Sweet and Sour Meatballs
There’s a reason some things become classics; they’re awesome! Enter meatballs, any variety for a party. Today I’ve revamped sweet and sour meatballs, by using extra lean beef, whole wheat bread, baking the meat balls and sodium-reduced ingredients these meatballs are all around healthier. Noting that, I must point out, no one will know these are healthier because they’re absolutely insane delicious!
Originally posted on May 22, 2016!
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
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Ingredients
3 Pieces of whole wheat baguette (1 inch thick)
1 Medium onion, grated
400 g extra lean ground beef
1 (Large) egg
3 Cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 Cups sodium-reduced beef stock
¼ Cup ketchup
¼ Cup brown sugar
¼ Cup white vinegar
¼ Cup sodium-reduced soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350.
In a large mixing bowl pour some Luke warm water over the bread slices and let the bread soak in the water; leave enough water to cover the bread.
After the bread has completely softened and absorbed the water, drain the water out of the bowl and gently squeeze the excess water out of the bread.
When you are left with soaked bread only, add the onion, beef, egg, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl; mix well using your hand. Stop mixing just when the ingredients have come together, you don’t want to over work the meat.
Start to roll the meat balls and place on a nonstick baking sheet. If you don’t have a good quality nonstick baking sheet line it with parchment or wax paper rather than using oil.
To help make sure the meatballs are uniform in size I divide the meat into 4 portions (the same way I make burgers) and then divide each portion into 3 and then divide each of those portions in half to make 24 meatballs.
Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
In a sauce pot, whisk together the beef stock, ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar and soy sauce and bring it to a boil.
Whisk together the cornstarch and water until completely lump free and add it to the pot once it’s come to a boil.
Let the pot boil until it’s thickened and then drop the heat to low.
Add the meatballs to the sauce when you take them out of the oven.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve immediately.
Notes
- I served this with rice and garnished with fresh parsley!
- You can use extra lean ground turkey or ground chicken (pork would work too) in place of beef but omit the egg and use ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper instead.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 25 Minutes
- Category: Main or App
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Sweet and Sour, Meatballs, healthy, healthy Sweet and Sour Meatballs, healthy meatballs, LisaGCooks.com
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 20 minutes |
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There’s a reason some things become classics; they’re awesome! Enter meatballs, any variety for a party. Today I’ve revamped sweet and sour meatballs, by using extra lean beef, whole wheat bread, baking the meat balls and sodium-reduced ingredients these meatballs are all around healthier. Noting that, I must point out, no one will know these are healthier because they’re absolutely insane delicious!
|
- 3 pieces whole wheat baguette (1 inch thick)
- 1 medium onion, , grated
- 400 g extra lean ground beef
- 1 Large egg
- 3 cloves garlic , crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups sodium-reduced beef stock
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup sodium-reduced soy sauce
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp cold water
- Preheat your oven to 350.
- In a large mixing bowl pour some Luke warm water over the bread slices and let the bread soak in the water; leave enough water to cover the bread.
- After the bread has completely softened and absorbed the water, drain the water out of the bowl and gently squeeze the excess water out of the bread.
- When you are left with soaked bread only, add the onion, beef, egg, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl; mix well using your hand. Stop mixing just when the ingredients have come together, you don’t want to over work the meat.
- Start to roll the meat balls and place on a nonstick baking sheet. If you don’t have a good quality nonstick baking sheet line it with parchment or wax paper rather than using oil.
- To help make sure the meatballs are uniform in size I divide the meat into 4 portions (the same way I make burgers) and then divide each portion into 3 and then divide each of those portions in half to make 24 meatballs.
- Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile prepare the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- In a sauce pot, whisk together the beef stock, ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar and soy sauce and bring it to a boil.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and water until completely lump free and add it to the pot once it’s come to a boil.
- Let the pot boil until it’s thickened and then drop the heat to low.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce when you take them out of the oven.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve immediately.
- I served this with rice and garnished with fresh parsley J
- You can use extra lean ground turkey or ground chicken (pork would work too) in place of beef but omit the egg and use ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper instead.
Definitely a hit at any small plates party!
They’re so easy too 🙂
Looks so versatile – lunch or app. Thx Lisa!
How much ground beef is 400g in pounds and ounces?
Hey!
It’s just under a pound or 14 ounces (just go with around a pound, it will work out!)
Thanks 🙂