Get ready to be the star of your next party with these irresistible sweet and sour cocktail meatballs!
Imagine savory, perfectly spiced meatballs bathed in a tangy, mouthwatering sauce that will have everyone begging for the recipe.
The secret ingredient is waiting to delight your taste buds – let's get cooking!
Ingredients
To make these extra juicy and tasty baked meatballs that are terrific for gatherings, you'll need a few key ingredients! For the meatballs, you'll need ¾ cup of panko breadcrumbs—they're bigger than normal ones, making 'em softer!
Grab ½ an onion (we're gonna grate it—get ready to cry a little!), ½ lb each of beef and pork mince—or all beef or pork if you prefer—plus one egg to bind it all. Don't forget a minced garlic clove, 1½ tsp of Worcestershire sauce, ¾ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper! Don't forget the cheese, as the Parmesan cheese is what can elevate the flavors of your dish to the next level.
Now, for that amazing sweet & sour sauce, you'll need 1 tbsp of cornflour (or cornstarch, same thing!), ¼ cup of water, ½ cup of apple cider vinegar, ½ cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of tomato ketchup, and 1 tbsp of soy sauce—trust me, it won't taste Asian at all! And if you're feeling fancy, get some finely chopped chives for garnish!
Instructions
Alright, let's get into how I make these amazing Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatballs! First, I preheat my oven to 220C – that's like 430F.
Now, I grate half an onion into a bowl, add the breadcrumbs, and mix them real good! Let 'em soak a sec, it's like a breadcrumb spa day.
Next, I add the meatball ingredients – beef, pork, egg, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper. Just like in a biryani, meat is obviously a very important ingredient. Mix it all with my hands. It might be a little messy, but it's worth it!
Then, I measure out level tablespoons of the mixture and roll them into balls. Place 'em on a baking tray – I like to use a rack sprayed with oil.
Bake for about 25 minutes until they're browned. Remove the meatballs and transfer to a bowl. I drizzle the sauce, toss gently, and then garnish it. Serve with the rest of the sauce – because it's so good!
Recipe Notes
Before you get started, I wanna share some extra things that will help you out as you follow along. You know, little tips and tricks!
First, panko breadcrumbs are the key—they make the meatballs softer. Trust me! You can find these in the Asian section of most supermarkets. Also, feel free to mix up your meats.
Here are a few more notes:
- A rack keeps the meatballs rounder, so they brown nicely all around.
- Don't sweat the sauce ratios—it's got a great balance, but you can tweak it!
- You can prep these ahead of time because they reheat well!
- A slow cooker on warm will keep the meatballs nice and cozy while serving.
Finally, remember that this recipe makes around 25 meatballs. One last thing: my nutrition facts assume that you are eating ALL the sauce!
Short Recipe Version
Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatballs
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Servings: 24
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 1 Egg
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 cup Ketchup
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp White Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well.
- Form into 1-inch meatballs.
- Place meatballs on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
- While meatballs bake, combine ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a saucepan.
- Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
- Add cooked meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with extra sauce.
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated):
- Calories: 75
- Protein: 5g
- Fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 5g