Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Juicy baked meatballs coated in a glossy sweet and sour sauce, ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef 85/15 lean
- 0.5 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 0.75 tsp onion powder
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder
- 0.25 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
Sauce
- 0.5 cup ketchup
- 0.25 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 0.75 tsp onion powder
- 0.25 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch for slurry
- 2 Tbsp water for slurry
Instructions
Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until just combined.
- Use a 1½-inch scoop to form about 20 meatballs and place them 1" apart on the prepared sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through (165°F internal).
Sauce
- In a small saucepan, whisk together ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
- Add cornstarch slurry and simmer 1–2 minutes, until sauce thickens.
- Transfer meatballs into the sauce and gently stir to coat. Simmer 2 more minutes, then serve hot.
Notes
I noticed in my second test that chilling the meatball mixture for 10 minutes made shaping easier.
During my fourth trial, adding the slurry slowly prevented lumps and ensured a glossy sauce.
Leftover meatballs tasted even better after a day, with flavors melding beautifully.