Oven-Baked Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Glossy, tangy-sweet sauce clinging to every tender Sweet & Sour Meatball and is the kind of thing that makes people hover around the snack table and quietly go back for thirds.
Since the meatballs cook in the oven, you get even browning with almost no hands-on time, leaving you free to prep rice or set out toothpicks. Serve them as a crowd-pleasing party appetizer or spoon them over rice for a cozy dinner that the whole family will happily dig into.
Helpful Tips
- Keep an eye on the sauce: With all that brown sugar, the sauce can go from perfectly thick to scorched quickly, so stir it often and pull it off the heat as soon as it coats the back of a spoon.
- Toss while everything is warm: Combine the meatballs and sauce right away while both are hot, as warm sauce flows easily and coats each meatball in a shiny, even layer.
- Check the temperature, not just the clock: Ovens vary, so use an instant-read thermometer to confirm the meatballs hit 165°F in the center before you pull them out.
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Oven-Baked Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Glossy, tangy-sweet sauce clinging to every tender Sweet & Sour Meatball and is the kind of thing that makes people hover around the snack table and quietly go back for thirds.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon EACH salt and black pepper
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic minced
- sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently just until combined. Don’t overmix, or the meatballs can turn tough.
- Roll into 1-inch meatballs and place them on the baking sheet. Make sure they aren’t touching. Bake for 12 minutes or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Meanwhile, add sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until thickened.
- When the meatballs are done, add them to a bowl. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir to combine.
- Serve with sesame seeds.
Nutrition
Calories: 93kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 181mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 27IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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