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Easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe with Pineapple

Easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Fully cooked frozen meatballs simmer with pineapple, bell pepper, and a glossy homemade sweet-and-sour sauce. This quick dinner serves 4–6 people and comes together in about 35–40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1 pound (450 g) Fully cooked frozen meatballs
  • 1 tablespoon Neutral oil, for browning if desired
Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
  • 1 cup (240 ml) Reserved pineapple juice
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) Packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) Rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) Ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
Add-ins
  • 1 can (8 ounces/227 g) Pineapple chunks, drained
  • 1 medium Medium bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup Sliced onion, optional

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. If desired, brown the frozen meatballs in a large skillet with 1 tablespoon neutral oil for 5–7 minutes. They do not need to be fully hot because they will finish cooking in the sauce.
  2. Whisk the cold pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and cornstarch together in a bowl until smooth and lump-free.
  3. Pour the sauce mixture into a large skillet or saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.
  4. Simmer the sauce for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens and looks glossy.
  5. Add the meatballs, pineapple chunks, bell pepper, and optional onion. Stir gently until every ingredient is coated.
  6. Cover and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated through and the vegetables are tender-crisp.
  7. Serve the meatballs over cooked white rice, fried rice, or noodles. Spoon plenty of sauce and pineapple over each portion.

Notes

Whisk cornstarch into cold pineapple juice before heating to prevent lumps. After the sauce thickens, add vinegar for more tang, brown sugar for extra sweetness, or water if it becomes too concentrated. Do not overcook the bell pepper; tender-crisp vegetables provide the best texture.