• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Midnight Baker

Easy to make main meal and dessert recipes.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Text Index
  • Subscribe
  • Recipe Box
  • About Me
    • Media/PR
    • Cookbooks
      • The Classic Slow Cooker
      • The Cupboard To Table Cookbook
    • Contact
    • Privacy
Home » Beef » Maria Mac’s Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Maria Mac’s Sweet & Sour Meatballs

January 11, 2015 by Judith Hannemann

Pin
Share
Tweet
Share

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

These sweet and sour meatballs double as a main course served over rice or an excellent appetizer
Hands down the very best sweet and sour meatballs you’ll ever taste. These meatballs work well as a dinner or a party buffet appetizer dish.


I took one look at these and fell instantly in love!

My friend Maria, who runs the large Facebook group Recipes A Plenty, posted these on her wall yesterday and they looked so good the drooling started instantaneously.

 

Maria Mac's Sweet & Sour Meat Balls | bakeatmidnite.com | #meatballs #sweetandsour #appetizers
Wonderful flavor makes them versatile

 

This was a recipe of Maria’s before she started her blog, Maria’s Mixing Bowl and just would post her family recipes on her wall or in the group.

Her meatballs looked so tender and juicy, not hard and dry like some can be.  Her secret is adding some water to the dry breadcrumbs and letting it soak. You do have to be careful with them, since they are a bit fragile being so soft, but a little extra care is well worth the effort.  They are delectable!

Maria’s original recipe called for less breadcrumbs, but I found the meat mixture to be a bit too fragile, so I upped the amount a bit.  Both of us cook by “eye” so perhaps the amount I used was the amount she used. Both of us attempt to get measurements right, but sometime we slip up LOL!

Maria Mac's Sweet & Sour Meat Balls | bakeatmidnite.com | #meatballs #sweetandsour #appetizers
Sweet and tangy

 

Her sauce didn’t contain the soy sauce I added.  I just like the flavor and think it adds depth to anything remotely Asian, so I added it.

Serve this with a nice hot and fluffy jasmine rice–whether it’s party food on the buffet or a sit-down meal with the family.

Enjoy!!!

 

Print Recipe Add to Recipe Box Go to Collections Pin Recipe

Maria Mac's Sweet & Sour Meatballs

Hands down the very best sweet and sour meatballs you’ll ever taste. These meatballs work well as a dinner or a party buffet appetizer dish.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: beef
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef meatballs
Servings: 4
Calories: 449kcal
Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

  • 1 lb very lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp minced onion
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1-2 tbsp oil for frying

SAUCE

  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • 1 small red bell pepper cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 1 small green bell pepper cut in 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks drained
  • drained juice from pineapple plus enough water to make 1 1/2 cups
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar

THICKENER

  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  • Mix together bread crumbs, onion and the 1/4 cup water. Let stand until water is absorbed by breadcrumbs.
  • Add the ground beef, salt and beaten egg and combine well. Form into meatballs about the size of a marshmallow (about 1.5-inches diameter).
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown meatballs on all sides, carefully turning them so they don't fall apart and are completely cooked. Remove from pan; set aside.
  • In the same skillet, saute the celery and bell peppers until crisp-tender; about 5 minutes.
  • Add the brown sugar, cider vinegar, pineapple and water/pineapple juice mixture. Heat till boiling.
  • Mix the thickener ingredients and add to the boiling sauce. Stir until thickened, reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add meatballs back to pan and stir to coat them with sauce and heat through.

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1053mg | Potassium: 869mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 1285IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @midnitebaker or tag #midnitebaker!



 

Maria Mac's Sweet & Sour Meat Balls | bakeatmidnite.com | #meatballs #sweetandsour #appetizers
Maria Mac’s Sweet & Sour Meatballs

 

Copyright © Judith Hannemann aka The Midnight Baker 2015. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without The Midnight Baker’s express consent.

Follow The Midnight Baker’s board The Midnight Baker on Pinterest.

Pin
Share
Tweet
Share

Filed Under: Beef Tagged With: appetizers, meatballs, sweet and sour

You May Also Like

Crab rangoon stuffed mushrooms
Crab Rangoon Stuffed Mushrooms
Sausage balls
Air Fryer Sausage Balls
Bacon jalapeno cheese balls
Jalapeño Bacon Cheese Balls
Previous Post: « Super Bowl Sunday Countdown–Week #2 Wings, Ribs & Bacon
Next Post: Cheeseburger Dog Biscuits »

Reader Interactions

Copyright © Judith Hannemann aka The Midnight Baker 2022. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without The Midnight Baker's express consent.

Comments

  1. Anto says

    January 11, 2015 at 2:47 am

    Awesome…Looks tempting!

  2. Judith Hanneman says

    January 12, 2015 at 4:24 am

    They are delicious!

Primary Sidebar

Now Available

bakeatmidnite
ALSO AVAILABLE bakeatmidnite

Follow by Email! Get the e-Cookbook

“Must Try” Recipes

Roasted Pork Chops with Savoury Stuffing

Roasted Pork Chops with Savoury Stuffing

Slow Cooker Smoked Brisket

Slow Cooker Smokehouse Brisket

Baby spinach and tangy feta cheese is just the right stuffing for these chicken breasts.

Spinach & Feta Stuffed Chicken

Annie Glenn's Ham Loaf

Annie Glenn’s Ham Loaf

bakeatmidnite

Footer

bakeatmidnite
my foodgawker gallery Certified Yummly Recipes on Yummly.com
bakeatmidnite
COPYRIGHT © 2023 • BAKEATMIDNITE.COM • PRIVACY POLICY