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These Sweet and Sour Meatballs are tender, juicy bites of meat simmered in a tangy, sticky-sweet glaze. Serve them as an appetizer or over rice for dinner; they’re always a crowd favorite. Best of all? You can make them in the slow cooker or on the stovetop!

Glazed sweet & sour meatballs in a white crock with scallions.

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I’ve been making these meatballs for years, and they never fail to bring people back for seconds. That perfect balance of savory and sweet, with a hint of tang from the vinegar and a pop of heat from crushed red pepper, makes every bite perfect.

I’ve been meaning to share this recipe for sooo long! I’m so happy I’ve finally gotten around to it, because these sweet and sour meatballs are seriously delicious and so easy to make. I love them as a party appetizer!

Lately, I’ve been trying to include more of these types of recipes here on Baking a Moment. We’ve done Buffalo Chicken Dip, Spinach Artichoke Dip, and a really fabulous Chili Recipe that my family just loves.

These kinds of dishes are THE BEST for entertaining. Keep them warm in a crockpot, and your guests can graze on them all throughout the party.

It’s the same for these meatballs. Just set them out with toothpicks, and everyone will nibble to their heart’s content.

Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Perfectly tender: These meatballs are soft and juicy, thanks to a blend of breadcrumbs, milk, and egg.
  • Saucy and flavorful: The homemade sweet-and-sour sauce is vibrant, with deep flavor and a glossy finish.
  • Make-ahead friendly: Perfect for prepping in advance or letting simmer in the crockpot until ready to serve.
  • Versatile: Great for parties as an appetizer, or serve with rice and steamed veggies for a hearty meal.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you’re cooking.

Sweet and sour meatballs on toothpicks with scallions and sesame seeds.

For the Meatballs:

  • Ground meat: Use ground beef, turkey, or a meatloaf mix for your preferred flavor and texture.
  • Plain breadcrumbs: Help bind the meatballs and keep them tender.
  • Milk: Adds moisture to the mixture.
  • Finely chopped onion: Gives a subtle savory sweetness and depth.
  • Egg: Binds everything together.
  • Kosher salt and black pepper: Essential seasonings for boosting flavor.

For the Sweet & Sour Sauce:

  • Orange juice: Adds fruity sweetness and a citrusy note.
  • Dark brown sugar: Light brown sugar will also work if you don’t have dark on hand.
  • Apple cider vinegar: Adds a bit of tang to the mix.
  • Ketchup: The sweet tomato base.
  • Soy sauce: Gives a savory umami boost.
  • Crushed red pepper flakes: Adds a bit of heat. Adjust according to your family’s preferences.
  • Cornstarch and water: For thickening the sauce.

Optional Garnish:

  • Scallion: Thinly sliced for color and freshness.
  • Sesame seeds: For a little crunch and visual appeal.

In Photos: How To Make Sweet And Sour Meatballs

Step 1: Prep

Finely dice the onion into small pieces and get all of the meatball ingredients together.

Overhead shot of ingredients for making homemade meatballs.

Step 2: Make The Meatballs

In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, milk, onion, egg, salt, and pepper. Stir gently until just combined.

Seasoned ground meat for making meatballs.

Step 3: Form Meatballs

Roll into 1-tablespoon-sized balls and place in a single layer in a greased slow cooker insert or a large, deep skillet.

I like to portion my meatballs out with a little ice cream scoop. Here’s a link to one similar to what I have.

Rolling meatballs and placing them in a crock pot

Step 4: Make The Sauce

Gather the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes.

Overhead shot of ingredients for making sweet and sour sauce.

Whisk together in a bowl until well combined.

Top down view of homemade sweet and sour sauce in a glass bowl.

Step 5: Add Sauce To Meatballs

Pour the sauce over the meatballs.

Pouring sweet and sour sauce over meatballs in a slow cooker.

Step 6: Cook

  • Crockpot Method: Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours or low for 3 to 4 hours.
  • Stovetop Method: Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, cover, and cook for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Step 7: Thicken

About 30 minutes before serving, whisk the cornstarch into the water.

