The perfect balance of sweet and tangy, these savory Sweet and Sour Meatball Kabobs pack in a lot of healthy veggies and are as visually pretty as they are delicious!Ā The skewers can be assembled well in advance and then thrown on the grill as soon as you’re ready to eat!
Sweet and Sour Meatball Kabobs
I love food. Ā All kinds of food. Ā From north, south, east and west, exploring flavors from near and far is my passion.
And I’m always looking for ways to incorporate more healthy vegetables in a way that makes them enjoyable to eat. Ā I’ve mentioned in the past that I love stir-fries for that very reason: Ā You can pack in a ton of veggies and choose whichever kinds you prefer.
In the summer months there’s another dish I love that accomplishes that same goal: Ā Shish kabobs. Ā You can layer on as many veggies as you want and if there’s a particular veggie you don’t like, substitute it for one you enjoy. Ā Really, what better way to enjoy vegetables? Ā Few things beat the flavor of grilled. Ā Even the most flavorless of veggies come alive with a gentle searing of a smoky barbecue.
There are at least two other reasons I love shish kabobs: Ā They’re so colorful! Ā As important as flavor is, how the food looks goes a long, long way in enhancing the overall eating experience. Ā They’re also fun to make. Ā When else do you get the chance to thread juicy meat and luscious pieces of vegetables and fruits onto a bamboo skewer, slather them down with a delicious sauce then hear them sizzle on a hot grill?
And another reason: Ā They’re super kid-friendly and fun to assemble. Ā My kids are far more likely to eat something that they’ve helped make, how about yours? Ā Having been involved in the process of making it helps remove some of the otherwise “icky-yucky” factor. Ā They’ve seen, smelled and handled the food and so it becomes more interesting and less off-putting; having helped create it they’re more likely to be willing to try it.
For a fun and educational family activity, try sitting around the table with plates filled with beautifulĀ vegetables, fruits and meats and thread some skewers together while you talk about your day.
These sweet and sour meatball skewers are a perfect time-saving, make-ahead meal. Ā You can make the sauce and thread the skewers well in advance and then keep both covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
These are visually vibrant, delectably delicious, and delightfully healthy kabobs featuring a luscious homemade sweet & sour sauce. Ā None of that corn syrup stuff, no food coloring, preservatives or other unmentionables. Ā Adjust the selection of vegetables to meet your family’s preferences and then crank up the grill!
These Sweet and Sour Meatball Kabobs are sure to be a hit!
Sweet and Sour Meatball Kabobs Recipe
Let’s get started!
Place all ingredients for the sweet & sour sauce, except for the cornstarch, in a small saucepan. Ā Bring to a simmer then stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. Ā Set aside until ready to use.
To make the meatballs, I’m using ground veal. Ā Lean, tender and nutritious with a wonderfully delicate beef flavor, veal is a great option. Ā Or, if you prefer, you can substitute any ground meat or poultry of your choice.
Place the ground veal, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl and knead or stir to thoroughly combine.
Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Ā These can also be made in advance and kept in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge until ready to be used.
This makes about 24 1-inch meatballs.
Cut the onions, bell peppers and pineapple into 1-inch pieces.
Alternately thread meatballs, peppers, onions and pineapple onto 6 skewers. Ā You should have about 24 meatballs so use 4 meatballs per skewer.
Brush the kabobs with about half of the sweet and sour sauce.
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Brush the grill grates with some oil and place the kabobs on the hot grill.
Grill the kabobs about 5-6 minutes on each side or until lightly seared and the meatballs are cooked through.
Brush the kabobs with remaining sweet and sour sauce and serve immediately.
Enjoy!
PIN ME!
For more grilling favorites be sure to also try our:
Sweet and Sour Meatball Kabobs
Ingredients
- For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground meat of your choice (pork, chicken, pork, beef, veal or any combination of them)
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free: Use GF breadcrumbs)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- For the Kabobs:
- 1 fresh ripe pineapple , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 large green bell pepper , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 large red bell pepper , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 large yellow onions , cut into 1-inch chunks
- For the Sweet & Sour Sauce:
- 2/3 cup low sugar apricot, peach, or orange jam/marmalade
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- To make the sweet & sour sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients, except for the cornstarch, in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. Set aside until ready to use.
- To make the meatballs, thoroughly combine all the meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl and form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Yields about 24 meatballs.
- Alternately thread six bamboo or metal skewers with the meatballs (4 on each skewer), pineapple and vegetables. Brush with about half of the sweet & sour sauce.Heat the grill to medium-high heat and brush the grill grates with some oil. Grill the kabobs about 5-6 minutes on each side or until lightly seared and the meatballs are cooked through.Brush the kabobs with remaining sweet and sour sauce and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet August 3, 2016
Mindy Parker says
These were soooo good. I had to make a few adjustments based on what I had on hand. Italian breadcrumbs instead of panko and Italian seasoning instead of parsley. I tossed the veggies w/ Morton’s Nature Seasonings (my absolutely FAVORITE seasoning) and the fresh pineapple with cinnamon before I put them on the skewers. I made the sauce with Peach full-sugar jam and Rice Wine vinegar. The Rice Wine vinegar made the sauce more sour than we like. I added another 1/3 cup of jam, 1 Tbls of each dark and light brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. It came out delicious! The sauce caramelized so nicely on the grill. But the surprise was how much better they tasted the next day! So glad we have leftovers! This is definitely going in my tried and true recipe collection.
Patricia says
Well, these were delicious! I made the meatballs using oats instead of panko, tossed in some oregano and baked them in the oven for 25 minutes. Then, cut up green peppers, green onions, and zucchini and fried that with brown rice. Made the sauce and put in pineapple chunks. Baked the meatballs and sauce in the oven for 15 minutes and enjoyed it immensely. Itās too cold to bbq right now and this was delicious on a wintery day. Thanks for the recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s a great “wintery” adaptation, Patricia, thanks so much for the feedback and I’m glad you enjoyed it!
ashok says
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Ashok, I’m so happy it was a family hit!
Nathan Lombough says
I threw these on the grill for dinner tonight. I had them prepped in advance and all I had to do was make the sauce which took all of 5 minutes. They were a big hit with the fam! The veal meatballs were tender and the sauce was delicious. Thanks for making me a cooking star tonight :) – Nathan
Jennifer says
It’s getting a little cold now so don’t feel like going outside to BBQ. Any chance I’ll get fantastic results in the oven. If yes, how do I do this? How about those electric grills used indoors?
help :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jennifer! Yes, these can be made in the oven as well, they just won’t have that “grilled” flavor or the smoked flavor that comes from adding wood chips. You would prepare them as described and instead of putting them on the grill just lay them on a cookie sheet in the oven preheated to 450. Turn the skewers every 10 minutes until done, brushing with more of the sauce.
Cookin Canuck says
I am actually salivating over these kabobs. From the meatballs to that glaze, this looks like the ideal barbecue meal.
Tiffany L. says
These were SO good!! Like you suggested, we made a family activity of it and all of us were involved in cutting up veggies and putting everything on the skewers. We used apricot jam (I’ll bet peach and orange would be just as good) and the sauce was delicious. I picked up some ground veal at our grocery store. Lucky for me it was actually 50% off because it was near expiration, so I grabbed three of them ;) Everyone in our family, our teens included, devoured these kabobs. Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe!
Laura at I Heart Naptime says
I had to come back and say, I made these for dinner last night and they were so amazing! Everyone loved them!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yahooo! That is awesome, Laura, thank you so much!
Michelle De La Cerda says
Yum, what a tender meatball. I love these flavors. These would not last very long in my house!!