Try these shortcut sweet and sour meatballs made with frozen meatballs for a delicious, fast, and budget-friendly dinner idea that the whole family will love. Perfect for busy weeknights this winter.
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With the days getting shorter and the air turning crisp, easy comfort food recipes are what my family craves, and these shortcut sweet and sour meatballs always hit the spot. They are not only super simple to make after a busy day, but they are also hearty and delicious.
If you have been around here for a bit, you know that I love sharing quick, simple, and frugal recipes (especially shortcut recipes that allow me to get dinner on the table fast).
And, sweet and sour meatballs over rice are the perfect solution for a simple, kid-friendly weeknight meal. Here are a few more reasons to make this easy dish.
Why You Will Love These Shortcut Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Super easy recipe as it uses frozen meatballs and a few simple ingredients for a quick dinner that even picky eaters will enjoy.
- Budget-friendly because it’s made with frugal pantry staples you may already have on hand.
- Perfect for any occasion, you can enjoy it for a simple weeknight dinner, meal prep for lunch, or as a party appetizer.
Looking for more family-friendly dinner ideas?
- Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe
- Pepperoni Pizza Casserole
- Easy 3 Meat French Bread Pizza
- Shortcut Chicken Parmesan Bake
- Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos
Sweet and Sour Meatballs Over Rice
Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Meatballs
These sweet and sour meatballs are an easy, budget-friendly meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights this winter. You can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes with this comforting, family-friendly dish.
You will need:
- frozen meatballs
- pineapple chunks
- colored bell pepper
- sugar
- ketchup
- vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- flour and water (to thicken sauce)
- rice
How to Make Shortcut Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- In a saucepan, combine your ketchup, sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and pineapple juice (drained from your can of pineapples). Stir until smooth. Cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil.
- Add your chopped colored pepper (your choice), frozen meatballs, and pineapple chunks.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the meatballs are warmed through. Stirring occasionally to prevent the meatballs from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Once meatballs are warmed through, you can thicken the sauce by adding flour and water to make a slurry (you can also use cornstarch and water if you have it on hand), then slowly add it to the sweet and sour meatballs and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Spoon over cooked rice and enjoy!
Storage and Leftovers:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Shortcut Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
- 25-30 frozen meatballs
- 1 colored bell pepper chopped
- 20 ounce-can pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve the juice)
- 1½ cups sugar
- ⅓ cup vinegar
- ⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup water
- 2-3 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine your ketchup, sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and reserved pineapple juice (from the can of pineapples). Stir until smooth. Cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil.
- Add your chopped colored pepper (your choice), frozen meatballs, and pineapple chunks.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the meatballs are warmed through. Stirring occasionally to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
- Lastly, thicken the sauce by adding the flour (or cornstarch) and water to make a slurry, then slowly add it to the sweet and sour meatballs (stirring constantly) and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon over cooked rice and enjoy!
Notes
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