Sweet and sour meatballs have a delicious balance of sweet and tangy flavors Made with lean ground turkey and a homemade sweet and sour sauce with red bell pepper and pineapple chunks, these meatballs are a healthier twist on a classic favorite.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk all meatball ingredients except turkey in a large bowl. Add turkey and mix with a large fork, or your clean hands until mixed.
1 pound lean ground turkey, 1 egg, 2 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
Use a rounded tablespoon to measure turkey mixture. Roll into balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake for about 20 minutes, turning half way through. Meatballs should be nicely browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
While meatballs are cooking: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together broth, pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, sesame oil, and 5 spice.
½ cup chicken broth, ½ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup tamari or low sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ¼ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
Add peppers and and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoon cold water and stir into sauce, heating and stirring until sauce is thickened and glossy.
1 red bell pepper, 1.5 tablespoon cornstarch
Stir in pineapple and meatballs, cooking until heated through.
8 oz can pineapple chunks
Garnish with parsley or green onions If desired. Serve hot with rice.
Notes
Shortcut: Instead of homemade meatballs, use your favorite pre-made frozen meatballs and cook them according to package directions before adding to the sweet and sour sauce. Look for neutral flavored meatballs. You won't, for example, want to use Italian meatballs in this recipe.
Add spice: If you want to add a spicy element to the sour and sweet, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, chili sauce, or some sriracha sauce to the sauce before thickening it.
Thickening: Add the cornstarch slurry gradually, while whisking into the sauce. You may not need it all if the sauce is thickened to your liking.
Appetizers: This easy sweet and sour recipe is a delicious main course, but you can also use it to make sweet and sour cocktail meatballs. Use a toothpick to secure a chunk of pineapple and a chunk of red pepper to each meatball and serve the sauce as a dipping sauce.
Smaller meatballs: If you're making cocktail meatballs, or serving sweet and sour meatballs to kids, make them smaller. They will need a shorter cooking time.
Make ahead: Make and cook the meatballs ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to make the sauce.
Freeze: Cooked meatballs are perfect for the freezer. This meatball recipe can be doubled so you have meatballs to freeze for other recipes or meal prep. To freeze, put cooked meatball on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Freeze for 30 minutes or until firm. Pack into a freezer safe container or zip lock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen meatballs in the fridge overnight.