Literally the BEST and the easiest weeknight dinner you can make. My kids want it on the menu weekly. These easy sweet and sour meatballs can be made for an appetizer, for a dinner, with store bought meatballs or homemade. Any way you make them they are delicious and fool-proof! Here's how to make them.
WHAT CAN I MAKE THESE EASY SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS IN?
There are a variety of ways to cook these meatballs you can
- pressure cooker (preferred method)
- stovetop
- slow cooker
DO I HAVE TO MAKE HOMEMADE MEATBALLS?
NO! you can use your favorite meatballs from the store. WHAT ARE THE BEST FROZEN MEATBALLS? We love Rosina homestyle or itialan-style meatballs. I do highly recommend making homemade meatballs however, their flavor and texture are so much better.
INGREDIENTS FOR THESE EASY SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS
You will need for the meatballs:
- ground beef or turkey
- 2 slightly beats eggs
- bread crumbs (GF for friends who cant have gluten)
- parmesan cheese
- sour cream (a must!)
- dried oregano
- salt
- onion salt (can sub with diced onion)
- fresh parsley* optional
For the sauce you need:
- chili sauce
- grape jelly
WHERE CAN I FIND CHILI SAUCE?
Chili sauce can be found by the ketchup in the condiments isle! I usually spot it on the top shelf.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE MEATBALLS.
I like to use a lean ground beef or a ground turkey for these meatballs. Here is how to make them:
- in a large bowl place your meat.
- Add 2 slightly beaten eggs
- Bread crumbs
- Parm cheese
- sour cream (this is a must! it keeps those meatballs super moist!)
- Oregano
- salt
- Gently mix together
*I also love to add a small handful of fresh parsley if you have that on hand.
PROTIP: to keep the meatballs uniform use a cookie scoop or melon baller to scoop your meatballs then roll them with your hands.
Place on a parchment sheet until you are ready to cook.
HOW TO COOK MEATBALLS
PRESSURE COOKER: Place all your meatballs in the pressure cooker with the sauce and cook on high for 15 minutes. This is my preferred method because its all done in one step and the meatballs ALWAYS come out fluffy and moist. Whereas on the stovetop and the oven they easily dry out and are more dense. You can brown the meatballs on each side before inserting into the pressure cooker but it is not a must.
STOVE TOP: Brown your meatballs on med-high heat on each side. They dont need to fully cooked before you add your sauce. This method is great because the browning adds really nice flavor. You can also brown your meatballs before adding to the slow cooker or the pressure cooker.
SLOW COOKER: You can choose to brown your meatballs beforehand or just put them in gently raw cover with saw and cook for 6-8 hours.
HOW TO MAKE THE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
In a large bowl combine your jelly and chili sauce. Whisk them together.
Add your sauce to the meatballs. It doesn't matter if you are doing pressure cooker, slow cooker or stove top add the sauce and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce until they are done and the sauce has thickened.
HOW TO SERVE EASY SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS
Once the meatballs have simmered and the sauce is thickened they are ready to eat!!
AS A MEAL: Serve as a meal! Top the meatballs and sauce over some rice.
AS AN APPETIZER: Keep the meatballs warm and in the sauce and serve with toothpicks.
WHAT DO YOU SERVE WITH MEATBALLS?
These easy sweet and sour meatballs go AMAZING with
- jasmine rice
- mashed potatoes
- a great bread and
- roasted veggies
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Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
- ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 2 egg slightly beaten
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup sour cream*
Meatball sauce
- 1 cup heinz chili sauce usually on the top shelf by ketchup
- 1 cup red currant or grape jelly
(usually the whole bottle) - ½* cup water
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions
- Combine beef/turkey, bread crumbs, egg, onion salt, milk, garlic salt, cheese, oregano to form bite size meatballs. Brown meatballs in a little oil and drain excess fat.
- Brown on all sides, but since you will be simmering in the sauce for 20 minutes they don't need to be cooked through.
- In separate bowl combine chili sauce, jelly, and water pour over meatballs in the fry pan. Heat stirring occasionally until jelly is melted. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce has thickened. Serve with rice, or as appetizer in chaffing dish or fondue pot.
Pressure Cooker Instructions
- Combine beef/turkey, bread crumbs, egg, onion salt, milk, garlic salt , oregano to form bite size meatballs. Loosely pack them into instant pot.
- In separate bowl combine chili sauce, jelly- pour over meatballs and seal lid. Cook High 10 minutes, quick release. Simmer on saute setting if you want your sauce to thicken.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Combine beef/turkey, bread crumbs, egg, onion salt, milk, garlic salt , oregano to form bite size meatballs. Loosely pack them into slow cooker. In separate bowl combine chili sauce, jelly- pour over meatballs and seal lid. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or hight for 3-4
Video
Notes
DO I HAVE TO MAKE HOMEMADE MEATBALLS?
NO! you can use your favorite meatballs from the store. WHAT ARE THE BEST FROZEN MEATBALLS? We love Rosina homestyle or itialan-style meatballs. I do highly recommend making homemade meatballs however, their flavor and texture are so much better.WHERE CAN I FIND CHILI SAUCE?
Chili sauce can be found by the ketchup in the condiments isle! I usually spot it on the top shelf. PROTIP: to keep the meatballs uniform use a cookie scoop or melon baller to scoop your meatballs then roll them with your hands.WHAT DO YOU SERVE WITH MEATBALLS?
These easy sweet and sour meatballs go AMAZING with- jasmine rice
- mashed potatoes
- a great bread and
- roasted veggies
Nutrition
Kerry Sarris says
Super yummy! I substitute ground chicken for beef and then I just added a little extra bread crumbs then I brown the meatballs just on the outside in the frying pan and then I put them in the pressure cooker and just cook them for 8 minutes on high pressure best chicken meatballs. I thought the sour cream was a weird ingredient but I think it made them super moist.
Linda Bailey says
I have made it 3 times and it is good. My questions is: Your ingredient list lists 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese but the directions never mention it. When is it supposed to be used?
Desarae says
I'm sorry! it's added to the meatballs. I will update the recipe card.
LISA FORD says
Do you pour the sauce over the meatballs in the pressure cooker?
Desarae says
yes! cook it in the pressure cooker with the meatballs and sauce together.
michelle taylor says
Delicious. A definite keeper and so easy. Will have to double this next time. No leftovers. Lol Thank you.
sarahSa shea says
Can these be doubled if using the instant pot method?
Desarae says
yes!! you can totally double it :)
cindy says
my family ate and ate this all down! It's going on our menu as a regular.
SONi CHRISTENSEN says
Hi Des,
Quick question...the recipe calls for sour cream, but the instructions reference milk, not sour cream. Your picture shows sour cream in with all the other ingredients...so I'm guessing the instructions are a type-o??
I'm going to make this for sunday dinner, so i just want to make sure I do it right. Thanks so much!!!! I love all your instant pot recipes!!!!
Desarae says
Hey Soni! sorry for the confusion- you can use either. I'll clarify that better in the post right now! I prefer to use sour cream. But many traditional meatball recipes use milk. A friend of mine used swore by sour cream as her secret ingredient for meatloaf and meatballs. It helps it not get dried out in the cooking process- especially when you dont use a pressure cooker.