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Crock Pot Hawaiian Meatballs Recipe

Hawaiian Meatballs have a delicious sweet and sour flavor that combines ground beef, parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs with pineapple chunks, soy sauce, fresh peppers, and cider vinegar for the perfect party food or appetizer.

This recipe also makes a scrumptious family dinner when eaten over fluffy white rice with a side of roasted veggies. Make these meatballs in your Instant Pot or as crock pot Hawaiian meatballs for an easy, no fuss meal that will be ready in about 45 minutes.

Hawaiian Meatball Appetizers On Toothpick

If you are looking for more delicious pineapple inspired meals, check out our Pineapple Ham Steak Dinner, Asian Pineapple Pork, or even our Orange Chicken for a similar style dinner.

How do I make the best Meatballs?

Hawaiian Meatballs are so yummy and when you make them from scratch you control the ingredients and adjust the size and flavor of the meatballs just the way you want them. To make your own meatballs select a good quality ground beef and combine it with bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, chopped onions, eggs, salt and pepper, and a high quality cooking oil such as avocado.

Form into 2 inch round meatballs and gently place them into a shallow cooking pan with a bit of water in the bottom. Sear the meatballs evenly, turning them occasionally to ensure even heat distribution.

Brown Meatballs

Watch our quick video demonstration for how to make your own

If you don’t have the time or desire to make your own meatballs, you can of course purchase pre made meatballs and make this delicious sweet and sour sauce for a really quick no fuss option. The Hawaiian Sweet and Sour Sauce really is the star of the show with this recipe.

if you need to save even more time, grab your favorite pre made sweet and sour sauce from the store.

Can I put frozen meatballs into my Crock Pot?

Yes, frozen meatballs can be placed right into your slow cooker with the sauce. The convenience of a Crock Pot is that it cuts out the need for pre cooking the ingredients. Just throw it all in and allow it a few hours to heat and cook together.

What can I serve with Hawaiian Meatballs?

Chopped Garden Veggies
parsnips, peppers, and other seasonal veggies are all fantastic side for meatballs

Using an Instant Pot to make Meatballs

Your Instant Pot can replace the skillet, the extra sauce pan and a slow cooker if you prefer this method.

  1. The Instant Pot is a breeze to bring with you if you need. The lid locks onto the top so that you don’t have to worry about it falling off like Crock Pot lids.
  2. It also is well insulated and helps keep your food warm during the trip to your event.
  3. Once you arrive set the pot to warm function.
  4. Use the glass tempered lid, rather than the pressure cook locking lid to hold in the heat and give your guests easy access to the food.
Hawaiian Meatballs
Hawaiian meatballs are delicious and make great party food or weeknight meals.

How to make Hawaiian Meatballs

Hawaiian meatballs can be made for a tasty family dinner or a fun party food that will stay warm and are easy to set out for self serve. They are sweet with a bit of sour and you can adjust the flavors to your personal liking.

If you don’t want to use ground beef, you can substitute for ground turkey and make some delicious Hawaiian turkey meatballs. They will be lower in fat but still just as scrumptious. If you need a quick option, there are also wonderful frozen turkey meatballs on the market.

Hawaiian Meatballs-Instant Pot Method
Cooked Hawaiian meatballs ready to serve.

Instant Pot Meatball Instructions

  • Combine meatball ingredients and shape into 2 inch balls.
  • Saute the meatballs in a small amount of avocado or olive oil.
  • Deglaze the pan with a bit of water. Stir the meatballs gently to release them from the bottom as they brown.
  • Combine the sauce ingredients and pour over the browned meatballs. Stir gently to coat the meatballs and make sure they are clear of the Instant pot bottom
  • Cook on manual function high pressure for 5 minutes.
  • Natural release for 10 minutes then quick release.
  • Serve over hot white rice, quinoa, or alongside roasted vegetables.

Slow Cooker Meatball Instructions

  • These meatballs can be made ahead and put in the crock pot to simmer several hours on low heat.
  • Follow the recipe instructions to make the meatballs. Place the uncooked meatballs in the Crock Pot and set on low.
  • Put a small amount of water, enough to steam the meatballs, in the bottom of the Crock Pot. Let them simmer for 4 hours.
  • About an hour before serving make the sauce, pour it over the cooked crockpot meatballs and let them simmer while the rice cooks.

