These slow cooker Hawaiian meatballs take only 3 ingredients and 5 minutes to make! So easy and always a crowd pleaser. Makes the perfect appetizer or main dish.
Meatballs are a family favorite in my house and get devoured in a matter of minutes! We love this Hawaiian version, as well as BBQ meatballs, Asian meatballs and teriyaki meatballs.
Tangy Meatball Recipe
I’m super excited to share another variation of my grandpa’s famous slow cooker meatballs. These Hawaiian meatballs (also know as sweet and sour meatballs) are very similar to my grape jelly BBQ meatballs, however I used pineapple juice instead of grape jelly to give them more of a Hawaiian flavor.
The taste of the sweet and sour meatball sauce is SO delicious! It’s tangy, rich and seriously addicting. The BBQ sauce does give them a little kick, but they are still pretty mild with lots of flavor.
We love to serve them over rice topped with green onions for a main dish, however you can eat them plain as well. They are one of our favorite Hawaiian appetizers and are always on the menu whenever there is a big game.
Ingredients
These sweet and sour meatballs only require 3 simple ingredients and are prepped in just 5 minutes! My kind of recipe. :) I used a can of pineapple that I had on hand, but you could use fresh pineapple if you prefer. You could also use homemade meatballs as well if you’d rather not use frozen. Sometimes I’ll use turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs if I want to keep them on the lighter side.
- Frozen meatballs
- BBQ sauce
- Can of pineapple
How to make Hawaiian meatballs
Seriously…these are so easy to make! It will literally take you less than 5 minutes to put everything in the slow cooker. Scroll down for the printable recipe.
- Add meatballs to slow cooker and pour BBQ sauce on top. Then add sliced pineapple and pineapple juice.
- Cook for 2 to 3 hours on high.
- Top with more pineapple and sliced green onions if desired.
TIP: We love keeping a big bag of frozen meatballs in the freezer, as well as BBQ sauce and canned pineapple in the pantry so we can make these whenever we need a last minute dinner.
Do I need to defrost meatballs before cooking?
No! That’s the beauty of this recipe. Just add the frozen meatballs to your crockpot and they will cook up perfectly in the slow cooker. :) Doesn’t get easier than that!
Can you double the recipe?
Sure. If doubling, use 50 meatballs, 2 cups BBQ sauce and 2 cans of sliced pineapple. I would also cook them around 3 hours, until they are tender and warm throughout. If you are tripling the recipe for a super large crowd, I’d recommend using 2 slow cookers.
Ways to serve
These sweet and sour meatballs aren’t just an appetizer! They make a delicious 5-ingredient crockpot meal as well…there are so many ways to serve them! Below are a few of our favorites.
- Place toothpicks in the top to make a fun appetizer.
- Serve over rice, coconut rice or cooked noodles.
- Serve in a roll to make a mini slider.
- Sandwich between french bread to make a Hawaiian meatball hoagie.
- Serve directly out of the slow cooker for parties.
- Serve with sliced green onions and sesame seeds to dress them up.
- Feel free to add more veggies too, like green/red bell peppers or onions.
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Meatballs
Ingredients
- 25 frozen meatballs
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 8 ounce can sliced or diced pineapple
For serving: rice, sliced green onion
Instructions
- Add the meatballs to the slow cooker. Pour the BBQ sauce over the top. Then add the sliced pineapple on top and pour the juice over. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours.
- Enjoy as an appetizer or serve over rice for a main dish. Top with sliced green onions and pineapple if desired.
Notes
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Would frozen pineapple work
I haven’t tried, but if using frozen, I would still add in some pineapple juice to give it a stronger flavor. Let me know how it goes!
Do you drain the pineapple before adding or just dump the whole can in juice and all?
Dump the can with the juices :)
Suggestions on using the pressure cooker?
I haven’t tried, but I would add 1/2 cup water to the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. To reduce the sauce at the end you could saute for 5 minutes or until it has thickened.
These are so easy and they are a crowd favorite at parties! My friend made them once and they were such a hot at my birthday party. I immediately grabbed this recipe from him and I am so half that it’s So easy and delicious
This makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad they’re such a big hit :)
After the fresh meatballs are made do they need to be cooked before being put into crockpot.
I use frozen meatballs in this recipe and just add straight from frozen.
Omg these are amazing mmmm I made my own meatballs instead of frozen so yummy
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
A kid favorite!
this seems too simple, any reviews would b e helpful
Hi Bernice! It is so simple, but so delicious. There are some reviews if you scroll down to the bottom of the post. :)
Just going to make this recipe. Do you have to brown meatballs and remove excess fat before adding sauce and pineapple?
Hi Sherry! If you are using frozen meatballs you do not need to brown them beforehand, you can add them frozen straight to the slow cooker!
What type of BBQ sauce should be used?
Any kind should work, but I typically use Sweet Baby Ray’s.
What flavor of baby ray barbecue sauce
I like the original flavor :)