Name: Vegan Sweet and Sour Meatballs (Filipino Bola-Bola)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 20 pieces bola-bola or meatballs; 1/4 cup sugar (adjust according to desired sweetness); 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar; 1/2 cup pineapple juice from the chunks (see notes); 5 tbsp banana ketchup (or tomato ketchup, I used a mix); 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1/4 cup water; 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch; Dash of ground pepper; 1-2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 medium onion (sliced); 1 small carrot (halved and thinly sliced); 1 small red bell pepper (seeded and sliced into small squares); 1 small green bell pepper (seeded and sliced into small squares); 1 cup pineapple chunks ( or tidbits in extra light syrup/juice, around 120g); Steamed Rice

Vegan Sweet & Sour Meatballs (Filipino Bola-Bola)

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Growing up in the Philippines, one of my favourite dishes growing up was a Sweet and Sour Bola-Bola (Meatballs) dish packed with a delicious sauce, lots of bell peppers, onions, pineapple, carrot. I used my homemade bola-bola or meatballs and the sauce beautifully coats the fried balls for a super tasty meal.

A ceramic bowl of fried meatballs in a sweet and sour glaze with chunks of pineapple, bell peppers, onions

The sauce is a delicate balance of sweet, sour, and somewhat fruity flavours. It also has an acidic kick but you can of course adjust the measurements of the sauce to suit your taste.

A spoon scooping a meatball in a sweet and sour glaze with chunks of pineapple, bell peppers, onions

MEATBALLS OR BOLA-BOLA

Bola-Bola is literally ‘ball-ball’ that perfectly reflects the round shape of the meatballs. I made my own homemade Filipino Bola Bola or Meatballs (recipe here) that I used for this recipe.

SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE

sugar adjust according to desired sweetness
distilled white vinegar
pineapple juice ur syrup/liquid from the chunks
banana ketchup or tomato ketchup, I used a mix
soy sauce
water
cornstarch
Dash of ground pepper

See the full recipe below!

FOR STIR-FRYING

1 medium onion sliced
1 small carrot halved and thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper seeded and sliced into small squares
1 small green bell pepper seeded and sliced into small squares
1 cup pineapple chunks or tidbits in extra light syrup/juice, around 120g

A blue tray with sliced carrots, green and bell peppers, pineapple chunks, onions and pre-mixed sweet and sour sauce

WHAT TO DO

Once the pan or wok is hot, stir-fry the onion, carrot, and bell peppers for 2-3 minutes until the carrots are tender.
Add in the pineapple chunks and cook for 1 minutes
Lower the heat to medium. Give the sauce a good mix again since the starch tends to sit at the bottom.
Over medium heat, pour in the sauce to the pan.
Mix well and then leave the sauce to boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Continuously mix until the sauce thickens.
Once the sauce has thickened, add in the bola-bola or meat balls and immediately mix well in the sauce. Leave the meatballs to simmer in the sauce for 2-3 minutes.

ENJOY YOUR SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS OR BOLA-BOLA

These meatballs are best enjoyed with some rice for a really hearty meal!

A bitten sweet and sour meatball with a meaty texture

MORE FILIPINO VEGAN RECIPES

Vegan Sweet and Sour Meatballs (Filipino Bola-Bola)

5 from 4 votes

Growing up in the Philippines, one of my favourite dishes growing up was a Sweet and Sour Bola-Bola (Meatballs) dish packed with a delicious sauce, lots of bell peppers, onions, pineapple, carrot. I used my homemade bola-bola or meatballs and the sauce beautifully coats the fried balls for a super tasty meal.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Filipino, Fusion, Southeast Asian

Servings people

Calories 141 kcal

Ingredients

20 pieces bola-bola or meatballs , see homemade recipe here

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1/4 cup sugar adjust according to desired sweetness
1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice from the chunks see notes
5 tbsp banana ketchup or tomato ketchup, I used a mix
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Dash of ground pepper

For Stir-Frying

1-2 tbsp neutral oil
1 medium onion sliced
1 small carrot halved and thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper seeded and sliced into small squares
1 small green bell pepper seeded and sliced into small squares
1 cup pineapple chunks or tidbits in extra light syrup/juice, around 120g

To Serve

Steamed Rice

Instructions

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a large bowl or measuring cup. Mix until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.

Stir-Frying

Heat a pan or wok over medium high heat. Add 1-2 tbsp neutral oil.
Once hot, stir-fry the onion, carrot, and bell peppers for 2-3 minutes until the carrots are tender.
Add in the pineapple chunks and cook for 1 minutes
Lower the heat to medium. Give the sauce a good mix again since the starch tends to sit at the bottom.
Over medium heat, pour in the sauce to the pan.
Mix well and then leave the sauce to boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Continuously mix until the sauce thickens.
Once the sauce has thickened, add in the bola-bola or meat balls and immediately mix well in the sauce. Leave the meatballs to simmer in the sauce for 2-3 minutes.
Turn off the heat then serve the sweet and sour bola-bola or meatballs immediately. Enjoy this while hot with some steamed rice.

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NUTRITIONAL INFO

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Hello there!

I’m Jeeca, a food content creator and recipe developer passionate about creating easy yet tasty and flavour-packed vegan recipes. I share a lot of Asian recipes inspired by my travels and those I grew up enjoying.