Stovetop Beef Meatball Instructions

  • Make and form the meatballs as instructed and set a skillet to medium heat.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet.
  • Place the formed meatballs in an even layer in the skillet.
  • Brown the meatballs on each side evenly by gently rolling them every couple of minutes.
  • Add 1/2 Cup water to the skillet and cover.
  • Allow the meatballs to steam until they are thoroughly cooked.
  • Meanwhile make the sauce in a separate sauce pan on the stove while the meatballs steam. Also make the rice in a saucepan now if you are using it.
  • Finally remove the cooked meatballs to a bowl and pour the sauce over the meatballs.

Hawaiian Meatball Recipe Appetizers:

  • Make the meatballs small, about 1 inch in diameter and follow the recipe as directed.
  • You will need to cook the meatballs in batches. Brown the meatballs in batches in the Instant Pot or your skillet before you put them all together for cooking with the meatball sauce recipe.
  • Serve your small meatballs in a large shallow bowl or a tray with toothpicks. Set the sauce on the side in a bowl for dipping the sweet and sour meatballs.
  • Provide small plates or bowls to catch the drips.
  • They can also be served in the sauce in a Crock Pot or Instant Pot.

Your Printable Recipe Card:

Hawaiian Meatball Appetizers On Toothpick
Yield: 32 meatballs

Hawaiian Meatballs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Enjoy these sweet and sour meatballs as a party food appetizer or cozy family night main course over rice. This beef meatball recipe is a sure winner for weeknight dinners and party food.

Ingredients

  • Homemade Meatballs Recipe:
  • 3 lb. Ground Beef
  • 3 Cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 Cup Parmesan cheese
  • 4 Eggs
  • 1 1/2 Cup Finely Diced Onion
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbsp Avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • water as needed to deglaze and steam.
  • Sweet and Sour Sauce:
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 Cups pineapple juice
  • 6 Tbsp. cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 6 Tbsp Hoisin sauce
  • 1 Cup. sugar
  • 2 20 oz. cans pineapple tidbits or pieces with juice
  • 1/2 Cup Peppers (we used green and red bell peppers

Instructions

INSTANT POT Meatballs Instructions:

  1. Combine meatball ingredients and shape into 2 inch balls.
  2. On saute Function Fry meatballs balls in small amount of avocado oil. They may stick a bit so deglaze the pan with a bit of water if they do to help release them. Be gentle or the meatballs will fall apart.
  3. Add 1/4 cup water and put the sauté lid on. Saute the meatballs in batches until they are browned.

Sauce and finishing:

  1. Combine the sauce ingredients and pour over the browned meatballs. Stir gently to coat the meatballs and make sure they are clear of the Instant pot bottom.
  2. Cook on Manual Function on high pressure for 5 minutes. Natural release 10 minutes. Then quick release.
  3. Remove the meatballs to bowl and make the cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch and water.
  4. Set the instant pot to sauté mode. When the sauce boils add the slurry and cook one minute while stirring constantly. NOTE: Sauce thickens as it cools.
  5. Add the meatballs back into the instant pot and set to warm. OR
  6. remove the meatballs to a serving dish and put the sauce in a separate bowl for dipping.

Notes

If serving the meatballs over rice. Start the rice 30 minutes before serving time.

CROCK POT MEATBALL RECIPE:

  • These meatballs can be made ahead and put in the crock pot to simmer several hours on low heat (great for a party. NOTE the instant pot also has a keep warm function if you prefer that.) 
  • Follow the recipe instructions to make the meatballs. Put the uncooked meatballs (brown them beforehand for best flavor) in the crock pot.
  • Put a teeny amount of water(about 1/2 cup-but make sure it's enough to steam the meatballs) in the bottom of the crock pot to get them steaming. Let them simmer on low for 4 hours.
  • About an hour before serving make the sauce and pour it over the cooked meat balls in the crock pot and let it simmer while the rice cooks(If using).

SKILLET MEATBALL INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Make the meatballs as instructed and set a skillet to medium low heat.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet.
  • Place the formed meatballs into the skillet (do not stack them).
  • Brown the meatballs on each side evenly by gently rolling them every couple of minutes.
  • Add 1/2 Cup water to the skillet and cover.
  • Allow the meatballs to steam until they are thoroughly cooked.
  • Meanwhile make the sauce in a separate sauce pan on the stove while the meatballs steam. Also make the rice in a saucepan now if you are using it.
  • Finally remove the cooked meatballs to a bowl and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Serve.

Nutrition Information

Yield

32

Serving Size

3

Amount Per Serving Calories 374Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 49mgSodium 473mgCarbohydrates 67gFiber 5gSugar 40gProtein 12g

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These sound delicious!!

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Sunday 7th of June 2015

These are really good meatballs. Our family loves them!

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