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Weight Watchers Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Weight Watchers Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Lean beef meatballs are baked and finished in a glossy ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce glaze. Serve them hot with rice or vegetables for an easy, comforting meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 1 lb Lean ground beef, preferably 90–95% lean
  • 1/4 cup Dry breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup Finely minced onion
  • 1 egg Large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Ketchup
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1/4 cup Cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Soy sauce

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and lightly grease a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Combine the lean ground beef, breadcrumbs, minced onion, egg, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix only until the ingredients are evenly combined.
  3. Shape the mixture into approximately 20 to 24 small meatballs, each about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Arrange them in the prepared dish with a little space between each one.
  4. Bake the meatballs for about 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned and mostly cooked.
  5. While the meatballs bake, combine the ketchup, water, cider vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  6. Pour the sauce over the pre-baked meatballs. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are fully cooked and coated with sauce.
  7. Check that the ground beef reaches 160°F (71°C) internally. Serve the meatballs hot with rice or vegetables.

Notes

Do not overmix the beef mixture, or the meatballs may become dense. Pre-baking helps the meatballs hold their shape and keeps excess grease out of the sauce. Cider vinegar gives the most typical sweet-tart flavor, while white vinegar makes the sauce sharper.