Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs is a classic party food for all occasions. Made with simple homemade turkey meatballs and a 3-ingredient sweet and sour sauce. An easy appetizer everyone enjoys!

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What You’ll Love About Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs:

These Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs is inspired by my daughters love for turkey meatballs. Every year for her birthday she requests meatballs and French fries. Such a funny combination but it’s oddly good and always a hit.

A classic appetizer for all occasions, meatballs is a beloved party food you can count on to get eaten and enjoyed, and these Sweet and Sour Meatballs are deliciously sweet and sticky. I make a simple meat mixture of ground turkey, eggs, bread crumbs and seasonings. The sauce has only 3-ingredients using orange marmalade, barbeque sauce, and red pepper flakes.

Ingredients For Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs:

• Olive oil
• Lean ground turkey or beef
• Onion
• Eggs
• Bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
• Orange marmalade
• Barbeque sauce
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Use frozen store bought meatballs for a super fast appetizer.

Homemade meatballs are not hard to make and they are actually pretty quick to put together, however, store bought frozen meatballs will work just fine if you want to skip making your own. All you have to do is heat the meatballs per package instructions, toss in the 3 ingredient sauce, and serve! Easy and fast!

How To Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs:

Step 1. In a medium bowl combine egg, onion, bread crumbs, and seasonings. Add ground turkey or beef and mix together until incorporated.

Step 2. Using a small cookie scoop form meatballs into small 1-inch size balls. Place on a large sheet pan or plate. Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium heat and add olive oil. Gently set meatballs into hot skillet and cook on one side for 5-6 minutes.

Step 3. While the meatballs cook on the one side make the sauce. In a small bowl combine orange marmalade, barbeque sauce, and red pepper flakes.

Step 4. Once meatballs are golden brown, flip over to finish cooking and brown on the second side, about 4-5 minutes. Turn heat down to low and pour sauce over the meatballs and toss gently. Cook another 3-4 minutes until the sauce is thick and sticky. Serve warm.

Can I put sweet and sour meatballs in the slow cooker?

Yes! The slow cooker is a great way to keep meatballs warm at a party. You’ll want to make sure your slow cooker has a warm setting. Cook the meatballs according to the recipe instructions, then transfer to a slow cooker and set to warm.

Do sweet and sour meatballs freeze well?

This is a great appetizer to freeze leftovers and enjoy another day. Place cooled meatballs and sauce in a freezer safe bag and make sure to smooth out in a single layer. Seal tightly and set flat in the freezer for up to 4 months. When ready to eat, heat them on low in a non-stick pan with a lid.

Other Appetizers You Might Enjoy:

• Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
• Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
• Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread

Let’s eat!

Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs

The Menu Maid

Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs is a classic party food for all occasions. Made with simple homemade turkey meatballs and a 3-ingredient sweet and sour sauce. An easy appetizer everyone enjoys!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 578 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 lbs lean ground turkey or beef
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 18 ounce jar sweet orange marmalade
• 1 cup Barbeque sauce use your favorite brand
• 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

 

• In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, onion, bread crumbs and seasonings. Add ground turkey or beef and use your hands to mix well.
• Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, form meat mixture into small 1-inch size balls. Place on a large sheet pan lined with foil for easy clean up. You should end up with about 45 meatballs.
• In a small bowl combine orange marmalade, barbeque sauce, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place half of the meatballs in the skillet and brown on both sides for 5-6 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and repeat with remaining olive oil and meatballs.
• Add the meatballs back to the pan and pour the sauce in the skillet. Turn the heat down to low and toss the meatballs gently in the sauce. Cook another 3-4 minutes to warm the sauce through, and serve.

Notes

Tips:

Frozen meatballs- Use your favorite package of frozen meatballs for a super fast and easy appetizer. 

Slow cooker– The slow cooker is a great way to keep meatballs warm at a party. You’ll want to make sure your slow cooker has a warm setting. Cook the meatballs according to the recipe instructions, then transfer to a slow cooker and set to warm.

Freezing sweet & sour meatballs- Place cooled meatballs and sauce in a freezer safe bag and make sure to smooth out in a single layer. Seal tightly and set flat in the freezer for up to 4 months. When ready to eat, heat them on low in a non-stick pan with a lid.

 

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

 

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 5-6 meatballs
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	578
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 51.3g	66%
Saturated Fat 8.1g	40%
Cholesterol 111mg	37%
Sodium 254mg	11%
Total Carbohydrate 26.1g	9%
Dietary Fiber 0.6g	2%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 9g
Vitamin D 9mcg	44%
Calcium 41mg	3%
Iron 1mg	7%
Potassium 168mg	4%

 

Keyword Meatballs, Sweet and sour meatballs, Turkey meatballs

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