Easy Sweet And Sour Meatballs With Pineapple

Whether you’re planning a casual get-together with friends, a cocktail party or a formal dinner party, these sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple are sure to please. They’re deliciously sweet and sticky with the perfect hint of tart. And they take only 15 minutes from start to finish, making them the ideal appetizer for hosts who need something quick yet delicious that will still impress their guests.

This easy recipe is one of the most versatile dishes you can serve at a party.

You can use beef, turkey, chicken or even vegetarian meatballs to meet the needs of your guests.

The sweet and sour sauce is super simple and fast to put together. (And there’s one special ingredient that I think makes these the best sweet and sour meatballs ever!)

Plus you can keep them warm in a crock pot so they’re easy to serve for all kinds of events.

Which is why they’re one of the staple menu items at every party I host.

Ingredients

This recipe makes about 24 meatballs.

Here is your shopping list:

• meatballs – 1 24-ounce package beef, turkey, chicken or vegetarian meatballs. Getting the exact weight is not critical. You can go up or down by a few ounces. I use Aidell’s pineapple and teriyaki chicken meatballs because they go so well with the sauce.
• canned goods – 1 14-ounce can pineapple chunks
• sweeteners – ⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup grenadine – Grenadine is the secret sauce that adds extra flavor as well as the traditional red color.
• condiments – ½ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup white vinegar
• thickener – 3 Tablespoons corn starch

Substitutions

• If you don’t want to have chunks of pineapple with your meatballs, substitute 2/3 cup pineapple juice for the can of pineapple chunks

Prepare the meatballs

Heat the meatballs as instructed on the package.

In my case, I placed them on a baking sheet. Then baked them at 350℉ for 8-10 minutes (or until hot).

While the meatballs are baking, make the sweet and sour sauce.

How to make sweet and sour sauce for meatballs

Prep work

In a small bowl, mix 3 Tablespoons cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons water. Set aside

Make the sauce

Drain the juice from a 14-ounce can of pineapple into a saucepan, leaving the pineapple chunks in the can for later.

Stir in ¾ cup water, ½ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup white vinegar, ⅓ cup brown sugar, and ⅓ cup grenadine.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Next we’ll be adding the corn starch mixture to the sauce.

If the corn starch has settled to the bottom of the bowl, give it a stir to recombine before continuing.

Then whisk it into the sauce, making sure there are no lumps.

Simmer until thickened, about 30 seconds.

Add the meatballs

Add the cooked meatballs and the pineapple chunks to the sweet and sour sauce in the saucepan.

Toss to combine.

Serving

Sweet and sour meatballs can be served with a scoop of sauce over rice as part of a main course.

Or used as an appetizer, served with toothpicks.

For parties, I like to put them into a crockpot on the Warm setting and let everyone help themselves.

Alternatively, you can skip the step of tossing the meatballs in the sauce and serve them separately.

Then your guests can decide how much they want to add.

Storage

Sweet and sour meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat in the microwave or in a slow cooker on low setting before serving.

Other recipes you might like

• Slow cooker meatballs with tomato sauce
• Crock pot no bean chili
• Homemade loaded nachos

Sweet And Sour Meatballs With Pineapple

Wanda Simone

These sweet and sour meatballs are mixed with pineapple to create a tangy sauce that everyone loves.

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 24 meatballs

Calories 118 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• measuring cups and spoons
• 1 Small bowl
• 1 Sauce pan
• 1 mixing spoon

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 24-ounce package beef, turkey, chicken or vegetarian meatballs
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 14-ounce can pineapple chunks
• ¾ cup water
• ½ cup ketchup
• ⅓ cup white vinegar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup grenadine

Instructions

 

• Heat the meatballs as instructed on the package.
• In a small bowl, mix 3 Tablespoons cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons water. Set aside
• Drain the juice from a 14-ounce can of pineapple into a saucepan, leaving the pineapple chunks in the can for later.
• Stir in ¾ cup water, ½ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup white vinegar, ⅓ cup brown sugar, and ⅓ cup grenadine.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Whisk the corn starch mixture into the sauce, making sure there are no lumps.
• Simmer until thickened, about 30 seconds.
• Add the cooked meatballs and the pineapple chunks to the sweet and sour sauce in the saucepan.
• Toss to combine.

Notes

• If you don’t want to have pineapple chunks in your meatballs, replace the can of pineapple with 2/3 cup pineapple juice.
• To serve for a party, put the meatballs and sauce into a slow cooker on the Warm setting.
• Alternatively, the meatballs and sauce can be served separately so guests can decide how much they want.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 meatballCalories: 118 kcalCarbohydrates: 11 gProtein: 5 gFat: 6 gSaturated Fat: 2 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 3 gCholesterol: 20 mgSodium: 64 mgPotassium: 121 mgFiber: 0.2 gSugar: 8 gVitamin A: 36 IUVitamin C: 2 mgCalcium: 11 mgIron: 0.3 mg

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

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