Hawaiian Meatballs
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Hawaiian meatballs made with a quick sweet and sour pineapple sauce, and cooked with pineapples, peppers, and onions is a simple tropical treat!
This easy Hawaiian meatballs recipe is a delicious and super quick dinner or appetizer recipe. Serve it with a yummy side like peanut butter ramen or whole roasted butternut squash (or for parties with other apps like stuffed celery and cucumber sandwiches).
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Hawaiian Meatballs
Hawaiian Meatballs
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Why you’ll love this easy dinner recipe!
📌 Comes together in just a few minutes.
📌 Delicious combination of sweet, sour, and savory flavors.
📌 Perfect as a meal or serve with toothpicks for a party appetizer!
Hawaiian Meatballs Ingredients
- Meatballs – Pictured we used frozen meatballs (so easy!), but you can absolutely use homemade meatballs if you prefer.
- Onion – Sweet yellow onion, diced.
- Pepper – Red bell pepper, diced.
- Pineapple – Canned pineapple chunks, not drained.
- Soy sauce – I’m partial to low sodium soy sauce. You can also substitute coconut aminos.
- Barbecue sauce – Grab your favorite bottle or make some with our bbq sauce recipe.
- Sugar – Light brown sugar.
- Corn starch – For thickening.
- Optional toppings – Sliced green onions, cilantro, onion, pineapple.
How do you make Hawaiian meatballs? (step-by-step directions)
⭐ First, place meatballs in your baking dish in a single layer.
⭐ Then, top with onion, bell pepper, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and pineapple juice. Stir to combine.
⭐ Next, cover and cook until heated through.
⭐ Finally, whisk cornstarch into remaining pineapple juice and stir into hot dish. Mix to thicken sauce and garnish as desired.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions.
Preparation
Slow cooker Hawaiian meatballs
To make this in the slow cooker, follow the directions as written but cook for 2 hours on high or 3 hours on low in your crock pot. Meatballs do not need to be in a single layer.
Whisk cornstarch into remaining pineapple juice and stir into hot dish. Mix to thicken sauce and garnish as desired.
(Detailed slow cooker directions provided in the printable recipe card below).
Instant pot Hawaiian meatballs
To prepare the recipe in your instant pot, follow the directions as written, but add half a cup of water to the inner pot of your instant pot. Meatballs do not need to be in a single layer. Cover and set to sealing, then cook on high pressure (manual) for 5 minutes.
Allow a natural release for at least 5 minutes to decrease pressure, then finish releasing pressure with a controlled quick release. Whisk cornstarch into remaining pineapple juice and stir into hot dish. Mix to thicken sauce and garnish as desired.
(Detailed instant pot directions provided in the printable recipe card below).
Storage and leftovers
How long does Hawaiian meatballs last?
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or longer in the freezer.
Can you freeze Hawaiian meatballs?
Yes, this is a great recipe for freezing! Allow the meatballs to cool, then place in a freezer safe air tight container.
This will keep for at least 6 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or in a skilled over medium heat.
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
✅ Make spicy Hawaiian meatballs by adding a diced jalapeno or stirring in some sriracha.
✅ Bulk it up by doubling (or tripling) the veggies.
✅ Try it with chicken meatballs, turkey meatballs, or spicy meatballs!
What to eat with sweet and sour Hawaiian meatballs (serving suggestions)
We love this dish over coconut rice or instant pot rice. It’s also great with baked sweet potatoes! For dessert, try some white white chocolate covered oreos, cookie monster cookies, or a slice of snickerdoodle cake!
More delicious tropical inspired recipes
- Hawaiian chicken recipe
- Tropical whole fruit popsicle
- Pineapple ice cream recipe
- Chimichurri grilled steak
- Cilantro garlic sauce
Other awesome meatball dishes
- Meatball casserole
- Ham balls
- Sweet and sour meatballs
- Swedish meatballs
- Grape jelly meatballs
- Meatball soup recipe
- See all our meatball dinner ideas!
Tools we love
- 7 Quart Crock Pot Slow Cooker – I’ve had this slow cooker since my husband and I were married in 2003!
- Instant pot pressure cooker – Mine is a 6 quart basic model, but there are lots of bigger, smaller, and fancier options to choose.
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How to Make Hawaiian Meatballs
Hawaiian Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds frozen meatballs or equivalent amount of homemade meatballs
- ½ a sweet yellow onion diced, ¼ cup reserved
- 1 small red bell pepper chopped, ¼ cup reserved
- 1 can pineapple chunks NOT drained (20 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (2 tablespoons for instant pot version)
- optional garnishes: minced green onion
Instructions
OVEN DIRECTIONS:
- Place meatballs in an 8x8 baking dish. Next add onion, bell pepper, and 1 cup of the pineapple chunks on top of the meatballs. (Remember to reserve some onion and bell pepper).
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce barbecue sauce, brown sugar and ½ cup of the pineapple juice from the can (reserve remaining juice). Pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs and veggies.
- Cover dish with an oven safe lid, or tightly with foil, and bake at 350℉ until meatballs are heated through.
- When meatballs are finished baking, whisk cornstarch into reserved pineapple juice and then stir the cornstarch slurry into the hot dish. Mix to thicken sauce.
- Top with reserved pineapple chunks, onion, pepper, and diced green onion.
SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS:
- Place meatballs in the ceramic crock insert (do not need to be a single layer). Next add onion, bell pepper, and 1 cup of the pineapple chunks on top of the meatballs. (Remember to reserve some onion and bell pepper).
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce barbecue sauce, brown sugar and ½ cup of the pineapple juice from the can (reserve remaining juice). Pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs and veggies.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 - 4 hours or high for 2 - 3 hours.
- When meatballs are finished cooking, whisk cornstarch into reserved pineapple juice and then stir the cornstarch slurry into the crockpot. Mix to thicken sauce.
- Top with reserved pineapple chunks, onion, pepper, and diced green onion.
INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS:
- Place meatballs in the inner instant pot insert (do not need to be a single layer). Pour ½ cup of water into the pot.
- NOTE: If your pot is finicky with burn notices or you are using a pot larger than 6 quarts, add 1 cup of water total.
- Next add onion, bell pepper, and 1 cup of the pineapple chunks on top of the meatballs. (Remember to reserve some onion and bell pepper).
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce barbecue sauce, brown sugar and ½ cup of the pineapple juice from the can (reserve remaining juice). Pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs and veggies.
- Cover and set to sealing. Cook on manual (high pressure) for 5 minutes. Hit 'cancel' and allow at least a 5 minute natural pressure release. Release remaining pressure with the valve carefully, pausing if it begins to sputter.
- In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch (2 tablespoons) into reserved pineapple juice and then stir the cornstarch slurry into the hot instant pot. Mix to thicken sauce. (If pot has lost too much heat, turn on sauté mode to thicken).
- Top with reserved pineapple chunks, onion, pepper, and diced green onion.
Notes
- Cook time - Most electric pressure cookers take about 10 - 15 minutes to come to pressure. The inputted cook time will begin after the pot is pressurized.
- Natural pressure release - Hit cancel and walk away from the pot. It will slowly naturally depressurize. Depending on the contents this can take anywhere between 10 - 20 minutes for a full natural release.
- Quick release - Turn the dial at the top of your pot to allow the pressure to release quickly. Always use a long handled utensil for this to avoid steam burns. Do not quick release under cabinets or you may cause steam/water damage. If there is sputtering, quickly turn dial back to 'sealing' and allow it to naturally depressurize a few minutes before trying again.
Nutrition
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Hawaiian Meatballs
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This Hawaiian Meatballs is delicious and creativity, I enjoyed making it so much.