meatball Mixture
- In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, breadcrumbs, garlic, ginger, Chinese five-spice powder, pepper, and salt. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb the liquid.
- Add the ground beef and mix gently until just combined.
Brown the Meatballs
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and add to the skillet as you work.
- Cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the pan.
- Reserve about 1 tablespoon of drippings and drain off excess grease.
Cook the Vegetables
- Add the peppers and the white part of the sliced green onions to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened.
Add Sauce and Finish
- Return the meatballs to the pan. Add about 1 cup of the sweet and sour sauce, stir to coat, and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the pineapple chunks and green onion tops.
- Serve over rice with additional sweet and sour sauce spooned over the top.
Notes
You can use homemade orange or cherry sweet and sour sauce for different flavor variations.
The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep the texture tender.
If the sauce thickens too much during reheating, add a splash of water to loosen it.
If the sauce thickens too much during reheating, add a splash of water to loosen it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupCalories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 20gFat: 20gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 480mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20g
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