This is truly an amazing and easy sweet sour meatballs recipe. Use frozen meatballs, pineapple chunks, and peppers covered in a delicious sweet and sour sauce.
Making these meatballs in the slow cooker is so simple and it makes my house smell just amazing. The sauce is a delightful blend of sweet and tangy. And the meatballs come out so tender.
We have been making this recipe for decades. If you are looking for a delicious, yet simple dinner idea, this one is a keeper. Serve this as a main course over rice, which is our favorite way, or noodles.
If you are hosting a party, these make fantastic a terrific party appetizer. Perfect for game day, weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, or anytime you are hosting a gathering.
Make Your Own Sweet Sour Sauce
If you love sweet and sour chicken or pork, then you’re going to love this easy recipe for sweet sour sauce. It’s really simple and you can use it as a dipping sauce for chicken fingers, cocktail sausages, or pork chops, or you can use it as a coating for your favorite fried meats.
Making your own sweet sour sauce is a lot easier than you might think. In just a few simple steps, you can have a versatile and delicious sauce that you can use on all kinds of dishes. It is so easy to make and just takes a few ingredients.
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2/3 Cup Vinegar – you can use apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or rice vinegar.
- ½ Cup Ketchup
- ¼ Cup Soy Sauce
- 1 Cup Pineapple Juice – the juice from 1 20-Ounce can. Save the pineapple tidbits.
- 4 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- ¼ Cup Cornstarch
Whisk all the ingredients together and heat in a saucepan over medium-high heat. The sauce will thicken as it boils. Once it starts to thicken, turn off the heat and enjoy.
Slow Cooker or 30 Minute Meal
Today, I made this recipe using my slow cooker and I doubled the recipe. However, this is a recipe that can be made in 30 minutes for a quick busy weeknight meal that the whole family is sure to love.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
When making this recipe in the slow cooker, add the meatballs, peppers, and onions to the slow cooker.
In a medium size bowl, drain the juice from the can of pineapple, then add the pineapple to the slow cooker. In the same bowl, add the vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is well combined.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir a few times to coat the meatballs with the sauce a bit.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high 2-3 hours.
Sprinkle with parsley, sesame seeds, or diced scallions if desired.
Serve over white rice, pasta, or as an appetizer.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Meatball Recipe in 30 Minutes
Easy Sweet Sour Meatballs Recipe for any busy weeknight meal.
In a large skillet, add the frozen meatballs, bell peppers and onions. Cover and let cook 5 minutes over medium heat.
While the meatballs are cooking, drain the juice from the can of pineapple into a bowl. Set the pineapple chunks aside. Then continue onto adding the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, and cornstarch to the bowl. Whisk until the cornstarch is well blended.
Pour this mixture over the meatball mixture in the pan. Stir to combine.
Continue to cook until the sauce thickens, the meatballs and bell peppers are tender. This should take approximately 10 minutes. Once the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are heated through, stir in the pineapple chunks.
Serve
What to Serve with Sweet and Sour Meatballs?
Looking for what to serve with meatballs instead of pasta? Here are some side dishes that pair well with their flavor. These are a few of our favorite side dishes that complement and balance the acidic sweet and sour flavor of the meatballs.
Recipes Using Meatballs
If there’s one thing that I can always count on, it’s that my family will love meatballs. There are so many ways to make them, and they’re always a hit. Here are a few of our favorite recipes for meatballs. Whether you’re looking for a classic recipe or something a little more adventurous, I’m sure you’ll find something that you love
Easy Meatballs and Gravy Recipe
Slow Cooker Swedish Meatball Recipe
Dump and Bake Meatball Ravioli Casserole
Banh Mi Sandwich “Vietnamese Meatball Sub”
Recipe Pro Tips
How Long to Cook Frozen Meatballs in a Crockpot?
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high 2-3 hours.
How to Store Meatballs?
Once the meatballs are cool, they can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 4 months.
How to Reheat Meatballs?
The easiest way is in the microwave. However, these can also be baked in the oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. If you have a non-stick skillet, they can be warmed up in just a few minutes on the stovetop as well.
Do Meatballs Need to Be Thawed Before Using?
No, just add them frozen. They will cook up quickly.
What Kind of Meatballs Work Well for This Recipe?
Frozen meatball packages all come in varying sizes depending on the brand. This recipe uses all types and brands of meatballs. Just use a bag that is a family size, and the recipe will work out just fine.
Amazing and Easy Sweet Sour Meatballs Recipe
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 28 Ounces Frozen Meatballs 1 Bag
- 1 Bell Pepper Diced into chunks
- 1 Medium Onion Diced into chunks
- 20 Ounces Pineapple Chunks 1 Can with 100% juice-save juice
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- ⅔ Cup Vinegar apple cider apple cider, balsamic, or rice vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Ketchup
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 1 Cup Pineapple juice – from the reserved juice from the can
- 4 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Instructions
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- When making this recipe in the slow cooker, add the meatballs, peppers, and onions to the slow cooker.28 Ounces Frozen Meatballs, 1 Bell Pepper, 1 Medium Onion
- In a medium size bowl, drain the juice from the can of pineapple, then add the pineapple to the slow cooker. In the same bowl, add the vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, and cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch is well combined.20 Ounces Pineapple Chunks, 1 Cup Brown Sugar, ⅔ Cup Vinegar apple cider, 1/2 Cup Ketchup, 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce, 1 Cup Pineapple juice – from the reserved juice from the can, 4 Tablespoons Minced Garlic, 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir a few times to coat the meatballs with the sauce a bit.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or high 2-3 hours.
- Sprinkle with parsley, sesame seeds, or diced scallions if desired.
- Serve over rice, pasta, or as an appetizer.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs in 30 Minutes
- In a large skillet, add the frozen meatballs, bell peppers and onions. Cover and let cook 5 minutes over medium-high heat.
- While the meatballs are cooking, drain the juice from the can of pineapple into a bowl. Set the pineapple chunks aside. Then continue onto adding the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, and cornstarch to the bowl. Whisk until the cornstarch is well blended.
- Pour this mixture over the meatball mixture in the pan. Stir to combine.
- Continue to cook until the sauce thickens, the meatballs and bell peppers are tender. This should take approximately 10 minutes. Once the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are heated through, stir in the pineapple chunks.
- Serve
