Sweet & Sour Meatballs
These juicy, tender meatballs are cooked in a rich, sweet & sour sauce made with bell peppers, onions, carrots, and a touch of apple cider vinegar for the perfect balance of flavors. The sauce caramelizes beautifully, coating each meatball in a deliciously tangy glaze.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot grated on the coarse grater
- ½ kg ground beef
- 25 g grated Parmesan
- 35 g breadcrumbs
- 1 medium egg
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil (plus more for frying)
For the sweet & sour sauce:
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 Florina pepper sliced
- 1 onion cut into wedges
- 1 medium carrot cut into thin sticks
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 150 ml water
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
Instructions
For the meatballs:
- In a bowl, combine the onion, carrot, ground beef, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Using clean hands or gloves, mix until well combined. Form small balls and set them aside.
- Heat a pan with olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
For the sweet & sour sauce:
- In a separate pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, onion, and carrot, and sauté for about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the sugar, stir briefly, then pour in the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, water, salt, and pepper. Let the vegetables caramelize (takes about 5 minutes).
- Once the sauce is ready, add the meatballs to the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Serve warm, accompanied by basmati rice or crusty bread.
Notes
Chef’s tip:
- For even cooking, cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces.
- Don’t overcook the meatballs in the pan—they will finish cooking in the sauce, keeping them juicy.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!