Jewish Sweet and Sour Meatballs – Traditional holiday recipe with pineapple and chili sauce. A perfect easy appetizer or entree, with dozens of possible variations.
I started this website on January 1, 2010, when food blogs were somewhat new to the web and the internet felt a bit like the “Wild West.” Let’s be real, it still feels that way sometimes. One of the ways I connected with readers was by launching recipe contests, where people could submit their favorite family dishes. Blog reader Susan Fedrow submitted a Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe back in September 2010. At the time, I launched the contest to encourage readers to share their family recipes and holiday traditions. I loved Susan’s simple recipe made from pineapple chunks and bottled chili sauce.
Over time I developed my own version of this classic dish with a from-scratch sauce and optional modifications for Passover. These Jewish Sweet and Sour Meatballs are always a crowd pleaser, and they couldn’t be easier to make. Though the preparation method is a bit different from Susan’s recipe, the result is every bit as tasty as the original.
Susan’s mother made a similar meatball dish growing up, but she used different ingredients. Susan learned her own twist on the recipe just after she got married:
“I got this recipe when I was a newlywed,” she told me. “We met a few couples on our honeymoon and got together every month at each other’s houses and made a dish… this dish was made by one of the women, and since it was so delicious and easy, it became an instant family favorite.”
Susan usually prepares these tasty mini-meatballs for Hanukkah, but I think this dish would make a great addition to pretty much any holiday buffet. Throughout the years other readers have shared their twist on the dish in the comments. Apparently there is more than one way to make sweet and sour meatballs! However you decide to make them, enjoy in good health. L’shana tova!
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Beauty Shot Food Photography and Styling by Kelly Jaggers
Jewish Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
- 40 ounces pineapple chunks in their own juice (no sugar added) (2 cans)
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar (for Passover use a KFP vinegar)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- 3/4 pound lean ground beef
- 3/4 pound dark meat ground chicken
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3-4 tablespoons matzo meal or breadcrumbs (use matzo meal for Passover, or omit breadcrumbs to make gluten free)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne (or more to taste-- add carefully, it's very spicy!)
NOTES
Instructions
- Drain your two cans of pineapple chunks and reserve the juice.
- In a medium pot, mix together tomato sauce, ketchup, cider vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, onion powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and the juice from the pineapple cans. Stir together and turn heat to low to let the sauce slowly warm.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl use a fork to mix together the ground beef and chicken, egg, 3 tbsp matzo meal, paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne. I like a little heat in the meatballs, so I add a heaping 1/4 tsp of cayenne. If you don't want them spicy, you can omit it completely-- or just add a pinch for depth of flavor.
- Form the meat mixture into small 1-inch meatballs. If the mixture seems too moist or stick, add another tablespoon of matzo meal to the mixture. Place the meatballs into the warming sauce.When all the meatballs are formed, bring the mixture to a boil and stir to cover the meatballs with sauce. Lower the heat to a low, even simmer and cover the pot.
- Let the meatballs cook for 40 minutes, stirring frequently, till sauce thickens and meatballs cook all the way through. If the sauce seems to be reducing too fast or losing too much liquid, lower the heat and add a little water to thin it.
- After 40 minutes, add the pineapple chunks to the sauce and stir to coat. Let the chunks warm in the sauce for 5 minutes.
- Serve. You can serve this as an entree with a Passover-friendly starch, as a side dish, or with toothpicks as an appetizer. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Hi,
I would like to make these but with half the amount of sugar. Will it still work?
Tori, kids are quick to say they can’t eat things without even tasting them. I make teriyaki meatballs with pineapple cubes. My grandson (12) likes the meatballs but”can’t” eat the pineapple. My granddaughter who is 18 loves the meatballs and now has started to eat the pineapple. As they are not allergic, I have said that each time I serve it, they must eat at least two cubes. Their dad has backed me up. Madi doesn’t object at all now and enjoys it,It will take her brother longer!
Yes, true about kids! Whatever you can do to get them to open their minds is a good thing. 🙂
Can I use 1 1/2 pounds ground beef instead of beef and chicken? Also , my son has a fruit phobia so I just add the pineapple juice and not use the pineapple chunks (if course that’s what I’d love to eat) ? Want to make by fri
Re: beef – yes. No problem making it with just the juice. I’ve never heard of a fruit phobia!
This sounds great, but what is the “tomato sauce” in the recipe? Like finely processed tomato cans? TIA
In the U.S. tomato sauce is sold in cans… it is simply pureed tomatoes. If you don’t have them you can puree diced tomatoes into sauce.
