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Sweet and Sour Mini Meatballs Recipe: A Party-Perfect Homemade Appetizer

Sweet and Sour Mini Meatballs

Tender homemade mini beef meatballs simmer in a glossy sweet-and-sour sauce with optional pineapple chunks and bell pepper. Serve them as an appetizer or over steamed rice.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1 lb (454 g) Lean ground beef
  • 1 Large egg
  • 1/2 cup Dry breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup Finely minced onion
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Table salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Ketchup
  • 1/2 cup Packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup White distilled vinegar or rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Pineapple juice or water
  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Cornstarch
Optional Add-Ins
  • 1 8 oz can Canned pineapple chunks, drained
  • 1/2 cup Chopped green or red bell pepper

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C), then line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
  2. Combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix just until the ingredients are combined, taking care not to overwork the mixture.
  3. Shape the mixture into approximately 36 meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. A small cookie scoop helps keep every meatball similar in size.
  4. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Beef meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
  5. Whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, pineapple juice or water, soy sauce, and cornstarch together in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and stir for 3–5 minutes, until glossy and slightly thickened.
  6. Add the cooked meatballs and drained pineapple chunks to the sauce. If using bell pepper, add it now and simmer gently for 5–10 minutes so the meatballs absorb the sauce.
  7. Transfer the meatballs to a serving bowl and spoon extra sauce over the top. Serve hot with toothpicks for an appetizer or over rice for a complete meal.

Notes

Use a small cookie scoop for evenly sized meatballs. If the sauce becomes too thick, loosen it with 1–2 tablespoons of water or pineapple juice. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and reheat gently until hot.