Adding water to cornstarch to make a slurry.

Step 8: Add Slurry To Sauce

Remove the meatballs from the sauce and whisk in the cornstarch slurry.

Adding cornstarch slurry to sauce to thicken.

Step 9: Return Meatballs To Sauce

Add the meatballs back into the sauce and continue to cook for 30 more minutes.

Step 10: Enjoy

Give it another stir and enjoy! Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve warm as-is or over rice.

Helpful Tips and Tricks

  • Don’t overmix the meatball mixture; overmixing can make the meatballs tough. Mix just until combined.
  • Use a cookie scoop to portion the meatballs evenly for consistent cooking.
  • For extra flavor, brown the meatballs in a skillet before adding them to the sauce (optional but tasty!).
  • Leftovers? Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

FAQ

Can I use frozen meatballs?

Yes! Just be sure they’re fully cooked. Add them directly to the sauce and simmer until heated through.

Can I make these ahead?

Absolutely. The meatballs and sauce can be prepped a day in advance and reheated before serving.

What can I serve with sweet-and-sour meatballs?

They’re great with white rice, fried rice, or even mashed potatoes. Add a side of steamed broccoli or stir-fried vegetables to round out the meal.

Can these meatballs be made on the stovetop?

If you don’t have (or don’t want to use) a slow cooker, you can definitely make these on the stovetop instead. Just put them in a heavy-bottomed pot (I’m especially partial to this kind.), and let them simmer over low heat until they register 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer.

Can sweet and sour meatballs be a main dish?

You can totally make a meal out of these! Serve them over rice or noodles, alongside a lovely steamed vegetable like broccoli or green beans.

Or you could split a baguette, add some pickled veggies, and tuck a few meatballs inside for the banh mi sandwich of your dreams!

Can this dish be made in advance?

If you’re pinched for time, try making this dish a few days ahead. Then just transfer them to your crockpot (or gently reheat on the stovetop) until warmed through and bubbling.

How long do these meatballs keep?

These sweet-and-sour meatballs can be kept warm in the slow cooker for a few hours. If you have any leftovers, let them come to room temperature, and then transfer them to an airtight container.
They’ll keep in the fridge for several days, or in the freezer for a month or two.

Overhead shot of sweet & sour meatballs in a white crock, with cocktail picks and a small plate of meatballs on skewers.

More Meatball Recipes

Glazed sweet & sour meatballs in a white crock with scallions.
5 stars (1 rating)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Servings: 48 1-inch diameter meatballs (approx.)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Sweet and Sour Meatballs: tender meatballs simmered in a tangy sweet & sour sauce. Make them in the crockpot or on the stovetop; they’re easy & so delish!
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Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 pound (453.59 g) ground beef, ground turkey, or meat loaf mix
  • 1/3 cup (36 g) plain bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 1 egg, (large)
  • 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon ) kosher salt
  • freshly ground pepper, , to taste

For the Sweet & Sour Sauce

For garnish (optional)

  • 1 (1) scallion, , thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon ) sesame seeds

Instructions
 

To make the Meatballs

  • Place the ground meat, bread crumbs, milk, onion, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and stir together until combined.  
  • Mist the crock pot insert with non-stick spray, roll 1-tablespoon sized balls of the mixture between your palms, and place in a single layer at the bottom of the slow-cooker. 
  • Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the meatballs, and cook (covered) for 1 to 2 hours on high heat, or for 3 to 4 hours on low heat.

To make the Sweet & Sour Sauce

  • In a smaller bowl, whisk the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, crushed red pepper, and orange juice together, and pour it over the meatballs. 
  • About 30 minutes before serving, whisk the cornstarch and water together and stir into the sauce.
  • Cover and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened.
  • Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
Calories: 45kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 113mg, Potassium: 56mg, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 35IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 0.3mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Tried this recipe?Mention @bakingamoment on Instagram or tag #bakingamoment.

Author

  • Allie is the creator and owner of Baking a Moment. She has been developing, photographing, videographing, and writing and sharing recipes here since 2012.

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