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4.6 from 1,098 votes

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Balanced, flavorful, and enjoyable—this recipe has it all.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 354 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Meatballs:
  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground meat see note
  • ¾ cup quick oats or old-fashioned oats that have been lightly pulsed in a blender
  • 2 eggs slightly beaten
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
Sauce:
  • ¼ - ½ cup brown sugar depending on how sweet you want the sauce
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • ¼ cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 
  • Hot cooked rice for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. For the meatballs, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 meatballs (right around 2-inches each). Place in a lightly greased 9X13-inch pan.
  3. For the sauce, whisk together the ingredients until well-combined.
  4. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened.
  5. Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired.

Notes

  • Meat: I usually use a combination of lean ground beef and lean ground turkey but really any ground meat would work well - just keep in mind that if you don't want the grease to pool in the bottom of the baking dish (ew), use a pretty lean meat.
  • Sauce: also, I highly recommend doubling the sauce if you like dishes like this a bit saucier. Very often, I forego the baking and instead brown the meatballs in a skillet (or if doubling, I use my large electric skillet) on all sides and then drain any grease (most often there isn't any if using lean meat). Pour the sauce into the skillet, cover and let the meatballs simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked through, turning once or twice.
  • Freezable Meal: after covering the meatballs with sauce, cover the pan with two layers of aluminum foil and freeze. To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake covered without thawing for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes more, until meatballs are cooked through.

Nutrition Information

Calories 354kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 41g (14%) Protein 28g (56%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 125mg (42%) Sodium 648mg (27%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 32g (64%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 354

% Daily Value*

Calories 354kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 41g 14%
Protein 28g 56%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 125mg 42%
Sodium 648mg 27%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 32g 64%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.