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:
- They are easy to whip up last minute.
- You’ll love the sweet and spicy sauce. It’s the ultimate cocktail meatball.
- A crowd pleaser for any occasion.
- A delicious one-bite finger food.
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:
Let’s eat!

Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs
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
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% |
Nutrition
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Hi , How many will this recipe feed? I am going to a funeral reception Saturday and will need more than this I’m sure.
Thank you in advance!
PS I just want to say I love your style and enjoy your channel
Hi Cindy! Thank you! I appreciate your kind words. If you are taking this to a gathering where there is other food items to choose from, this recipe would probably serve between 8 and 10 people. That is assuming everyone takes 3-4 meatballs. You could always skip making the meatballs homemade and get 1 or two large premade meatballs to make it easier and still make the sauce. I hope that helps and the service goes well.