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Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Sweet and Sour Meatballs made soy-free, refined sugar-free and healthy! This easy recipe can be served as a main entrée or appetizer. Wow your friends and family with these incredible meatballs!

Healthy Sweet and Sour Meatballs made gluten-free, soy-free and refined sugar-free. This easy Asian-inspired meatball recipe is an incredible entrée or appetizer!

Two things: meatballs are the spice of life, and sweet and sour sauce makes the world go round.

In all seriousness, combining meatballs with my homemade soy-free, refined sugar-free sweet and sour sauce is one of the best decisions I’ve made all year!

Your favorite ball of meat swaddled in that palate-pleasing elixir of the Gods? Throw in some fried rice, and you’re holding the golden ticket to taste bud bliss!

If you’ve tried my Sweet and Sour Pork, Paleo Sweet and Sour Shrimp, or Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken you know it is entirely possible to enjoy your sweet and sours in a health-conscious manner.

Made without sugar, gluten, soy, or dairy, these meatballs are not only easy to prepare, but they’re quite good for you! 

The way I see it, these meatballs are fabulous as a main entrée (I eat them with veggies and rice), or as an appetizer for guests. 

If you go the appetizer route, you can make the meatballs smaller and provide toothpicks for easy serving. Just food for thought 😉

Let’s have a looksy at the ingredients.

Healthy Sweet and Sour Meatballs made soy-free, refined sugar-free, and gluten-free! Easy to prepare and magically delicious.

Sweet and Sour Meatball Ingredients:

Sweet and Sour Sauce: Honey, unsweetened ketchup, rice vinegar, coconut aminos (or liquid aminos or soy sauce if you’re fine with soy), sriracha, sesame oil, and tapioca flour. 

When combined, these ingredients generate that delectable thick sweet and sour sauce that you’d guzzle if no one were watching.

Meatballs: Ground beef, egg, garlic, coconut aminos, and sea salt. This simple combination yields flavorful, tender meatballs that sit so sweetly in sweet and sour sauce.

If you love the iconic meatball texture, add ⅓ to ½ cup of panko bread crumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs. I like meatballs without breadcrumbs, but if you enjoy that softer, spongy texture, get on those crumbs!

Let’s make a batch or twelve!

Healthy Sweet and Sour Meatballs made gluten-free, soy-free and refined sugar-free. This easy Asian-inspired meatball recipe is an incredible entrée or appetizer!

How to Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs:

Begin by preparing the sauce. Add the ingredients for the sauce to a small blender and blend until completely smooth. Note: if you don’t own a small blender, whisk the ingredients together in a bowl or measuring cup until combined.

Prepare the meatball mixture. Add the ingredients for the meatballs to a mixing bowl and use your hands to mix everything together until well-combined. The mixture will be sticky but should still hold together nicely.

Meatball mixture in a mixing bowl for meatballs

Form 7 to 8 meatballs out of the mixture.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat avocado oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the meatballs in the skillet, leaving plenty of room between each of them to ensure even cooking.

Sear on two sides for 3 to 4 minutes each.

Brown the meatballs in a skillet

Turn off the heat and pour in the sauce. Use a spoon to stir around the meatballs and ladle sauce over the meatballs until they are all well-saturated in sauce.

Add the sweet and sour sauce

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy!

Easy Sweet & Sour Meatablls - gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free

What to Serve With Sweet & Sour Meatballs:

As I mentioned before, I eat these with sautéed vegetables and steamed brown rice. You can also go with any of the following options!

Sweet + Sour 4 Evah!

My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!

If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo on Instagram and tag @The.Roasted.Root!

Healthy Sweet and Sour Meatballs made gluten-free, soy-free and refined sugar-free. This easy Asian-inspired meatball recipe is an incredible entrée or appetizer!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Amazingly flavorful Sweet & Sour Meatballs make for an epic dinner or appetizer! This healthier recipe is perfect for weeknight dinners.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
3 to 4 Servings

Ingredients

Sweet & Sour Sauce:

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 large egg, well beaten
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 Tbsp coconut aminos
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp avocado oil for cooking

For Serving:

  • 2 tsp sesame seeds
  • 3 stalks green onion, chopped

Instructions

  • Add the ingredients for the sauce to a small blender and blend until completely smooth. Note: if you don’t own a small blender, whisk the ingredients together in a bowl or measuring cup until combined.
  • Add the ingredients for the meatballs to a mixing bowl and use your hands to mix everything together until well-combined. The mixture will be sticky but should still hold together nicely.
  • Form 7 to 8 meatballs out of the mixture.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Heat avocado oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the meatballs in the skillet, leaving plenty of room between each of them to ensure even cooking.
  • Sear on two sides for 3 to 4 minutes each.
  • Turn off the heat and pour in the sauce. Use a spoon to stir around the meatballs and ladle sauce over the meatballs until they are all well-saturated in sauce.
  • Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.
  • Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy!

Notes

*you can also use liquid aminos. If using liquid aminos, add another tablespoon of honey to the sauce (no need to add honey to the meatballs)

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 3 - Calories: 408kcal - Carbohydrates: 16g - Protein: 31g - Fiber: 2g
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: dairy free, easy healthy recipes, gluten free recipes, gut healthy recipes, healthy
Servings: 3 to 4 Servings
Calories: 408kcal
Author: Julia
Paleo Sweet and Sour Meatballs made soy-free, refined sugar-free and healthy! This easy recipe can be served as a main entrée or appetizer. Wow your friends and family with these incredible meatballs!
Recipe Rating




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Stephanie

Wednesday 5th of April 2023

Made this tonight, subbed a chia egg for the real egg, it was soooooo good! Definitely a keeper, recipe made more meatballs than 8

Julia

Thursday 6th of April 2023

Yaaay! I'm psyched to hear it! That's great to know they worked out with a chia egg, as I haven't tried that before. Thanks so much for the feedback! xo

Stephanie

Friday 9th of July 2021

Mmmm I'm going to try these with a flax egg!

Julia

Friday 9th of July 2021

Sounds amazing! I hope you love them! xoxox

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