As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n These Sweet and Sour Meatballs<\/strong> are tender, juicy bites of meat simmered in a tangy, sticky-sweet glaze. Serve them as an appetizer or over rice for dinner; they\u2019re always a crowd favorite. Best of all? You can make them in the slow cooker or on the stovetop!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jump to Recipe<\/a><\/p>\n I\u2019ve been making these meatballs for years, and they never fail to bring people back for seconds. That perfect balance of savory and sweet, with a hint of tang from the vinegar and a pop of heat from crushed red pepper, makes every bite perfect.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been meaning to share this recipe for sooo long! I\u2019m so happy I\u2019ve finally gotten around to it, because these sweet and sour meatballs are seriously delicious and so easy to make. I love them as a party appetizer!<\/p>\n Lately, I\u2019ve been trying to include more of these types of recipes here on Baking a Moment. We\u2019ve done Buffalo Chicken Dip<\/a>, Spinach Artichoke Dip<\/a>, and a really fabulous Chili Recipe<\/a> that my family just loves.<\/p>\n These kinds of dishes are THE BEST for entertaining. Keep them warm in a crockpot, and your guests can graze on them all throughout the party.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the same for these meatballs. Just set them out with toothpicks, and everyone will nibble to their heart\u2019s content.<\/p>\n The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you\u2019re cooking.<\/p>\n Finely dice the onion into small pieces and get all of the meatball ingredients together.<\/p>\n In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, milk, onion, egg, salt, and pepper. Stir gently until just combined.<\/p>\n Roll into 1-tablespoon-sized balls and place in a single layer in a greased slow cooker insert or a large, deep skillet<\/a>.<\/p>\n I like to portion my meatballs out with a little ice cream scoop. Here\u2019s a link<\/a> to one similar to what I have.<\/p>\n Gather the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes.<\/p>\n Whisk<\/a> together in a bowl until well combined.<\/p>\n Pour the sauce over the meatballs.<\/p>\n About 30 minutes before serving, whisk<\/a> the cornstarch<\/a> into the water. <\/p>\n Remove the meatballs from the sauce and whisk in the cornstarch slurry.<\/p>\n Add the meatballs back into the sauce and continue to cook for 30 more minutes.<\/p>\n Give it another stir and enjoy! Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve warm as-is or over rice.<\/p>\n Yes! Just be sure they\u2019re fully cooked. Add them directly to the sauce and simmer until heated through.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Absolutely. The meatballs and sauce can be prepped a day in advance and reheated before serving.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n They\u2019re great with white rice, fried rice, or even mashed potatoes. Add a side of steamed broccoli or stir-fried vegetables to round out the meal.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you don\u2019t have (or don\u2019t want to use) a slow cooker, you can definitely make these on the stovetop instead. Just put them in a heavy-bottomed pot (I\u2019m especially partial to this kind<\/a>.), and let them simmer over low heat until they register 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n You can totally make a meal out of these! Serve them over rice or noodles, alongside a lovely steamed vegetable like broccoli or green beans.<\/p>\n![\"Glazed](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3581-best-sweet-sour-meatballs-recipe.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nTable of Contents<\/h2>\n
Here\u2019s Why You\u2019ll Love This Recipe<\/h2>\n
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Ingredients You\u2019ll Need<\/h2>\n
![\"Sweet](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3594-best-sweet-and-sour-meatballs-crockpot.jpg\"\/)
![\"Sweet](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3594-best-sweet-and-sour-meatballs-crockpot.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFor the Meatballs:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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For the Sweet & Sour Sauce:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Optional Garnish:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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In Photos: How To Make Sweet And Sour Meatballs<\/h2>\n
Step 1: Prep<\/h3>\n
![\"Overhead](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3517-meatballs-ingredients.jpg\"\/)
![\"Overhead](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3517-meatballs-ingredients.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep 2: Make The Meatballs<\/h3>\n
![\"Seasoned](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3518-how-to-make-meatballs.jpg\"\/)
![\"Seasoned](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3518-how-to-make-meatballs.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep 3: Form Meatballs<\/h3>\n
![\"Rolling](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3519-crockpot-meatballs.jpg\"\/)
![\"Rolling](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3519-crockpot-meatballs.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep 4: Make The Sauce<\/h3>\n
![\"Overhead](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3520-sweet-and-sour-sauce-ingredients.jpg\"\/)
![\"Overhead](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3520-sweet-and-sour-sauce-ingredients.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"Top](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3521-easy-sweet-and-sour-sauce-recipe.jpg\"\/)
![\"Top](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3521-easy-sweet-and-sour-sauce-recipe.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nStep 5: Add Sauce To Meatballs<\/h3>\n
![\"Pouring](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3535-best-sweet-and-sour-marinade.jpg\"\/)
![\"Pouring](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3535-best-sweet-and-sour-marinade.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep 6: Cook<\/h3>\n
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Step 7: Thicken<\/h3>\n
![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3551-how-to-thicken-sauce-with-cornstarch.jpg\"\/)
![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3551-how-to-thicken-sauce-with-cornstarch.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep 8: Add Slurry To Sauce<\/h3>\n
![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3569-how-to-thicken-sauces.jpg\"\/)
![\"Adding](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3569-how-to-thicken-sauces.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStep 9: Return Meatballs To Sauce<\/h3>\n
Step 10: Enjoy<\/h3>\n
Helpful Tips and Tricks<\/h3>\n
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FAQ<\/h2>\n
![\"Overhead](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3586-sweet-and-sour-meatballs-appetizer.jpg\"\/)
![\"Overhead](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3586-sweet-and-sour-meatballs-appetizer.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"Glazed](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3581-best-sweet-sour-meatballs-recipe-240x240.jpg\"\/)
![\"Glazed](\"https:\/\/bakingamoment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG_3581-best-sweet-sour-meatballs-recipe-240x240.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n