Easy Baked Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These Easy Baked Sweet and Sour Meatballs are a crowd-pleasing combination of tender, flavorful meatballs and a perfectly balanced sweet and tangy sauce. Made with a blend of ground beef and pork, seasoned with garlic and onion powder, and baked to golden perfection, these meatballs are juicy and irresistibly tasty. The homemade sweet and sour sauce, featuring ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, thickens beautifully with a cornstarch slurry for a glaze-like finish. Ready in just under an hour, this simple yet satisfying dish is perfect as a party appetizer or served as a main course over a bed of rice or noodles. Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds for an extra pop of flavor and visual appeal. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or prepping an easy weeknight dinner, these meatballs are sure to delight!

Nutriscore Rating: 59/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:30 mins

Total Time:50 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground beef
• 0.5 pound Ground pork
• 0.5 cup Breadcrumbs
• 1 large Egg
• 0.25 cup Milk
• 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion powder
• 0.5 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper
• 0.5 cup Ketchup
• 0.33 cup Brown sugar
• 0.25 cup Rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons Water

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.

Step 3

Using your hands or a small cookie scoop, form the mixture into 1-1.5 inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 4

Bake the meatballs for 20-25 minutes, or until they are browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Step 5

While the meatballs bake, prepare the sweet and sour sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to simmer.

Step 6

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the simmering sauce while whisking continuously. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.

Step 7

Once the meatballs are done baking, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sweet and sour sauce over the meatballs and gently toss to coat evenly.

Step 8

Serve immediately as an appetizer with toothpicks or as a main dish over rice or noodles. Garnish with chopped green onions or sesame seeds, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1126.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2370.2

Total Fat 139.5g	0%
Saturated Fat 53.0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.0g
Cholesterol 750.3mg	0%
Sodium 4264.6mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 133.5g	0%
Dietary Fiber 3.0g	0%
Total Sugars 74.6g
Protein 154.4g	0%

Vitamin D 80.6IU	0%
Calcium 295.8mg	0%
Iron 13.7mg	0%
Potassium 1481.8mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 52.2%

Protein: 25.7%

Carbs: 22.2%