Description
Succulent Crockpot Hawaiian Meatballs blend sweet and tangy flavors, creating a tropical paradise on your plate. Juicy beef meatballs swim in a luscious pineapple sauce, promising a delightful meal that will transport everyone to island bliss.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 pounds frozen meatballs (beef, pork, or turkey)
- 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained
- 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Seasoning and Garnish Ingredients:
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- 2 green onions (sliced)
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Craft a vibrant sauce by whisking together tangy pineapple juice, rich brown sugar, umami-packed soy sauce, robust ketchup, and zesty rice vinegar in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly integrated.
- Transfer frozen meatballs into the crockpot, accompanied by diced red and green bell peppers, aromatic minced garlic, and optional grated ginger. Cascade the prepared sauce over the ingredients, gently folding to ensure even distribution.
- Secure the crockpot lid and allow the mixture to simmer: on low setting for 4-5 hours or high setting for 2-3 hours, ensuring meatballs reach optimal temperature and peppers soften to perfection.
- Approximately 30 minutes before serving, create a cornstarch slurry by blending cornstarch with water. Gently incorporate this thickening agent into the crockpot, stirring to achieve a luscious sauce consistency.
- Introduce drained pineapple chunks into the crockpot, delicately folding to integrate. Allow an additional 10-15 minutes of heating to warm the fruit thoroughly.
- Elevate the presentation by sprinkling sliced green onions and sesame seeds as a final flourish. Serve atop fluffy rice, twirled noodles, or present as an irresistible appetizer with toothpicks for easy enjoyment.
Notes
- Customize meatballs by using ground turkey or chicken for a leaner protein option that keeps the dish light and healthy.
- Create a gluten-free version by substituting regular soy sauce with tamari and using gluten-free cornstarch for thickening the sauce.
- Enhance flavor complexity by caramelizing bell peppers slightly before adding to the crockpot, which deepens the overall taste profile of the dish.
- Prevent watery sauce by draining pineapple chunks thoroughly and patting them dry before adding to the crockpot, ensuring a rich and concentrated sauce consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg