This sweet and sour meatballs recipe is a craveable balance of sweet, sour, and umami that pairs perfectly over fluffy white rice, and it’s a total throwback! In my early 20s, I had a fabulous roommate who made Midwestern food I’d never tasted before. One day, I came home from working at a little wine bar and she had made sweet and sour meatballs. What in the world? They were heavenly! I’d never had anything that tasted like them. I remember her telling me there was grape jelly in the sauce, and my mind was blown.
Since then, I’ve adapted my own version of Lydia’s meatballs, adding fresh apple, peppers, and onions. This version is comforting and totally reminds me of the ’90s. I think of Lydia often when I’m cooking, and I’m so grateful for all the fun recipes I got to try while we lived together. She was a gem — and just the best cook. I hope you make these for your family and enjoy them as much as we do!
How to Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs
To make these delicious sweet and sour meatballs, start by preheating your oven to 425°F and lining a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine 2 pounds of ground meat (beef, pork, or turkey work well), 2 eggs, 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs, half of a grated yellow onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, ¼ cup of finely chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder, a pinch of chili flakes if desired, and salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix the ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat. Roll the mixture into about 24 golf ball-sized meatballs and place them evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a 9×13-inch baking dish. In the same dish, add the sauce ingredients: 1 cup of sweet BBQ sauce, ½ cup of white vinegar (reserving 2 tablespoons), 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 diced purple onion, 1 diced green bell pepper, and 2 cups of chopped fresh pineapple. Gently stir the sauce around the meatballs to coat them well. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F, and bake for 1 hour.
Once baked, remove the foil, stir in the reserved vinegar, and taste the sauce for seasoning. Serve the meatballs hot over steamed white rice and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro for a bright, flavorful finish.
Sweet and Sour Meatballs: Tips, Serving Ideas & Leftover Magic
These sweet and sour meatballs aren’t just delicious—they’re super versatile and perfect for making ahead or turning into exciting new meals. Once your meatballs are hot and ready, keep things simple with steamed jasmine rice or dress up your plate with a crisp cucumber salad tossed in rice vinegar and sesame oil, or some blistered green beans with garlic. For drinks, a fruity mocktail like pineapple-ginger soda or a chilled glass of riesling pairs beautifully. You can even set up a rice bowl bar with toppings like scallions, toasted sesame seeds, or crushed peanuts for a fun, customizable dinner.
Don’t forget about leftovers—these meatballs often taste even better the next day. Chop a few and tuck them into a hoagie with extra sauce and melty cheese for a tangy meatball sub. Or toss them with rice noodles and sautéed veggies for a quick stir-fry. They’re also great as appetizers when skewered with pineapple chunks and broiled until sticky and golden.
Planning ahead? This recipe is freezer-friendly, too. Roll the raw meatballs and freeze them on a sheet tray before transferring to a zip-top bag for longer storage. You can also bake them first and freeze with or without the sauce. To reheat, warm in a covered dish at 350°F until heated through—easy dinners whenever you need them.
Whether you’re feeding a crowd, meal prepping, or craving comforting flavor, these sweet and sour meatballs have got you covered.
More Recipes from Rustic Joyful Food
If you loved this Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe, you’ll love any of these equally delicious options!
- Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls (with Cream Cheese Icing!)
- Chocolate Orange Flourless Cake
- Lazy Blueberry Scoop Scones
Purchase Books by Danielle Kartes of Rustic Joyful Food from these booksellers:
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Food processor or sharp knife
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Rimmed baking sheet
- parchment paper
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Foil
- Oven
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground meat beef, pork, or turkey — I used beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ yellow onion grated or finely minced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch of chili flakes optional
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Sweet & Sour Sauce
- 1 cup sweet BBQ sauce
- ½ cup white vinegar plus 2 tablespoons reserved
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 medium purple onion cut into large bite-sized chunks
- 1 large green bell pepper cut into large bite-sized chunks
- 2 cups chopped fresh pineapple same size as pepper pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, gently mix all meatball ingredients until just combined. (Tip: use a food processor to finely mince the onion, garlic, and cilantro.)
- Roll into 24 golf ball-sized meatballs or 48 smaller ones.
- Arrange meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
- Transfer meatballs to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour in the sauce ingredients (except the reserved vinegar), stir gently to coat.
- Lower oven temperature to 350°F, cover the dish tightly with foil, and bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven, discard foil, stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot over white rice and garnish with extra cilantro.