Best Ever Easy Sweet & Sour Meatballs Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Best Ever Easy Sweet & Sour Meatballs Recipe

These easy, sticky sweet and sour meatballs are a cherished recipe passed down to me from my Mom. They truly are the best homemade meatballs I've ever had - oven-baked to perfection. This delicious sweet and sour sauce is a mix of ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and orange juice.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Sweet And Sour Meatballs

Servings: servings

Author: Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

Ingredients

For Meatballs

2 lbs ground beef
1 ⅔ lbs 750 g ground pork
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
2 large eggs beaten
½ cup packed finely chopped green onion
1 medium carrot peeled and grated
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 ½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For Sauce

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion finely chopped
kosher salt
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 cup ketchup
3 cups orange juice
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
½ cup soy sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients together (using your hands is the easiest way). Roll into lime-sized meatballs and place in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until browned, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt, then cook until very soft, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook a minute more, then add the ketchup, orange juice and brown sugar and bring sauce to a simmer.
Whisk cornstarch into soy sauce until smooth, then whisk into the sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened and glossy. Taste and season with more salt if desired.
Add meatballs and continue cooking until sauce is very thick and meatballs are cooked through to 165ºF, about 15 minutes more.

Nutrition