Description
This Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe features tender ground beef meatballs cooked to perfection and tossed in a vibrant sweet and tangy homemade sauce with bell peppers, pineapple chunks, and aromatic onions. Perfectly prepared in an air fryer or oven, these meatballs are a deliciously balanced meal served over rice that’s ready in just 30 minutes, making it an ideal weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large onion (shredded or finely chopped)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Vegetables and Finishing
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- ½ cup pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, shredded onion, eggs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly and shape into small golf ball-sized meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer in the basket of an air fryer. Air fry at 380°F for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through for even cooking. Alternatively, place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
- Make the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, brown sugar, chicken broth, ketchup, tomato paste, pineapple juice, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the veggies. Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and bell peppers, sauté for 1 minute, then add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the sauce and thicken. Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the wok with the vegetables. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add meatballs and pineapple. Gently add the cooked meatballs and pineapple chunks to the wok. Toss everything together to coat evenly with the sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes to combine flavors, then remove from heat.
- Serve immediately. Serve the sweet and sour meatballs hot over a bed of cooked rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- You can swap ground beef for ground pork or turkey depending on your preference.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, baking the meatballs in the oven is an excellent alternative.
- Adjust the sweetness or tanginess of the sauce by modifying the brown sugar or rice vinegar to suit your taste.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Leftover meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
