Sweet and savory with pineapple and peppers, these Hawaiian Meatballs are next-level delish.
Aloha! It’s time to take a trip to the Hawaiian islands with these wonderfully unique Hawaiian meatballs!
Although pineapples are not originally from Hawaii (they’re actually native to South America), they have long been a distinguishing, and thus essential, ingredient in Hawaiian cuisine. So it’s no surprise that this sweet, tangy, tropical fruit features prominently in our recipe for Hawaiian meatballs. The tender, super-flavorful meaty spheres, laced with onion, garlic, and ginger, are bathed in a sauce made from canned pineapples and their juice, the sweetness enhanced by brown sugar and honey. But then there is the kick from crushed red pepper, a tart zing from rice vinegar, and the savory, salty umami addition of soy sauce. The combination of these ingredients is simply swoon-worthy!
While our ingredient list may appear long, there is not a lot of prep and this dish is really easy to prepare. The best thing to do is get everything chopped and measured first (mise en place—that French phrase for getting everything together before you start cooking). Then you can make the sauce while your meatballs are baking, so they’ll be ready to pop in the pot—with the pineapple chunks and chopped green bell pepper—when your sauce has thickened.
And speaking of that delectable sauce, you’ll love how it sinks down into the Baked Rice we highly recommend as a bed for Hawaiian meatballs.
Tips For Perfect Hawaiian Meatballs
For the most tender meatballs, be sure not to overmix the meat mixture and to roll the balls all the same size for even cooking; bake until golden brown and cooked through. Once out of the oven, place the meatballs on paper towels to drain off any excess grease. When you make your slurry—combining cornstarch and water to thicken the sauce—whisk the ingredients very well so that there are no lumps and then use your whisk to fully incorporate it into the boiling liquid. Be patient: sometimes it takes a few minutes for the sauce to arrive at the thickness you want—keep whisking until it gets there!
FAQs & Tips
How to Make Ahead and Store
Hawaiian meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Do Other Ground Meats Work In This Recipe?
Absolutely. Ground pork is a great choice since all of these flavors go really well with pork, but you can also use ground turkey or ground chicken. Add some ginger to this recipe for Vegan Meatballs, and you’ll have a plant-based version of Hawaiian meatballs, too!
Can I Use Fresh Pineapple?
Well, you can for the pineapple chunks component of this dish, but the juice from the canned pineapple is an essential ingredient in the sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Although rice is perfect with Hawaiian meatballs, there are other side dishes that go beautifully with this dish. Try serving the meatballs over Quinoa or Mashed Cauliflower: both are delicious ways to get every drop of the lovely sauce. Or whip up a batch of sweet and salty Pandesal rolls—they perfectly complement Hawaiian meatballs.
No matter what sides you choose, you’re going to want to end this meal with a dessert that celebrates Hawaiian meatball’s star ingredient: Pineapple Pie. Top it off with a big dollop of Coconut Cream and you will have a guaranteed show-stopper!
Hawaiian Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons onion minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8-ounce can pineapple chunks in juice
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 medium green bell pepper roughly chopped
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ginger, eggs, milk, and pepper. Mix until just combined.
- Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
- In a saucepan, combine pineapple juice (drained from the chunks), brown sugar, honey, red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Heat over medium until boiling.
- Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Gradually whisk the slurry into the boiling sauce. Add peppers and allow the sauce to thicken.
- Add pineapple chunks to the sauce. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Add baked meatballs to the sauce, stirring to coat.
- Serve hot with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.
Leave a Comment