Crockpot Hawaiian Meatballs

My son is college bound in a few short years, so I thought I would get in gear to help him develop easy meals that can be made in a dorm and are adjustable…because you know the roommates will ask when they smell home cooking!

We have developed several easy meals from Almond Milk Overnight Oats to baked potatoes in the microwave and the perfect creamy pasta sauce. These crockpot Hawaiian Meatballs feature a sweet and savory flavor profile and ideal for backyard luaus or team tailgate parties.

Ingredients and Substitutions

The recipe card at the bottom of this post provides a full overview of ingredients with exact measurements.

I don’t often put product packaging in my ingredient shots, but I feel like it is helpful in this instance since this recipe isn’t as “from scratch” as many of my other recipes. However, there are a few substitutions notes below.

For the Meatballs:

• Ground beef: 75-85% lean ground beef for the ideal fat content for juicy meatballs. You can substitute or turkey or use a blend with pork.
• Breadcrumbs: I chose plain breadcrumbs and added our own seasoning blend. Italian breadcrumbs will alter the flavor.
• Onions: Use a fresh yellow onion petite diced.

For the Sauce:

• Soy Sauce: We use less sodium varieties. Coconut aminos and Worcestershire sauce are appropriate substitutes.
• BBQ sauce: Any brand that you like. I didn’t but you may want to add some brown sugar if the sauce isn’t sweet enough to your liking.
• Pineapple Chunks: Save the juice for going into the sauce. Mango or papaya are also fun additions if you like those flavors.
• Minced Ginger and Garlic: Fresh or store bought minced are fine.

TOP 5 TIPS FOR MAKING MEATBALLS

If you are using store-bought frozen, you can skip these steps because those meatballs are generally already cooked.

1. Mix breadcrumbs last : When mixing, add the wet ingredients and after you start mixing them in with your hands, sprinkle the breadcrumbs. The reason is because the breadcrumbs may take up too much moisture and turn into a lumpy mess that won’t mix properly.
2. Don’t over-work your meatballs. This may be the most important tip to perfectly textured meatballs, regardless of your chosen protein. Overhandling your mixture results in sponge-like balls rather than the juicy flavor we crave. But don’t get too worried about it either.
3. Shape the meatballs uniformly. Aim for a roughly uniform shape to prevent under/over cooking.

Here is how they look when done sauteing. Don’t worry too much if your balls aren’t perfectly round or have some pink spots.

Serving Ideas

Party Appetizer. Pair it with Hawaiian Roll Sliders and a pitcher of Strawberry Limeade for a tropical bash in any landscape. Our Mango Shrimp Salad and Punch Bowl Cake are also great to round out the menu nicely.

Stir Fry Style. Place Hawaiian Crockpot Meatballs atop steamed rice and veggies like broccoli, carrots, and snap peas. You can also add green pepper and onions chunks to the sauce before slow cooking.

Sweet and Sour Meatball Sub. Or give the classic Italian style Meatball Hoagie a Hawaiian twist. Grab some soft hoagie rolls and garnish with crunchy peppers or a fresh mango slaw.