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Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe
Sweet and sour sauce dishes at Chinese restaurants used to be my go-to growing up. There’s something so addicting about the combination of 2 flavors (I always have my homemade sweet and sour sauce in the fridge), and I love how these components balance each other out so well.
For these meatballs, I made them without any refined sugars, but they still hold the classic flavor using real food ingredients. Instead of sugar, I use pineapple juice to achieve that iconic sweetness and tanginess, and both of my picky eater kids give them rave reviews every time.
I love that this dish can also easily be made Whole30 as well, and it’s such a comforting, hearty meal.
Key Ingredients
- Ground pork and beef: The combination creates the perfect balance of moisture and flavor.
- Yellow bell pepper: I personally like to use yellow ones for the color, but green or red bell peppers will all work.
- Onions: Adds flavor and texture.
- Egg: Acts as a binder for the meatballs.
- Spices: Ground ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Tapioca starch: This is used as a thickening agent to get that glossy, thick consistency without using cornstarch. It’s also used in the meatballs in place of bread crumbs. If you don’t have tapioca starch, arrowroot starch can be used instead.
- Sweet and sour sauce: The sweetness and the tangy sour flavors come from a combination of pineapple juice, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and tamari sauce (use coconut aminos for Whole30). Rice vinegar or white vinegar can also be used instead of apple cider vinegar.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place all ingredients for the meatballs in the large bowl and mix together.
Step 2: Form into golf sized balls and place evenly on a baking sheet, without have them touch each other. Bake for 15 minutes.
Step 3: While the meatballs are baking, place all ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.
Step 4: Pour the sauce into a large saucepan and heat over medium-high heat on the stovetop until it comes to a boil.
Step 5: Add the baked meatballs and bell pepper, then reduce the heat to medium until everything comes to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
Step 6: Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped green onions before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the meatball ingredients, mix until just combined. Overworking the meat mixture can lead to a tougher texture.
- Serving Suggestions: These meatballs are delicious on their own and can be served as an appetizer with toothpicks. However, I think they are even better served as the main course over rice or brown rice (or cauliflower rice, for Whole30) to soak up all that extra sauce! They pair perfectly with a side of steamed or roasted broccoli.
- Meal Prep Friendly: These meatballs store beautifully, making them an excellent option for meal prep lunches throughout the week.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- The leftovers are even better the next day! Store leftover meatballs with the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- These meatballs are also freezer-friendly! Allow them to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, Place the meatballs and sauce in a skillet over low heat. Add a splash of water or pineapple juice to loosen the sauce if it has thickened too much in the fridge. Cover and simmer until heated through. For a quicker reheat, you can also microwave it for 2-3 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! I personally prefer a mix of pork and beef, but you can also use ground chicken or ground turkey. Just keep in mind that leaner meats may cook faster, so keep an eye on them in the oven.
You can easily substitute with arrowroot starch or potato starch for these homemade meatballs. Cornstarch can also be used, but you’ll only need half as much in both the meatballs and the sauce.
Yes! Just make sure to use ketchup that’s compliant (no added sugar) and use coconut aminos instead of tamari sauce to keep it soy-free.
More Meatball Recipes
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Easy Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs (Instant Pot Option)
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Moroccan Meatballs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce Recipe
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Easy Gluten-Free Asian Pork Meatballs (No Breadcrumbs)
If you make this sweet and sour meatball recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!
Healthy Sweet and Sour Meatballs (No Refined Sugar)
Ingredients
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Chopped green onions, for garnish
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice, no sugar added (drained from a can of pineapple chunks)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup tamari sauce, or soy sauce or coconut aminos, for Whole30
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place all ingredients for the meatballs in the large bowl and mix together.1 lb ground pork, 1/2 lb ground beef, 1/2 cup chopped onions, 1 egg, 1 tbsp tapioca starch, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Form into golf sized balls and place evenly on a baking sheet, without have them touch each other. Bake for 15 minutes.
- While the meatballs are baking, place all ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.1 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup tamari sauce, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- Pour the sauce into a large saucepan and heat over medium high heat until it comes to a boil.
- Add the baked meatballs and bell pepper, then reduce the heat to medium until everything comes to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.1 yellow bell pepper
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped green onions before serving.Chopped green onions
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Good flavor
Hi! I made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic! I cheated a bit and used frozen grass fed beef meatballs and added a bit of ginger and 2 chopped peppers. It was seriously delish! I will definitely make this recipe again. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
I don’t have pineapple juice but have frozen pineapple. Do you think it would work to process it and use it?
Yes, that should work!
Everyone in the family loved these meatballs- including the 2 yo and 9 month old! I made them with ground chicken because thatโs what I had and they were fantastic. Will definitely be putting this recipe in our rotation.
I’m so glad you enjoyed!! Thank you so much.
Can this be made without the pineapple? I’m allergic. What’s a good substitute?
Apple juice or any other tart fruit juice will work.
This was SO DELICIOUS. Great recipe!!! I was skeptical about the sauce at first when it was raw, but once it simmered and reduced it became insanely yummy. I also added some fresh pineapple to the sauce before blending it for some extra sweetness… yum!!!
Thanks so much for sharing this!! It’s a new go-to dinner in the rotation, for sure!!!
Aww thank you! So glad you enjoyed. ?
Super yummy! I modified it for the IP…omitted the water and pressure for 7 minutes, no oven. We all enjoyed them! Thanks!
Teresa โ did you put all the ingredients in the instant pot for 7 min or did you just do the meatballs for 7 minutes and cook veggies separately?