The ground meat gets shaped into meatballs and simmered in homemade sauce that’s made with 4 real ingredients and no added sugar. It is sure to be a hit with babies, kids, and adults! You guys! I’m really having a lot of fun creating baby-friendly Asian recipes that the entire family can enjoy. I’m also taking suggestions so be sure to leave them in the comments below! So far I’ve done, bulgogi, turkey and rice meatballs, japchae, and now this sweet and sour meatball stir-fry!
Ingredients
Meat: As you may have noticed, I like to use ground meat a lot because it’s affordable, convenient, and easier for babies to handle. Having said that, you could use chicken cut into finger strips or bite-sized pieces, depending on your baby’s age and skill level. Sauce: Seriously, it doesn’t get any easier this! While the traditional sauce is filled with added sugar (e.g. ketchup, white sugar) and soy sauce, this baby-friendly version is made with pineapple, bell peppers (for extra sweetness and nutrition boost), onion, and vinegar. The sauce won’t be completely smooth, rather a bit foamy as you can see in the image. That’s because of the pineapple. It will get loosened up with broth so no worries there! Now, your adult palate may miss the flavor punch that it’s come to expect from this takeout favorite. Keep in mind, babies’ palates are much more sensitive and so this sauce will be plenty flavorful for them. I encourage you to try the recipe as is the first time around and then feel free to tweak as necessary to your liking. You can add soy sauce, ketchup, or more pineapple. Vegetables: For the vegetables, I used bell peppers (red, orange, yellow are all great choices!) and zucchini. But you could totally use whatever you have on hand. I wouldn’t use starchy vegetables though as it will take too long to get them soft enough for the tiny humans in your life ;).
Instructions
Suggested Workflow:
Other Baby-Friendly Asian Recipes
Chinese Orange Sesame Chicken Healthy Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli Quinoa Instant Pot Korean Chicken and Potatoes Asian Shrimp Tofu Cakes Korean Japchae Korean Bulgogi Bibimbap with Beet Sauce
Did you make this baby and toddler-friendly Sweet and Sour Meatball Stir-Fry? Follow me on Instagram post a photo and tag me, post a photo on my Facebook page, or save it to Pinterest. I love to see what you’re making!
