Kittencal's Easy Sweet and Sour Pineapple Meatballs

Name: Kittencal's Easy Sweet and Sour Pineapple Meatballs
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6-8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 lbs lean ground beef; oil (for frying); 2 (14 ounce) cans pineapple chunks, drained and reserve juice; 1/4 cup cider vinegar (can use less); 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed; 1 (250 ml) jar Russian salad dressing (I use Kraft); 1 (350 ml) jar sweet and sour sauce (can be homemade); 1/4 cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic; 1/2 teaspoon salt; pepper (optional); sugar, if needed; 3 large carrots, sliced; 2 green bell peppers (sliced or coarsley chopped); 2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional); 1/4 cup cold water (optional)

Submitted by Kittencalrecipezazz

"You won't find this recipe anywhere else, it's my own creation! I have even made this recipe using left over cooked beef or cooked cubed chicken breast, it is delicious! This recipe may be cut in half to serve just 4. Also 1 large onion may be added. Prep time includes shaping meatballs and chopping veggies. My recipe#69173 works great with this recipe!"

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photo by Leslie

Ready In:: 55mins
Ingredients:: 16
Serves:: 6-8

ingredients

2 lbs lean ground beef
oil (for frying)
2 (14 ounce) cans pineapple chunks, drained and reserve juice
¹⁄₄ cup cider vinegar (can use less)
³⁄₄ cup brown sugar, packed
1 (250 ml) jar Russian salad dressing (I use Kraft)
1 (350 ml) jar sweet and sour sauce (can be homemade)
¹⁄₄ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
pepper (optional)
sugar, if needed
3 large carrots, sliced
2 green bell peppers (sliced or coarsley chopped)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)
¹⁄₄ cup cold water (optional)

directions

Prepare the ground beef into meatballs using your favorite recipe for meatballs, and shape into about 1-inch balls.
Heat oil in a skillet, and brown the meatballs until no longer pink (you can also bake them in the oven) set aside.
Drain the 2 cans of pineapple tidbits; set pineapple tidbits aside.
If needed, add water to the juice to measure 2 cups, and place in a large saucepan (if the juice from the cans measures more than 2 cups add in all the juice with no water).
To the juice/water mixture, stir in vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce, garlic, salad dressing, sweet and sour sauce, salt and pepper; bring to a simmer (adding more brown sugar (or white sugar) to taste if desired.
When the sauce is to desired taste, add in the cooked meatballs and carrots.
Simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until carrots are crisp-tender.
Stir in green pepper, and reserved pineapple tidbits; cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes longer, or until green pepper is crisp-tender (do not over cook the peppers!).
This step is only optional if you prefer a thicker sauce, in a small bowl combine cornstarch and water until smooth, and stir into the meatball mixture.
Bring to a boil; cook, stirring for about 2 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
Serve over rice.

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Reviews

You have got to try this recipe with Kraft Fat Free Catalina dressing! That was all I had on hand and boy was it ever delicious. This sauce has the taste and sheen of Chinese restaurant style sweet and sour sauce. The ingredient proportions were perfect even though I halved the recipe. I used my own frikadelle (South African meatball) recipe #135540 and served them on fluffy white rice. Great recipe, thanks so much!

Emjay99
This is a great recipe - good enough for company or a weekend dinner. It has unusual ingredients, but they work. The recipe is for meatballs or chicken, so I used chicken. For the two of us, I cut 2 chicken breasts into chunks, dipped them in 2 beaten eggs, and dredged them in 1/2 c flour mixed with 1/2 c cornstarch, then fried them in 3 inches of oil. I did that early in the day and refrigerated it until later. It makes a ton, so use a big pot and plan for leftovers. I served it over white rice and we just about inhaled it. Oh, the salad dressing is given in mls - it equals 1 cup and the sweet and sour sauce equals a full 12-ounce bottle. I plan on making this often, so thanks for posting!

Joan C.
My husband & I have decided we love you. I am the queen of thinking I need to fiddle with a recipe. When I make one that you have posted I know not to mess with it, it will be perfect the way it is. I used cooked chicken but changed nothing else (you did say we could use this with chicken so that does not count as a change :) So very good! Makes a ton so I am going to try to freeze some. Thanks again for a terrific recipe.

SammiCat
Kitten....another 5 stars on this. I had forgotten that I made up a big batch of this to use with the usual 2 gallon bags(in my freezer) of your dilicious meatballs "Melt in your Mouth Parmesan". This is very simple, and as I am NOT the greatest fan of marinara sauce, things like this recipe come in very handy for me. I do eat marinara, but about twice a year is sufficient. Thanks for yet another way to serve up your already "highly acclaimed" meatballs!

DEEP336
Really delicious. It made so much I froze some, reheated it later and it was so good. It froze beautifully.

Kim~In~Canada

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Tweaks

What a delicious recipe for meatballs! I used home made sweet and sour sauce, and subbed red pepper for the green pepper but other wise followed the recipe exactly. We all love them here! Served it with hot rice and there was no leftovers. Thanks for a winner Carol!

Leslie