Tender meatballs topped with sweet and tangy pineapple sauce! A no-fuss 30-minute family favorite!
You know that whole ramen-noodle-starving-college-student stigma? I was a pretty classic case. Except instead of ramen noodles, it was a few other staples like jarred queso dip and giant bake-at-home flour tortillas. Most nights when I came back from class at 8:00, dying for something to eat, I’d either have those deconstructed quesadillas, or a bowl of steamed rice topped with some kind of sauce. Usually vegetarian – mostly out of laziness, not for any health purposes I assure you.
Only half of my rice n’ sauce eating college habits were due to my starving student status. The other half of it is that I’ve just always enjoyed rice and sauce. I remember one time when I was probably 11 years old, my family went to a Chinese restaurant and I insisted that what I wanted for dinner was a Texas-sized bowl of white rice covered in sweet and sour sauce. So as you can see, my rice n’ sauce history goes way back. Add meatballs to the mix and I’m beyond content.
These Hawaiian meatballs are baked at a high temperature so they get a perfectly crispy outside and a juicy-tender inside. While the meatballs are baking, you can whip up the sauce on the stove and the whole thing is on the table in just 30 minutes. This is an instant no-fuss family favorite you’ll want to make again and again!
Hawaiian Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup milk
Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- optional: chopped cilantro, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Mix everything together. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on baking sheet 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 20 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
- In a medium sauce pan combine all sauce ingredients except for the 1 tablespoon of corn starch and 2 tablespoons of water. Bring sauce to a boil.
- Whisk together remaining water and corn starch until corn starch is dissolved. Pour into boiling sauce. Stir until thickened. Reduce to a simmer until meatballs are finished cooking.
- Serve meatballs over rice and top with sauce. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Family Gone Healthy
Hello, I was wondering on your Hawaiian Meatball Recipe. Are you draining the crushed pineapple and what type of vinegar are you using?
Thank you for sharing your yummy recipe!
Hi Terisa, You do not need to drain the pineapple and I’ve used white vinegar or apple cider vinegar 🙂
Can these be made with only ground turkey as I try to stay away from red meat?
Is it 1 T cornstarch and 2 T water or 2 T cornstarch and 1 T water? The ingredients list is different then the directions.
Thanks for pointing out that typo, Nancy!! It is fixed. It’s correct in the ingredients list… so, 1 T corn starch and 2 T water.
If made correctly, this recipe is perfect! I have been making my own recipe (canadian) since i was first married! I hadnt been cooking for a loNg whilE but i am again! This recipe is great! I still do a few little things different but the oven baking at high heat is an awesome idea!
If you use regular soy sauce do not add salt!
Could you make this in an instant pot?
I haven’t tried this myself but yes, I think it can be done!