Middle Eastern Cherry Meatballs a Perfect Sweet-and-Sour Dish for Festive Occasions

By Ryo Kato / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:00 JST, January 4, 2026

During the year-end and New Year’s holiday season, we have more opportunities to gather with people. Aki Komatsu, a food researcher specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine, shares a recipe for meatballs in cherry sauce, a perfect dish for such occasions.

This dish features meatballs lightly simmered in a cherry sauce. It is popular in places such as Aleppo, Syria.

People typically serve this dish when hosting guests, rather than cooking it as an everyday meal. Outside the home, it is found in slightly upscale restaurants.

Komatsu said, “Some people who haven’t eaten this dish might be hesitant about the cherry sauce, as it is unusual to them, but it actually has a subtle sweet-and-sour flavor, and it is easy for people of all ages to eat.”

Syrian meatballs contain almost no binding agent, giving them a firmer texture. To make them easier to eat, Komatsu’s recipe adds coarsely grated onion. Since they have little binding agent, they need to be mixed and kneaded well. Then, pan-fry the mixture in small balls until browned to develop a nice aroma.

Before adding them to the cherry sauce, people in the Middle East put aluminum foil in the center of the pan, place burning charcoal on it, drizzle a small amount of cooking oil over it, cover and cook to impart a distinctive charcoal flavor, Komatsu says.

For canned cherries, choose dark cherries. In the Middle East, tart cherry varieties are used. The flavor of dark cherries is closer to those varieties, compared to Japanese cherries. As simmering the cherry sauce with the meatballs from the beginning makes the meatballs tough, reduce the sauce alone first until it thickens.

For the round flatbread, tortillas can be used. Cut each tortilla into eight or so equal triangles and arrange them attractively along the edge of the plate. This is a common arrangement in the Middle East, Komatsu says.

To finish, place the meatballs and sauce in the center of the plate.

The faintly sweet-and-sour sauce is reminiscent of Japanese teriyaki or Chinese sweet and sour pork, providing a familiar flavor even to first-timers. The sauce soaks into the bread, making the dish more delicious. The serving style is unique. Indeed, it is a fun dish to serve on a large platter and share with many people.

Meatballs in cherry sauce

Ingredients (serves 2):

• For the meatballs:
• 400 grams ground beef
• ¼ onion
• ½ tsp allspice
• ½ tsp cinnamon powder
• Pine nuts to taste
• Cilantro (finely chopped) to taste
• Flatbread (or tortillas) as desired
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 tsp oil
• For the sauce:
• 1 can cherries (400 grams, including syrup)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ⅛ tsp cinnamon powder



Directions:

1. Coarsely grate the onion.

2. In a bowl, combine the onion, ground beef, allspice, cinnamon and salt and pepper. Mix everything together and knead well.

3. Divide the mixture and shape into balls the size of a ping-pong ball.

4. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the meatballs and cook until browned on the surface.

5. Make the sauce. First, puree the cherries and syrup in a blender or similar appliance and place it in a small pot. Then, add lemon juice and cinnamon. Simmer over low to medium heat until it is slightly thickens.

6. Add the sauce to the meatballs in the frying pan. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt to taste.

7. Cut the circular flatbread radially into equal triangles and arrange the slices along the edge of a plate. Place the meatballs in the center. Top with pine nuts and cilantro.

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  Divide the mixture and shape into balls.

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  Reduce the cherry sauce until slightly thickened.

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  Cut the round flatbread into triangles and arrange along the edge of a plate.

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