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Why You’ll Love My Recipe
The real star of these meatballs is the sauce – and it’s seriously that good! Sweet, tangy, and perfectly balanced, it coats every bite in classic, nostalgic comfort. These meatballs taste just like the ones mom used to make, bringing all those cozy flavors to your table!
If you’re a fan of meatballs, you’ll definitely want to try my delicious Meatball Sub, Meatball Soup, or Classic Retro Porcupine Meatballs next!
Reader Review
A delicious prairie meal! This recipe is always a hit at my table. I doubled the sauce because it is so good – my late aunt made a very similar sauce, but never wrote down the recipe. I was elated when I found this recipe, as it tasted just like I remembered.
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: This recipe is easy to make – especially with a stand mixer doing some of the work!
- Total Time: You’ll have these meatballs on the table in about 45 minutes from start to finish.
- Variations: If you want to boost the nutrition, add diced bell peppers or celery to your meatball mixture! You can also elevate the flavor with extra seasonings like paprika, garlic powder, or a pinch of cayenne. Serve your meatballs with my Mushroom Rice or The BEST Buttery Garlic Mashed Potatoes and some Roasted Broccoli for a full meal!
- Tools For This Recipe: You will need a medium saucepan, a whisk, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, a roasting pan for the meatballs, and a small bowl.
What You’ll Need for Ingredients
Ground Beef: Ground beef is a classic base for these meatballs, and pairs perfectly with diced onion for that traditional flavor. Karlynn’s Tip: If you want to switch things up, try a 50/50 mix of beef and pork, or use all pork for a slightly different taste!
Dry Bread Crumbs: A staple in meatballs, breadcrumbs help bind everything together while keeping them tender. They work wonderfully with the minced garlic, salt, and pepper in the mixture!
Ketchup: Ketchup is key to that signature sweet-and-sour flavor, adding a special zing to the sauce. Karlynn’s Tip: For extra depth, a splash of Worcestershire sauce is delicious. You can use store-bought or try my Homemade Worcestershire Sauce to really elevate the taste!
Egg: Using two eggs adds moisture and richness to the meatball mixture, helping create a soft, cohesive texture.
Brown Sugar: Packed brown sugar brings a caramel-like sweetness that balances out the tangy elements in the sauce. Karlynn’s Tip: If you’d prefer an alternative to brown sugar, maple syrup works well too – just adjust the amount to taste!
How To Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs
This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Prepare the meatball sauce according to the instructions in the recipe card.
- Combine the meatball ingredients in a stand mixer bowl. Use the paddle attachment and mix on low until combined.
- Roll the meat mixture into balls, approximately 24 total.
- Place the meatballs into the oven.
- After about 20 minutes, take the meatballs out and drain the fat into a small bowl.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs, covering them completely. Finish cooking them until done, approximately 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your meatballs.
- Serve with the side of your choice and enjoy!
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Serve It Your Way: These meatballs are classic served over rice (white rice is always my favorite), but you’ve got options! For a retro twist, serve your meatballs with toothpicks as an easy appetizer. It’s perfect for parties or sharing!
- Cook to the Right Temperature: Make sure your meatballs reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F to ensure they’re fully cooked and safe to enjoy!
- No Stand Mixer? No Problem: If you don’t have a stand mixer on hand, you can easily mix everything by hand using a large bowl and a spoon (or clean hands). Just mix until combined – no fancy equipment needed!
Storage Instructions
These meatballs store beautifully, making them great for weekday leftovers or meal prep!
Refrigerator: Let your meatballs cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
Freezer: Place cooled meatballs (with or without sauce) in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months, following USDA food safety guidelines. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat gently until hot.
More Delicious Meatball Recipes
Why stop at sweet and sour? For more tasty weeknight dinners, try these no-fuss Meatball Recipes next:
- Made with just 3 ingredients, these Grape Jelly Meatballs are always a crowd-pleaser!
- My Meatballs with Homemade Mushroom Sauce are rich, decadent, and so good you’ll want to make them again and again.
