Last Updated on February 6, 2025 by PorchLightReading
Hawaiian meatball recipe with ground turkey and pineapple. A sweet and tangy appetizer or side dish that is quick and easy!
If you’re looking for a quick and easy appetizer or side dish idea, then this Hawaiian meatball recipe is just for you. Like most of my recipes this one is made with, you guessed it, simple ingredients.
Ingredients that I usually already have on hand with an exception of maybe one or two items. Since our daughters are getting older now, they seem to be raiding the fridge more and more lately.
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- Table of contents: Hawaiian meatball recipe + Ground turkey and pineapple
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Cooking directions
- Cooking tips
- Storage directions
- Jump to recipe
Of course they are more than welcome to raid the refrigerator, but who could have guessed that my teenage daughter would snack on raw green peppers. Leaving me wondering where all three of them went since grocery shopping just the other day. At least they left me with a can of pineapple.
Hawaiian Meatball Recipe
Juicy ground turkey meatballs simmered in a sweet, tangy, pineapple sauce. This recipe is easy to make and packed with flavor. Making it perfect for a simple weeknight dinner or a party appetizer.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Sweet and savory- Pineapple adds a touch of natural sweetness you just can’t get enough of.
- Easy prep- This recipe comes together easily, making it a clear choice for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Versatile- Serve with rice and make it a meal or add a toothpick to make it a simple party appetizer.
Ingredients
- For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ onion, diced
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- For the Hawaiian sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup pineapple tidbits
- ½ cup green pepper, diced
- ⅓ ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 TBS soy sauce
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. ginger grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 TBS cornstarch + 3 TBS water (for thickening)
Cooking Directions
Preheat and prep- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
Make the meatballs- In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, diced onion, salt, pepper, soy sauce, ground ginger, and smoked paprika. Mix until combined but do not overwork or the meatballs will be tough.
Roll into 1 inch meatballs and place on baking sheet. Makes about 18-20 in total.
Bake- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature of 165℉).
Make the sauce- In a pan over medium heat, whisk together pineapple juice, pineapple, diced green peppers, ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Bring to boil then reduce heat.
Thicken the sauce- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into sauce and cook until thickened.
Coat the meatballs- Add baked meatballs to the sauce and toss gently to coat. Allow to simmer several minutes to absorb the flavor.
Serve and enjoy- Garnish with sesame seeds. Can be served over rice, with a toothpick as an appetizer, or in a lettuce wrap.
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Cooking Tips
- Do not overmix the meat- Mixing too much will make the meatballs tough and dense.
- Use fresh pineapple- Fresh pineapple is delicious with this recipe and you can use the pineapple shell as a serving dish if you want to get extra creative. Simply cut in half and scoop out the fruit.
- Pan-sear- For extra caramelization, pan-sear the baked meatballs in a little oil before tossing in the sauce.
- Ground chicken- You can also make this recipe using ground chicken instead of ground turkey!
- Crockpot friendly- You can also make this recipe in the crockpot! Make the meatballs as directed above but instead of baking in the oven, pan-sear them first and add to the crockpot with the sauce ingredients. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
Storage Directions
Store in an air tight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave until heated through or warm in a pan on the stove.
My kids may be rummaging through the refrigerator a bit more lately, but at least they are grabbing a few healthy things before asking for the chips in the cupboard. I guess we’ll just have to grab an extra few green peppers at the store until they move on to their next favorite vegetable.
Recipe Card
Hawaiian Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ onion, diced
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
Hawaiian Sauce
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup pineapple tidbits
- ½ cup green pepper, diced
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 TBS soy sauce
- 1 TBS apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 TBS cornstarch
- 3 TBS water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
- In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, diced onion, salt, pepper, soy sauce, ground ginger, and smoked paprika. Mix until combined but do not overwork or the meatballs will be tough.
- Roll into 1 inch meatballs and place on baking sheet. Makes about 18-20 in total.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature of 165℉).
- In a pan over medium heat, whisk together pineapple juice, pineapple, diced green peppers, ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Bring to boil then reduce heat.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into sauce and cook until thickened.
- Add baked meatballs to the sauce and toss gently to coat. Allow to simmer several minutes to absorb the flavor.
- Garnish with sesame seeds. Can be served over rice, with a toothpick as an appetizer, or in a lettuce wrap.
Notes
Nutrition
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