Oriental Sweet-Sour Meatballs
Submitted by MeMaw93
Sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple chunks, snow peas, and a tangy ginger sauce. Browned beef meatballs tossed in a glossy pineapple-vinegar glaze for a one-skillet dinner.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
25 minREADY
40 minThese sweet and sour meatballs hit all the notes you crave from Chinese-American takeout, but they come together in one skillet with ingredients you probably already have. Ginger-spiced beef meatballs get browned until crusty, then tossed in a glossy sauce built from pineapple juice, vinegar, and brown sugar that clings to every surface.
The sauce uses the reserved pineapple juice as its base, which gives it a natural sweetness that doesn’t taste artificial. Cornstarch thickens it into that shiny, takeout-style glaze in about a minute at a hard boil. Apple cider vinegar brings the sour punch, and a pinch of cayenne adds just enough background heat to keep things interesting.
Snow peas go in at the very end and cook for only a few minutes. You want them bright green and crisp-tender, snapping when you bite through them. They add freshness and crunch against the rich meatballs and sticky sauce.
Brown the meatballs well on all sides before building the sauce. That twelve minutes of patient turning creates a crust that holds up in the sauce without falling apart, and those drippings in the pan are flavor gold for cooking the scallions and garlic.
Pro Tips
- Use fresh bread crumbs, not dried; they absorb moisture better and keep the meatballs tender
- Don’t crowd the skillet when browning; work in batches if needed for even browning
- Stir the cornstarch slurry right before adding it; cornstarch settles fast and won’t thicken evenly if it separates
- Serve over steamed rice to catch every drop of that glossy sauce
Variations
- Pork meatballs: Use ground pork instead of beef for a lighter, sweeter-tasting meatball
- Air fryer method: Brown the meatballs in an air fryer at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, then add to the sauce
- Bell pepper addition: Toss in chunks of red and green bell pepper with the snow peas for more color and crunch
Ingredients
Directions
Drain pineapple well, reserving ¾ cup juice; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, bread crumbs, salt and ginger; using hands or wooden spoon, blend well.
Shape mixture into 1¼ inch balls.
In 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil;add meatballs;cook about 12 minutes, turning frequently until well browned on all sides.
Using slotted spoon, remove to plate.
To drippings in skillet, add scallions and garlic;cook, still over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until tender-crisp.
In small bowl, stir reserved pineapple juice into cornstarch until blended and smooth;add to skillet along with vinegar, sugar and ground red pepper.
Increase heat to high; bring to a boil, stirring.
Boil 1 minute.
Return meatballs to skillet along with pineapple chunks and pea pods; cook 3 to 5 minutes longer until heated through and pea pods are crisp-tender.
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