Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

This post is sponsored by Sunsweet. Thank you for supporting the companies that encourage my creativity and work.

I've wanted to make sweet and sour meatballs for a while now, but most recipes call for hard to find ingredients. Well, you're in luck because I finally developed a recipe that is not only easy to make, but it's a healthy meal that fits into your busy schedule.

Meatball recipes can be intimidating and often seem like they require a lot of hands-on-time. And while they do require some rolling, the more you make them, the faster you get at it, and the results are always worth it. Especially because in just fifteen minutes you can create these sweet and sour meatballs that any family will love!

Check out this video where I show you how to make these meatballs and how we enjoy them in our household.

Do you know why else this meatball recipe is a winner? Because I use a secret ingredient, Sunsweet Amaz!n Prune Juice! It sweetens the sauce naturally without the need to add sugar to the recipe. Whether you use the regular or light juice cocktail, it's a great way to balance out the flavors in this recipe with natural sweetness.

My family is a big fan of prunes. They are nature's natural candy, and I often use them in my cooking. From Fudgy Brownies, Chicken with Prunes and Sage, to a Chocolate Smoothie Bowl, they help me add a touch of sweetness to my recipes, as well as essential vitamins, minerals and added fiber.

Using ingredients that add nutrition to my meals helps me stay healthy. I eat right because staying healthy is essential to be able to enjoy life to the fullest with my family.

With packed family schedules, we all need to have a few favorite meals in the recipe box that can be adjusted to fit whatever is going on that night. These meatballs can be done in the slow cooker or baked in the oven, and you'll find details for both in the recipe box below.

The slow cooker will yield a very tender and flavorful meatball since it cooks with the delicious sweet and sour sauce for the final hour. Side note: be prepared to add the sweet and sour sauce one hour before serving.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it makes a large batch of meatballs and I can usually get a full family meal plus a few thermos lunches out of it.

This recipe is also perfect for entertaining and feeding a crowd -like on game day! If you want to double the recipe and batch them out, it's perfect for another dinner. It's always nice to have a favorite family meal that's ready in the freezer on a busy weeknight, and all you have to do is heat it up. In about fifteen minutes you’ll have dinner on the table!

I usually serve these meatballs with a side of rice and green beans. Don't ask why my but my grandmother always served them like that and I guess I've continued that tradition. However, they can be served with pasta, solo with a side salad, or even roasted vegetables.

What would be your inspiration for making these meatballs? Share with me using #IEatRightBecause and #Sweepstakes on Instagram tagging @SunsweetGrowersInc for a chance to win prizes from Sunsweet through 3/31/18.

Sweet and Sour Sunsweet Meatballs

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

½ cup panko breadcrumbs
⅓ cup minced flat-leaf parsley or 3 tablespoons dried parsley
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
2 lbs ground turkey or ground chicken
Cooked rice or pasta, for serving

For the Sweet-and-Sour Sauce:

1 cup Sunsweet Amaz!n Prune Juice, regular or light
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs with parsley, garlic, eggs, and soy sauce. Add the ground turkey and using your hands mix to combine.
Form 1-inch meatballs and place them on the baking sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Timing will vary by size of meatballs, check after 15 minutes. Remove meatballs from oven and set aside.
While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sweet-and-sour sauce.
In a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat, whisk prune juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and ketchup. Bring sauce to a simmer, reduce heat to low.
In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch, and add the mixture to the sauce. Whisk to combine and allow to simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
Once the sauce is ready, add the cooked meatballs and stir to coat with the sauce.
Serve over cooked rice or spaghetti.

Notes

Slow cooker method: Make the meatballs by following steps 1-3. Place the meatballs in the slow cooker on high, and cook for 5-6 hours. In the last 30 minutes, make the sauce in a saucepan and pour over meatballs. Cook for an additional hour.

Nutrition