These sweet and sour meatballs are filled with a myriad of delicious flavors, like ginger, garlic and sesame oil then they get topped with a pineapple and pepper sweet and sour sauce. They make the perfect weeknight or weekend dinner.
My husband loves a pepper and pineapple based sweet and sour sauce and if you are a fan of those flavors you will love it too. It’s not spicy but spice can be added by adding in a jalapeno or serrano to the mixture. I love a little heat but the rest of my family likes things a little less fiery so that is how I have written this recipe.
These meatballs are dipped in panko bread crumb breading and then pan fried before they get baked so they have a crispy exterior and a tender interior. For the best texture, add sauce just before serving so things don’t get soggy.
What you need to make sweet and sour meatballs:
Serves 6 people
- 1 pound ground beef OR 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground pork
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons garlic – minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger – minced
- 1/4 cup green onions – thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno or serrano chili – seeds removed and minced – optional
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Breading:
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 3 cups panko bread crumbs
- Oil for pan frying
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- 1 – 20 ounce can of pineapple chunks – juice and pineapple
- 1 cup bell peppers – diced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- Sesame seeds on top – optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a bowl, add beef, eggs, panko bread crumbs, garlic, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil.
- Mix together with an electric mixer or with your hands. I always use my hands, it’s messy but mixes it the best I have found.
- Once mixed, roll into meatballs.
- Add flour to one bowl.
- Mix together the eggs and sriracha in one bowl.
- Add the panko bread crumbs to another bowl.
- Dust the rolled meatballs in the flour, followed by dipping in the egg mixture followed by the panko bread crumbs, repeat until all meatballs are coated.
- Heat a shallow amount of oil in your pan and heat to medium high heat, add your meatballs a few at a time so you don’t over crowd your pan, reduce heat if oil gets too hot.
- Turn meatballs so each side gets golden brown.
- Place on a paper towel lined plate then move to a baking sheet and place all meatballs in the oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 F.
- While meatballs bake, make the sauce.
- In a sauce pan, add pineapple and pineapple juice, peppers, soy sauce, sriracha, sugar, garlic and salt and bring mixture to a boil.
- Simmer for a few minutes until the pepper soften.
- In a bowl, mix together your slurry of cornstarch and water and then whisk into the sauce.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat.
- When meatballs are done cooking and you are ready to eat, add the sweet and sour sauce and enjoy!
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
These sweet and sour meatballs are make with beef or beef and pork mixed, coated in a crispy coating and topped with a pineapple and pepper sweet and sour sauce.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef OR 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground pork
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons garlic – minced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger – minced
- 1/4 cup green onions – thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno or serrano chili seeds removed, diced – optional
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Breading:
- 1 cup flour
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 3 cups panko bread crumbs
- Oil for pan frying
- Sweet and sour sauce:
- 1 – 20 ounce can of pineapple chunks – juice and pineapple
- 1 cup bell peppers – diced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 clove garlic – minced
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- Sesame seeds on top – optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In a bowl, add beef or beef and pork mixed, eggs, panko bread crumbs, garlic, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, salt, pepper and sesame oil.
- Mix together with an electric mixer or with your hands. I always use my hands, it’s messy but mixes it the best I have found.
- Once mixed, roll into meatballs.
- Add flour to one bowl.
- Mix together the eggs and sriracha in one bowl.
- Add the panko bread crumbs to another bowl.
- Dust the rolled meatballs in the flour, followed by dipping in the egg mixture followed by the panko bread crumbs, repeat until all meatballs are coated.
- Heat a shallow amount of oil in your pan and heat to medium high heat, add your meatballs a few at a time so you don’t over crowd your pan, reduce heat if oil gets too hot.
- Turn meatballs so each side gets golden brown.
- Place on a paper towel lined plate then move to a baking sheet and place all meatballs in the oven.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 F.
- While meatballs bake, make the sauce.
- In a sauce pan, add pineapple and pineapple juice, peppers, soy sauce, sriracha, sugar, garlic and salt and bring mixture to a boil.
- Simmer for a few minutes until the pepper soften.
- In a bowl, mix together your slurry of cornstarch and water and then whisk into the sauce.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat.
- When meatballs are done cooking and you are ready to eat, add the sweet and sour sauce and enjoy!