Description
This Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe combines tender frozen meatballs with a tangy and sweet pineapple sauce, bell peppers, and a blend of flavorful ingredients. Ideal for a comforting and easy meal, it requires minimal preparation and slow cooking to deliver a deliciously balanced dish perfect for serving over white rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz) bag frozen meatballs
- 1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained
- 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- Reserved pineapple juice from the can
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Drain the pineapple chunks and reserve the juice in a bowl. Roughly chop the green and red bell peppers.
- Assemble in Slow Cooker: Place the frozen meatballs evenly in the slow cooker. Top them with the drained pineapple chunks and the chopped bell peppers.
- Make Sweet and Sour Sauce: In the bowl with the reserved pineapple juice, add brown sugar, white vinegar, ketchup, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Whisk thoroughly until the cornstarch is fully dissolved and the sauce is smooth.
- Combine and Cook: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the meatballs and peppers in the slow cooker. Cover with the lid.
- Slow Cook: Cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 3 hours until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce is thickened and bubbly.
- Serve: Once cooked, stir gently to coat the meatballs in sauce. Serve hot, ideally over cooked white rice to complement the sweet and sour flavors.
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, you can add an additional tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with water before the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- If you prefer a less sweet flavor, reduce brown sugar to 3/4 cup.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce to make the dish gluten-free.
- Frozen meatballs can be substituted with freshly made meatballs but adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Adding chopped onions or garlic can enhance flavor if desired.
- Stir the sauce halfway through cooking to prevent separation and ensure even flavor distribution.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
