Cocktail Meatballs with Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
25 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
25 meatballs
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Course
Main Course, Snacks, Dinner
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Cuisine
American
Cocktail Meatballs with Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
Description
This recipe starts with meatballs combining panko breadcrumbs soaked in grated onion, ground beef and pork, egg, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. After mixing and shaping into roughly one-inch balls, the meatballs bake on an oiled rack or tray at 220°C until browned and cooked through, yielding a moist and tender texture.
The sweet and sour sauce is prepared separately by whisking together cornflour, water, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce, then brought to a simmer until thickened. After baking, the meatballs are tossed gently in some sauce to coat, served with extra sauce for dipping and optionally garnished with chopped chives.
The meatballs offer a juicy bite offset by the sauce's balanced sweet and tangy profile with subtle umami from soy sauce, suitable for social occasions or casual snacking. The recipe notes recommend variations in meat ratios and usage of a rack in baking to keep shape and even browning.
Make-ahead storage suggestions include refrigerating or freezing cooked meatballs separately from sauce, which reheats well in a microwave or slow cooker. Serving with toothpicks facilitates sharing.
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (Note 1)
- ½ onion
- 250 g / ½ lb ground beef ground beef) (Note 2
- 250 g / ½ lb pork mince (ground pork) (Note 2)
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic minced, clove
- 1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Sweet and Sour Sauce (makes ~ 1 cup):
- 1 tbsp cornflour or cornstarch
- ¼ cup / 65 ml water
- ½ cup / 125 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- ¼ cup / 65 ml tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (Note 2)
Garnish (optional):
- chives finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220C / 430F (standard) or 200C / 390F (fan / convection).
- Grate onion into a large bowl using a standard box grater. Add breadcrumbs and mix to coat. Leave to soak for a few minutes.
- Add remaining Meatballs ingredients. Mix well with your hands until combined.
- Measure out level tablespoons and dollop onto work surface. Roll into balls. (My way of rolling balls - fast!)
- Place a rack on a baking tray (optional, Note 3). Spray rack generously with oil. Place balls on the rack.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until browned. Remove tray from oven, immediately transfer meatballs in a large bowl (if you leave them, they stick).
- Drizzle with enough sauce to coat the meatballs. Toss gently, then transfer to serving bowl / plate. Garnish with chives, if desired.
- Serve meatballs with toothpicks and remaining Sauce for Dipping.
SWEET and SOUR SAUCE:
- Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine.
- Bring to simmer, stirring / whisking regularly, then simmer until it thickens to a syrup consistency – or thicker if you like. (about 3 minutes)
- Pour meatballs in a bowl, pour a bit of sauce to coat. Serve with remaining sauce, garnished with chives.
Notes
- Panko breadcrumbs yield softer, lighter meatballs compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Mixing beef and pork balances flavor, tenderness, and juiciness; all beef or pork can be substituted.
- Using a baking rack helps meatballs brown evenly and maintain shape during cooking.
- The sweet and sour sauce is mildly balanced; adjust sugar or vinegar to taste after cooking.
- Meatballs and sauce store well separately; reheat gently in microwave or slow cooker.
- This recipe produces about 25 small meatballs, ideal for serving as appetizers with toothpicks.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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