Description
A delicious and easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe featuring tender ground beef meatballs cooked to perfection in an air fryer or oven, tossed in a tangy and flavorful sweet and sour sauce with colorful bell peppers and pineapple chunks. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal that serves 6.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large onion (shredded or finely chopped)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- â…“ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
- â…“ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup pineapple juice (from canned pineapple)
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Vegetables and Additional Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- ½ cup pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Prepare Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, shredded onion, eggs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated. Shape the mixture into small golf ball-sized meatballs and set aside.
- Cook Meatballs: Place the meatballs into the air fryer basket and air fry at 380°F for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to ensure even cooking. Alternatively, arrange meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through.
- Make Sweet and Sour Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, brown sugar, chicken broth, ketchup, tomato paste, pineapple juice, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. Set the sauce mixture aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and both colored bell peppers, cooking for about 1 minute until slightly softened. Add minced garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Thicken Sauce: Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the wok with vegetables. Stir continuously as the sauce simmers and thickens to a glossy finish.
- Combine Meatballs and Pineapple: Add the cooked meatballs along with pineapple chunks to the wok. Toss everything together to coat evenly with the sauce and cook for another 2 minutes to meld flavors. Remove from heat afterward.
- Serve: Serve the sweet and sour meatballs hot over steamed rice for a complete, satisfying meal.
Notes
- You can bake the meatballs if you don’t have an air fryer, but air frying gives a nice crispy exterior with less oil.
- Adjust sweetness and sourness by varying the brown sugar and rice vinegar according to your taste.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control saltiness in the sauce.
- Make sure to shake the air fryer basket halfway through cooking for even meatball browning.
- Serve with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
