Hawaiian Meatballs + Video
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Hawaiian Meatballs capture all the best flavors of the Islands with lightly seasoned beef and a tangy pineapple glaze.
These tasty morsels can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion, whether you want a quick and easy meal or need a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
It’s also easy to double or triple this Hawaiian meatballs recipe.
Trust me, you’ll want to have extra tucked away in the freezer for a quick and easy dinner or whenever a craving strikes!
Hawaiian Meatballs
Why buy a bag of frozen cocktail meatballs when you can make your own from scratch?
All you need is some ground beef, plus milk, eggs, breadcrumbs, and a few seasonings.
The secret to these sweet and sour meatballs is the deliciously sticky sauce.
Not only is it soaked into every bite, but it creates a glossy coating that lets these beauties shine!
Looking for more meatball recipes? Check out the meatball meals roundup, with ten of our all-time favorite recipes.
Ingredients Needed For Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Ground beef – An 80/20 blend is perfect for this Hawaiian meatball recipe, but I recommend going even leaner if you want to use a combination of beef and pork.
You could also use ground chicken or turkey if you prefer. - Bread crumbs – This, along with the eggs, acts as a binder to hold everything together.
Use the plain variety (without any extra flavors or seasonings) or try panko breadcrumbs for extra texture. - Seasonings – A little onion powder, salt, and pepper are all you need to season the beef. Worcestershire sauce makes these taste extra savory.
- Milk – The breadcrumbs soak up this liquid, adding extra flavor and plenty of moisture to each of the sweet meatballs.
- Sweet and Sour Sauce – If you’re short on time, a bottle of your favorite from the store is just fine.
Personally, I like to use my homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe, and it only takes about 15 minutes to make.
Make Ahead Instructions
This Hawaiian meatballs recipe is the perfect make-ahead appetizer. Bake and refrigerate until it’s time to serve, then reheat right in the sauce!
You can also freeze Hawaiian meatballs for later, either raw or baked.
It’s safe to store them in the sauce, or you can freeze them alone and make a fresh batch of sauce for serving.
- Cooked: Cool to room temperature, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once firm, transfer to a storage bag or container and store for up to 2 months.
- Uncooked: Once formed, flash freeze in a single layer for 1 to 2 hours.
Store in a large Ziploc bag or airtight container, adding parchment between each layer if needed.
Serving Suggestions
Dinner Ideas
Serve a few sweet and sour meatballs over jasmine rice with a side of snow peas for an easy meal.
We especially like to create delicious sliders by stuffing them into sweet Hawaiian rolls with extra sauce.
Appetizer Meatballs
You could even pair Hawaiian meatballs with some other party appetizers for game day or a themed party!
Make a double batch, keep them warm in the crockpot, and let guests serve themselves.
Hawaiian Meatball Recipe FAQ
Orange juice is probably the closest substitute, but the tropical flavor of your sweet meatballs won’t be quite the same. Try adding a squeeze of lime juice to the orange to get the perfect balance of sour and sweet.
I prefer to bake meatballs whenever possible. Not only is it less messy, but they come out perfectly tender and evenly cooked every time!
Plus, while they are baking, you can spend time preparing side dishes for your quick and easy meal.
The most important thing to remember when making meatballs is to handle the meat as little as possible! Mix until the ingredients are just combined — this prevents them from becoming tough and dry.
I also recommend using a scoop to portion them out before gently rolling them into shape. Wet or grease your hands before rolling — this prevents the mixture from sticking to your skin.
Storing and Reheating Sweet Meatballs
Hawaiian meatballs should last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator when kept in an airtight container. You can store them right in the sauce for easy reheating.
For a quick snack, reheat your sweet and sour meatballs in the microwave on 50% power, using 30-second bursts.
Covering the plate with plastic wrap or a paper towel will keep the meatballs nice and moist, and it also helps them to heat evenly.
Otherwise, pour everything back into a baking dish and pop them in the oven!
Heat for 10 to 15 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through. If frozen, add another 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Hawaiian Meatballs + Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups sweet and sour sauce, (1 batch of my recipe, or store bought sauce)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and use your clean hands or a mixing spatula to combine.
- Using a 1 tablespoon scoop to portion, lightly shape the scoops and use your hands to roll them into meatballs.
- Place meatballs in a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover with sweet and sour sauce. Bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven, serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
- Because serving sizes can vary, the nutrition shown here is for ONE meatball using my sweet and sour sauce recipe.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published October 2012. Updated and republished April 2023
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These look amazing! I love that you used a homemade sauce…
Well that just sounds delicious! These would be addictive.
I'm allergic to pineapple. Is there something I can use in it's place?
You could try orange juice, but the flavor will change. Let me know how it goes!
Donna, my videos with the arrow to the side never play. What am I doing wrong? I’m a visual learner and love to watch from start to finish.
Also, what happens if you soak the bread crumbs in the milk before adding?
how about lemon or apricot or apple
how about lemon, apricot or apple juice or applesauce
made these were great
made them they are delicious
Making them for Super Bowl Sunday
Love your recipes..am making these soon
Excellent and easy recipe. I have made it twice in 2 weeks and we love it. The sauce makes it. Thanks.
These are awesome. The sweet and sour sauce is perfectly balanced. I could have eaten them all!
the receipe reads put all in and make meatballs, but then it says to pour the sweet and sour sauce over the meatballs at the end. which is it please, mix it in or just pour all over? thank you.
To achieve a tender meatball, I mix ground pork with my beef and add milk soaked bread. I also add a some pineapple bits in my sweet and sour sauce.
YUM