Hawaiian Meatballs {Slow Cooker} · Simple Family Recipes

Simple Slow Cooker Meatballs

In the last year or so I have grown fond once again of meatballs! They may seem typical, but really, they are an impressive way to hit it out of the park both with flavor and ease.

Here are a few reasons why meatballs can be your great companion in the kitchen:

• They can be purchased or premade and frozen so there is little work to get them ready
• They are incredibly slow cooker friendly so you can focus your attention elsewhere
• They can go well with almost any taste combo- Hawaiian is our taste of choice today!
• You can find them in a variety of different meat options based on preference (beef, pork, turkey, chicken, even vegetarian and vegan!)

The combination of all of these things make meatballs a really powerful option for using in the kitchen.

This Hawaiian Meatballs recipe uses a sugary and tangy combination of flavors. You can prep it in less than 5 minutes, and the slow cooker will do the work melding all of the delightful flavors.

With so little work, these always turn out perfect! I had a friend make this recipe and serve it to a group of native Italians that was visiting, she immediately texted me when they left and told me how they were all raving over the meatballs! So although this is far from Italian, they do know their meatballs, so I will gladly take the compliment!

Suggestions for Preparing Hawaiian Meatballs

This recipe is as simple as I have assured. I am going to walk through my notes and tips for how to make Hawaiian Meatballs in the slow cooker, so that I can hopefully answer any questions that may arise while cooking.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL recipe card.

Elements

With only 5 elements these meatballs come together quickly. There are a few options for each element I will call out below so you can pick what works best for you!

Meatballs

Obviously, these are a main ingredient for this recipe, so the meatballs that you pick can make a significant impact on the taste and your enjoyment of the dish.

The recipe uses frozen, pre-cooked meatballs. You can use either homemade meatballs, or store bought meatballs for ease.

For homemade meatballs, you can use these ground turkey meatballs, or your favorite meatball recipe.

If you pick to use frozen meatballs, you can choose any variety that suits your taste, including:

• Beef
• Pork
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Vegetarian or Vegan

Any of these varieties or combination of meats will work well as long as they are plain meatballs and aren’t glazed or flavored (buffalo, teriyaki, etc.).

Pineapple

We will utilize pineapple pieces for the Hawaiian Meatballs. I use canned pineapple chunks, however, you could use fresh if you prefer.

I don’t recommend using crushed pineapple because it has a higher liquid content if not drained well and can lead to the sauce being runny.

You will use a 20 oz can and drain the juice, reserving 1/4 cup to mix into the sauce.

Using chunks gives you the delightful pops of flavor, and mixing in the reserved juice creates the sugary and tangy Hawaiian flavor.

BBQ Sauce

The final super significant element is the BBQ sauce. You will want to use a traditional tomato based barbecue sauce, not a vinegar based sauce.

I really like the original Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce in this recipe, but you can absolutely this or use your favorite sauce, whatever it may be.

Recipe Step by Step

Create the sauce for the Hawaiian meatballs by combining BBQ sauce, pineapple chunks, garlic, and green onions in a slow cooker.

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Combine the BBQ sauce and place the meatballs on top. I utilized frozen here, but you can also use homemade meatballs that have been prepared in advance.

Blend all the ingredients together, then cover the slow cooker and cook.

Once done, give everything another mix, then for serving dinner, scoop it over rice, or as an appetizer, you can leave it in the slow cooker on warm, or place the meatballs with pineapple chunks on toothpicks.

How Long to Cook Meatballs in the Crock Pot

Given that the meatballs are already entirely cooked, the cooking time is primarily about warming the meatballs to an appropriate serving temperature and infusing the flavor of the sauce into the dish.

The meatballs will simmer on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours in the crock pot and should be cooked until they reach the serving temperature of 165˚F.

Recipe Variations

If you enjoy experimenting, there are several ways to incorporate some exciting new flavors and variations into these Hawaiian Meatballs.

• Fiery Hawaiian Meatballs – Follow the recipe, adding 1 tsp crushed red pepper and up to 1/4-1 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on the desired spice level.
• Teriyaki Hawaiian Meatballs– Swap the BBQ sauce with teriyaki glaze and follow the recipe.
• Hawaiian Meatballs with Peppers– Prepare as directed, adding 1 red or green chopped bell pepper and 1/2 sweet yellow onion to the mixture before cooking.
• Sticky Hawaiian Meatballs– Exchange the canned pineapple with 1 cup of pineapple jelly. Then, cook as directed. This will result in a thicker, stickier sauce.

