Sweet and Sour Ground Beef

By
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen is a journalist, quick-cooking and slow-cooking expert, and accomplished cookbook author with over 30 years of experience in testing and developing recipes.
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Updated on 01/10/22
Sweet and sour ground beef

Bloxsome Photography / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings

There's nothing like the flavor combination of "sweet and sour." It hits two of the main taste buds in your mouth. And the contrasting flavors intensify each other.

Just about any foods go with the sweet and sour motif—except maybe chocolate. I love this recipe that uses ground beef, vegetables, and pineapple. The "sweet" is provided by brown sugar and the pineapple, and the "sour" is provided by apple cider vinegar.

You could also make this recipe with ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, or pork sausage. The flavors are bright and clean and will work with any ground meat.

Because you use frozen vegetables and canned pineapple, there is no chopping or mincing of any ingredient (except the garlic). The whole dish can be prepared in about 20 minutes. Serve it over hot cooked rice, couscous, pasta, or even mashed potatoes or polenta. You need something to soak up the wonderful sauce.

All you need to add to this recipe, besides the starch, is a green salad or a fruit salad. Use whatever fruits or veggies you can find in the market that look really good. A glass of iced tea or red wine would be a great accompaniment. For dessert, some brownies would be fabulous.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound lean ground beef

  • 1 (16-ounce) package frozen vegetables, such as baby green beans and carrots, or broccoli and carrots

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained, reserving juice

  • 1/2 cup beef broth, divided

  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring to break up the beef, then drain.

  3. Add the frozen vegetables, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, pepper, reserved pineapple juice, 1/4 cup beef broth, soy sauce, and vinegar and stir well.

  4. Bring the mixture in the skillet to a boil. Stir well, then reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet; simmer for 4 to 6 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the drained pineapple and stir gently to combine.

  5. Combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup beef broth in a small bowl and stir until smooth using a wire whisk. Add this mixture to the skillet; cook and stir until the sauce thickens and boils. Serve the beef mixture immediately over rice or noodles.

  6. Serve and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
433 Calories
14g Fat
38g Carbs
37g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 433
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 101mg 34%
Sodium 912mg 40%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 37g
Vitamin C 10mg 48%
Calcium 70mg 5%
Iron 5mg 28%
Potassium 852mg 18%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)