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Sweet and savory Pineapple Meatballs are a perfectly easy appetizer for parties and get-togethers or a delicious side dish for dinner.

Pineapple Meatballs make the perfect party food for any occasion – a tasty variation of our BBQ Meatballs. Just add a few dips and desserts and you have quite the shindig! 

Pineapple Meatballs served on toothpicks.

Hawaiian Meatballs

Pineapple Meatballs are too easy and delicious NOT to try. We have several meatball recipes that we love (like Crockpot Meatballs and Swedish Meatballs). I’m happy to report that this Hawaiian Meatball Recipe is beyond simple and SO tasty!!

Enjoy these meatballs for dinner or as a side dish or appetizer. They’d be great for parties and get-togethers as well. Just add toothpicks and let everyone chow down!

Adding the pineapples enhances the sweet and salty flavor found in regular BBQ Meatballs. If you aren’t as much a fan of the sweet and spicy, omit the pineapple chunks, but trust me when I say they add so much flavor.

If you’d rather make Homemade Meatballs that are even tastier (instead of the frozen ones), try THIS RECIPE.

Frozen meatballs in a bowl.

Quick + Easy!

SAUCE. Add barbecue sauce and crushed pineapple to a medium pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

BAKE. Add meatballs and stir until all coated. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes if meatballs are thawed or for 14-16 minutes if using frozen meatballs.

SERVE. Serve immediately. ENJOY!

Cook in a slow cooker: Combine the sauce ingredients, coat the meatballs in the sauce, and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.

Recipe Tips + Variations

Homemade meatballs. Easily use Homemade Meatballs to make this recipe. You can also use any type of meat including ground beef, ground Turkey Meatballs, or vegetarian meatballs. Brown them before cooking.

Pineapple. Instead of using canned pineapple, cut up a fresh pineapple. The pineapple will cook up sweetly as the dish simmers. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water or pineapple juice to compensate for the lack of juice that would have come from the can of pineapples.

Variations:

  • use pineapple chunks instead of crushed
  • mix in diced bell peppers
  • add heat with crushed red peppers
  • top cooked meatballs with sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, or sesame seeds
  • sweeten the dish by adding a bit of brown sugar

We have so many tasty meatballs on our site: BBQ Meatballs, Asian Meatballs, Porcupine Meatballs, Italian Meatballs, and Grape Jelly Meatballs to name a few!

Storing Info + SERVING IDEAS

Make ahead freezer meal. Combine all of the ingredients in a Freezer Ziploc. Label and keep in the freezer. Thaw overnight before cooking. 

STORE leftover Pineapple Meatballs in an airtight container for up to a week and reheat them in the microwave until warmed through.

FREEZE Hawaiian Meatballs in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat them in the microwave or on the stove with some added BBQ sauce.

What to serve with Pineapple Meatballs?

These are great all on their own but also pair well with other foods to make a delicious dish.

Close up of Barbecue pineapple Meatballs served on a white plate.

For more meatball recipes, check out:

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5 from 21 votes

Pineapple Meatballs Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna
Sweet and savory Pineapple Meatballs are a perfectly easy appetizer for parties and get-togethers or a delicious side dish for dinner.
Servings: 6 people
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Canned Crushed Pineapple (undrained)
  • 16 oz Meatballs
  • Salt
  • Pepper
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Instructions 

  • Add barbecue sauce and crushed pineapple to a medium pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
  • Add meatballs and stir until all coated. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes if meatballs are thawed or for 14-16 minutes if meatballs are frozen.
  • Serve immediately. ENJOY!

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 287mg, Potassium: 330mg, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 75IU, Vitamin C: 5.1mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Recipe Rating




33 Comments

  1. Carol says:

    Can you make these in the crock pot and with homemade meatballs?

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      You sure could 🙂

    2. Melissa says:

      Would you cook the meatballs before or put them in the crockpot raw?

      1. Kristyn Merkley says:

        If you are making homemade meatballs, then I would brown them, yes 🙂

  2. Victoria says:

    These are amazing…so easy and everyone loves them, kids and adults. They are my go-to appetizer. Thanks so much for the recipe!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Thank you for sharing that!! And, I agree 🙂

  3. Heather says:

    5 stars
    OMG,
    MADE THESE IN MY SLOW COOKER USED PINEAPPLE CHUNCKS THEY WERE A HIT, THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT!
    WILL MAKE THESE AGAIN FOR MY BROTHERS OVER THE HILL B-DAY PARTY????

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Yay!!! Thanks so much for sharing! Glad they are a hit 🙂

      1. Arleen says:

        Chunks are a great idea and maybe some green pepper, onion

        Wish i had of thought of that. Mine are cooking in the stove

  4. Rhonda says:

    I cooked these in a crockpot for about 6 hours on low. They were amazing!

  5. Jean McDowell says:

    I would also like to use the crockpot

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      You definitely could! I haven’t tried yet, but I bet they’d be great!

  6. Karen says:

    5 stars
    Will this work in a crock pot? I want to do these for a pot luck, but need to crock pot them. It sounds delish and a nice break from the grape jelly one that everyone makes.

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      I personally haven’t tried yet. I bet they would work. If you try doing that, I would love to know how they turn out! Thank you!

    2. Rhonda says:

      Yes, I made them in the crockpot. They were awesome. I cooked them on low for about 6 hours.

      1. Lil' Luna says:

        Thank you Rhonda for sharing that!

      2. Arleen says:

        Thanks for returning and letting us know!

  7. Daphine says:

    I can’t wait to try these. I have been looking for any easy food to prepare for my 50th birthday party. Thanks!!

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      These would be perfect for a party!! Hope everyone loves them! Have fun!

  8. Norma says:

    5 stars
    I just made this for a cocktail get together happening this evening. I cut up some green pepper also because I needed to use it. I am very pleased. It is a yummy recipe and look forward to hearing what my friends have to say. It cannot get any easier than this recipe. I used the “Sweet Baby Ray’ Sweet & Spicy” sauce.

    Thanks, love Pintrest

    1. Lil' Luna says:

      Awesome!! I hope they enjoy them!! Thanks so much for letting me know and trying these delicious meatballs!!

  9. Liz says:

    Sure looks yummy. Thanks Kristyn.

  10. Liz says:

    Yum – thank you.