Tori,
My grandmother and mother (may they both rest in peace) have made these forever…sweet & sour was attained with Sour Salt (Citric acid) and sugar of choice…we get them real sour and then sweeten the batch to our liking…no fruit…just the meatballs in a saucy (not thick) tomato sauce…so good. Miss that…I still make them, but they could never be as good as theirs!!
My mother made hers with sour salt also. Can you share yours as I stupidly never wrote my mothers down. I know she used sour salt, sugar, rice and tomato sauce. She even used these to stuff cabbage with.
I have shopped all over for the sour salt today not knowing it is in the canning section of grocery stores or hardware stores. My Mother made these meatballs every Christmas but said they were Swedish. We are Polish so probably My Grandma brought the recipe over. My Mom’s recipe is very vague with no measurements. Basically the meatball has 2lb meat, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper garlic powder. You boil in pot 1/2 full of water for 10 minutes. Take off scum. Take out Hal of water. Add 4 cans tomato sauce (16 oz per lb of meat)sour salt (citric acid) and brown sugar, cook couple of hours. My niece says try 1/2 tsp of salt per pound of meat and 1/2 cup brown sugar In sauce and then adjust to taste. I will try making tomorrow to see if I can recreate my Mom’s. Loved them every year.
This is very really unique helpful information.I learn so much from you as well! Thank you so much for sharing your helpful information. Keep it up.
Thanks for the recipe and L’Shana Tova!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m excited to make it this Passover! I also have to give you a HUGE thank you for posting the link to jump to the recipe at the beginning of the page. XO
Hi Tori, my mother used to make sweet and sour meatballs but without pineapple. I’m trying to recreate hers. Could I just leave out the pineapple? I see you are using the juice as well so that’s why I’m asking.
There are many variations on sweet and sour meatballs; some people use grape jelly, others cranberry sauce. Without knowing your mother’s recipe I can’t guarantee that this will give you the right flavor, but you can try just using the juice and see if it seems the same. If not, she likely used another common ingredient. Some even use frozen lemonade to capture the sweetness!
Can this recipe be frozen?
If so, do you put the pineapple in before you freeze it?
I haven’t personally frozen this recipe, but I think it would probably be just fine to freeze it together with the pineapple sauce.
Hi!
This looks delish! Can I use just ground turkey meat or just ground chicken? If so, which would You recommend?
Thank you!
Hi Denise! Yes you can. I prefer ground chicken, if you can get a mix of light and dark ground meat it will be more flavorful. Chicken is softer to work with, but cooks up more tender and tasty.
Can I freeze the meatball recipe.
חג שמח
Adele
Yes this should freeze just fine.
Hello,
This recipe looks delicious. I have a question please. When you say “tomato sauce” do you mean sauce in a can or a pasta marinara sauce?
Thank you so much!
Sauce in a can, with no added seasoning.
Can I substitute lemon juice for the vinegar? is it the same measurements? I can’t find Kosher for Passover vinegar where I live.
Yes that shouldn’t be a problem. I’m not sure if the amount would be the same, but you can taste the sauce to check flavor and get the right balance of sweet and tart.
Could I make this in the crock pot?
Julie– I think you probably good, but I haven’t tested it myself so I can’t promise the liquid levels will turn out right. You’d have to experiment a bit. It might be fine as written, I’m just not sure.
Once again, you saved me. The meatballs were delicious and I also made the artichoke / spinach dip. Amazing! Thanks for making me look so good. 🙂
Fabulous Christine! That is great to hear! 🙂
THANK YOU for this truly fantastic version of sweet and sour beat balls. This dish has always ranked low for me, like a casserole, as I’ve never deemed it very healthy. But with the homemade sauce, it was delish. My Jewish boyfriend has been begging me to make this, so tonight I surprised him and he just died in heaven 😉 I added orange bell peppers and chili flakes to the sauce and sesame seeds, and green onion to the meat balls!
Great Lindsay! So happy to hear that. 🙂
Looks Delicious
it’s a family favorite recipe
This looks delicious, I’m making it tonight. Here’s a question; I’m actually cooking it on the stove right now and it’ll be done by 2:45. Can I switch it to a slow cooker on low and be ok? It will be in the slow cooker for about 3 hours. If it’s ok to let simmer in the slow cooker should I add the pineapple chunks? Or wait until we’re ready to eat? Would love to hear back from you, love your recipes…
Hi Tessa, it should be fine in the slow cooker on low for a few hours, I wouldn’t leave it for longer than 4 hours if it’s already cooked or the sauce might start to dry out a bit. I would add the pineapple chunks just before placing the slow cooker. Enjoy!
YAMI………….