“`Dietary Considerations
This recipe can be easily modified to meet many dietary needs.
– Dairy Free– This recipe can be made dairy free when dairy free meatballs are used. You can find dairy free meatballs frozen or use this Dairy Free meatball recipe.
– Gluten Free– This recipe can be made gluten free when gluten free meatballs are used. You can find frozen gluten free meatballs at most stores, or you can use this Gluten free meatball recipe.
– Low Carb – The carb count in this recipe can be greatly reduced by using sugar-free BBQ sauce, and low carb meatballs. Find a recipe for low carb meatballs here.

Freezer Meal Instructions
Hawaiian Meatballs can easily be made into a freezer meal that can be prepared another night.
1. Place the meatballs in a freezer bag or air tight container.
2. Mix the bbq sauce with the pineapple, reserved juice, garlic and onions.
3. Pour sauce over the meatballs and stir to coat.
4.Geler.
5. Lorsque prêt à être consommé, cela peut être décongelé toute la nuit dans le réfrigérateur ou cuit dans la mijoteuse à partir du gelé.
Ce plat est meilleur lorsqu’il est utilisé dans les 3 premiers mois après la congélation.

Comment Servir les Boulettes Hawaïennes
Comme mentionné précédemment, l’une des choses que j’aime le plus dans cette recette, c’est qu’elle peut être servie en tant que plat principal, une entrée ou une nourriture de fête en mode apéritif.

Servi en tant qu’Entrée
Pour servir en tant qu’entrée, vous pouvez soit:
– Laisser dans la mijoteuse en mode maintien au chaud
– Placer les boulettes avec un morceau d’ananas sur un cure-dent

Servi en tant qu’Apéritif
Pour servir comme apéritif, vous pouvez soit :
– Laisser dans la mijoteuse en mode maintien au chaud
– Placer les boulettes avec un morceau d’ananas sur un cure-dent

Accompagnements
Si vous servez comme plat principal, vous pouvez assortir les boulettes hawaïennes avec un ou plusieurs accompagnements pour un dîner équilibré et sain.

Que faire avec les Boulettes Hawaïennes Restantes
Si vous avez des Boulettes Hawaïennes restantes, c’est une bonne nouvelle, car elles se réchauffent bien et peuvent être utilisées pour préparer d’autres plats vraiment délicieux plus tard dans la semaine.
Conservez-les au réfrigérateur pendant 3 à 4 jours ou au congélateur pendant un mois.

Recettes pour Utiliser les Boulettes Hawaïennes Restantes
– Pizza aux Boulettes Hawaïennes– Sur une pâte à pizza préparée, étalez une couche de sauce barbecue. Ajoutez de la mozzarella ou du fromage provolone. Coupez les boulettes en morceaux et saupoudrez les boulettes et les morceaux d’ananas sur le dessus de la pizza. Cuire comme indiqué.
– Brochettes de Boulettes Hawaïennes– Coupez les poivrons et les oignons en morceaux. Placez sur des brochettes avec des boulettes et des morceaux d’ananas. Disposez sur une plaque à pâtisserie et cuisez à 200 °C pendant 20 à 25 minutes
– Petits Pains Garnis de Boulettes Hawaïennes– Coupez un paquet de petits pains sucrés Hawaïens en deux. Placez le bas des petits pains dans un plat allant au four puis mettez une boulette à l’intérieur de chaque pain. Coupez l’ananas et la sauce et versez-la sur les boulettes.
– Bol de Riz et Boulettes Hawaïennes– Mélangez des parts égales de mayonnaise et de sauce chili sucrée asiatique. Ajoutez du sriracha pour le rendre épicé si désiré. Mélangez la sauce avec un mélange de chou. Créez le bol en plaçant du riz préparé dans chaque bol, mettez les boulettes et les morceaux d’ananas dans chaque bol, puis ajoutez la salade asiatique.

D’autres Repas Faciles à Faire dans une Mijoteuse
J’espère que vous et votre famille apprécierez cette recette autant que nous. Si c’est le cas, prenez une minute pour consulter quelques-unes de nos recettes simples et délicieuses de plats cuisinés. Parfaites pour les soirs de semaine chargés, et toujours approuvées par les enfants et la famille !