- Creamy, comforting, and smothered in gravy, these Rich and Creamy Swedish Meatballs are perfect served over egg noodles.
And just like that, you’ve got a batch of Sweet and Sour Meatballs that are saucy, comforting, and full of classic flavor! Whether you’re serving them over rice or as a retro-style appetizer, this recipe is always a hit.
Give it a try, enjoy every bite, and don’t forget to leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out! I always love hearing about your kitchen adventures.
Happy Cooking!
Karlynn
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup dry bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup diced onion , if you like onion in them
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 °F
- Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium sized sauce pan until fully combined. Bring to a low rolling boil, and cook until it thickens. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Combine the meatball ingredients : breadcrumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, egg, onions and ground beef together in a stand mixer bowl. Use the paddle attachment and mix on low until combined. This makes for the BEST distribution of egg and crumbs through the meat!
- Roll the meat mixture into meatballs, whichever size you want. I prefer slightly larger ones, they don’t dry out as quickly.
- Pop them into the 375 degrees oven and start them cooking.
- After about 20 minutes, take the meatballs out for a second, and drain the fat out of them.
- Now you can cover those meatballs up with sauce. Pour the sauce over the meatball, covering them completely.
- Finish cooking them until done, and they look oh-so saucy and delicious. This can take up to another 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your meatballs.
- When cooking meatballs I like to insert a thermometer in them and make sure they have reached a temp of at least 165 degrees. With all the beef recalls lately, it’s far better safe than sorry!
- I love sweet and sour meatballs on rice, especially bad-for-you, white rice! Serve with the side of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Allyson says
Made these about 2 weeks ago and had to come back and find the recipe again because they were so good! Usually I just throw things together for sweet and sour sauce but this will be my new go-to.
Kelsie Petersen says
Even my sauce-hating child gobbled these up! Not too sweet and not too sour. 10 thumbs up from the 5 of us ?
Carrie Davies says
Karlynn, thank you!!! I’ll be honest, I rarely make my own meatballs anymore & have been using your sauce with leftover roast pork, diced or because I love it so much, roast up a small pork loin & chop it up. Still a very fast meal! I do saute a knob of fresh ginger & 2-3 cloves of garlic in a small amount of light oil before adding the the other sauce ingredients. I also add some peppers, white onion & fresh pineapple cubes just before serving because I find that easier than prepping another veg, another pot, etc. I NEVER alter your base sauce ingredients because it’s perfect as written! And I’m with you, this loves white rice!! Thank you for sharing all your recipes!
Megan says
The sauce instructions are confusing. Do you say to put all the ingredients into a pot because it’s meant to be cooked first? From what I can tell you don’t include instructions to cook the sauce on the stovetop first so I’m a bit confused as to why it would make sense to combine the ingredients in a pot, and later add in the cornstarch slurry if it’s not being cooked in the pot. Do you just pour the mixed sauce ingredients over the meatballs and it thickens in the baking dish?
Carrie Davies says
Yes, heat all the sauce ingredients. Reserve a small amount of your water to mix a slurry with your cornstarch. Bring it to a VERY slow bubble and simmer at that point a few minutes (after adding cornstarch slurry), stirring almost constantly. It will thicken a bit. I like to add my meat into the sauce & simmer at a low bubble for a few minutes before serving. Don’t simmer too long at this point it the meat will be saturated with the sauce and your flavour combination will get lost.
Carrie Davies says
Making this sauce for the 4th or 5th time tonight. I use the sauce with leftover roast pork or cook a tenderloin on purpose and dice it up into bite size chunks. Also add a good nob of fresh ginger, some assorted sweet peppers and fresh pineapple. The sauce if over the top good replacing my mother’s recipe.
Anne Alcock says
I printed the recipe off and made it from there. I watched the video afterwards and noticed you put minced garlic in the meatballs; however, our recipe doesn’t call for garlic. I wish I had watched the video first, and now it’s too late because they’re cooking in the oven. Perhaps you should put garlic in the printed recipe?
Mary Record says
I want to try this , in the video , there was salt and pepper and garlic, I hope i guess the right amount, thanks
Kim says
This is my fave sauce. I make it the same except put 2 tbps Frank’s Red Hot in it Yum. Everyone always loved them ????
Sherry Schneider says
Can these be made ahead and frozen in the sauce, thawed out and reheated in a crock pot or other way?
Raven Wanders says
I used to love them until i lived in the South. They made the sauce with a jar of chili sauce and jar of grape jelly\U0001f628
The Kitchen Magpie says
Oooh I have heard of the grape jelly ones!!!
Raven Wanders says
Im not sure if chili sauce is up here but if you can find it is worth a try for the retro meal\U0001f606
Dawn Schwartz says
Made them yesterday! Love them, thanks Karlynn!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Awesome!!! So glad to hear it!
Skyla Bradley says
Love this one! It’s a family favorite here.
Donna Nielson-Weale says
I’ve used this recipe … The meatballs were delicious (and so easy to make).
The Kitchen Magpie says
Awesome to hear!! The old classics are always the best, aren’t they?
Sandra Casson says
I can’ t remember the last time I had these, likely at a 4H function!
Donna Nielson-Weale says
I made these … They were delish!
Karen says
My husband loves this recipe…made as stated!
Arleigh Gladwin Stockwell says
I have made this for a couple of potlucks – it’s a winner!
Elisa Boyce says
Love anything retro. Lol except the casseroles that were fabulously decorated with half wieners lining the top of casserole. \U0001f633
Elisa Boyce says
Lol my mom had a cookbook and that was the cover photo casserole! Never forgotten!
Kathy Elson says
I made these tonight and they were delish. A new favourite!
Mary Ann says
Wondering … do you heat the sauce on the stovetop before pouring it over the meatballs? Or does the sauce thicken up in the oven? Thanks!
Andy Keefe says
best ever! the sauce is awesome with cubed pork too!!!
Dawn Schwartz says
This is probably my most made recipe from your site. I can’t get enough of them! Rice and a green veggie and everyone’s happy!!
James Lori Shipley says
We love the simple recipe I created for these-one can crushed or diced pineapple with juice and brown sugar bbq sauce. Dump over meatballs and heat to serve. We do these for all our parties and will serve with rice and veggies if doing it as a meal. Alternatively make spaghetti sauce and serve with noodles or on skewers with peppers and mushrooms, onions etc. So versatile!!!
pam says
I followed the recipe and mine are falling apart. Well.. I used magic bullet for the onions. Lol probably why. And they stick to my casserole dish. I think I ruined them 🙁
Sarah says
This is fool proof, so delicious and easy! It is my go to for meatballs.
MsFarmLover says
These are the most delicious meatballs I have ever made. They were a huge hit for dinner tonight. Thank you very much for sharing this great recipe.
Guest says
These were FABULOUS!! Thanks for the great recipe!
April says
Always a hit with my family, thanks for a recipe that is going into rotation once a month!
Alexis says
I made these with ground chicken, tripled the recipe for a large crowd and added 1 cup of sour cream to help keep them moist, otherwise followed recipe – fabulous!! Everyone raved about them!! Thanks for the recipe.
NathanZ says
Hi – I’m making this recipe right now. But I see 1 and 1/2 Cups water listed in the ingredients. Does that go in the sauce with the brown sugar, vinegar, soy and ketchup?
Hatteras says
Like everyone else said, foolproof and delicious!
Reid says
Yum
CoryLomax says
If you use grass fed beef, you would not get near as much fat.. and what fat you get, is delicious and healthy. I would leave it in, Fat is where the favour is.
Srcollas says
I made these last week & loved them…couldn’t believe I made them from scratch!!! I just wanted to share this: since I did not have any bread crumbs, I improvised(very unlike me) & used 1 package of onion soup instead. It was good 🙂
thx for sharing your recipe!