Waikiki Meatballs
These Waikiki Meatballs are a Hawaiian-inspired meatball dinner that’s loaded with flavor. They’re made with juicy beef meatballs, green pepper, and pineapple tidbits simmered in a sweet and sour pineapple sauce.
These Waikiki Meatballs are a dish that my mom used to make when I was growing up. They were a staple on our dinner table for a few reasons—not only because they’re so delicious and easy to make, but also because I was a terribly picky eater and would turn my nose up at most meals. Not these meatballs though! They are just that good!
It must have been the sweetness of the pineapple sauce and the juiciness of the meatballs. It’s safe to say these are still one of my favorite meals!
Why You’ll Love Waikiki Meatballs
- Easy to make. Just 15 minutes to prep this flavor-packed dinner.
- Delicious flavor. A little bit sweet, a little bit sour, deliciously savory…these meatballs are mouthwatering and so addictive.
- Crowd pleaser. These meatballs are loved by adults and kids alike! Serve them up for an easy dinner or enjoy them as an appetizer at your next party. There are so many possibilities.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Ground Beef: I recommend using lean ground beef for the best results.
- Soda Cracker Crumbs: Soda cracker crumbs soak up the moisture from the meat and the milk, which helps keep that moisture in the meatballs.
- Onion: I recommend sweet onion for this recipe. The sweeter flavor pairs beautifully with the sweetness in the pineapple sauce.
- Egg: The egg is essential for holding the meatballs together.
- Spices: We’re adding just the right amount of flavor with a little bit of salt and ginger.
- Milk: Milk soaks into the cracker crumbs and adds tons of moisture to the meatballs.
- Shortening: I like to use shortening to sear the meatballs.
- Pineapple Sauce: The sticky pineapple sauce starts with cornstarch and brown sugar that’s cooked with reserved syrup from a can of pineapple along with white vinegar and soy sauce.
- Pineapple Tidbits: Don’t discard the pineapple tidbits from the can. You’ll use them to top off the finished dish.
- Green Pepper: Some chopped green pepper adds a little bit of texture and color to the dish.
How to Make Waikiki Meatballs
These homemade Waikiki meatballs have immense flavor, but are surprisingly simple to make!
- Step One: In a bowl, mix together ground beef, soda cracker crumbs, onions, egg, salt, ginger and milk. Shape a tablespoon each into rounded balls.
- Step Two: Melt shortening in a skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs, working in batches if your skillet isn’t big enough. Remove meatballs from skillet and pour away leftover fat.
- Step Three: In the same skillet, mix together cornstarch and sugar. Stir in reserved pineapple syrup, vinegar and soy sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.
- Step Four: Add meatballs, pineapple tidbits and green pepper to skillet. Heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Equipment Needed
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What to Serve with Waikiki Meatballs
These sweet and sour meatballs are excellent as an appetizer on their own, but I love to make them into a meal by piling them over a bed of rice, rice noodles, or even mashed potatoes.
You can also serve them with a delicious side dish. Here are a few ideas:
- Hawaiian Fried Rice
- Steamed or Roasted Broccoli
- Broccoli Salad
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use lean ground beef. The leaner the beef, the less excess fat you’ll have to drain off the meatballs when they cook.
- Make evenly sized meatballs. I recommend about a tablespoon of the meat mixture for each meatball. However big you make them, make sure they are all roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate. Keep in mind, the larger the meatballs are the longer they will take to cook through.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet. Give the meatballs room to breathe as they cook. Overcrowding the skillet can cause the temperature of the shortening to drop, which can result in a soggier texture. The hot shortening helps the exterior of the meatballs get a little bit crispy!
- Check the temp. For the best results, I recommend using a meat thermometer to double check the internal temperature of the meatballs before serving them. They should be 160ºF.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use another meat. Ground beef is a meatball classic, but feel free to swap it out for another ground meat such as chicken, turkey, pork, veal, or even a combination of a couple kinds.
- Add other veggies. Feel free to bulk your meal up by adding other veggies along with the green pepper. Try broccoli, mushrooms, baby corn, snap peas, you name it.
- Spice them up. Want a spicier pineapple sauce? Try adding a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of Sriracha.
Storage Instructions
Leftover Waikiki meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm on low on the stove until heated through.
Can these be frozen?
Yes! Freeze leftover meatballs in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve them again, simply let them thaw in the fridge first.
Meatball Recipes
- Air Fryer Bisquick Sausage Balls
- Korean Meatballs
- Ginger Meatballs
- Tangy Sweet & Sour Meatballs
- Meatballs & Rice
- Chili Cranberry Fusion Meatballs
- Cheesy Meatballs
- Crockpot Pineapple Ham Balls
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Waikiki Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb lean ground beef
- ⅔ cup soda cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup sweet onion minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tbsp shortening
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 can pineapple tidbits 20oz/540ml can, drained, reserve syrup
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 green pepper chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together ground beef, soda cracker crumbs, onions, egg, salt, ginger and milk. Shape a tablespoon each into rounded balls.
- Melt shortening in a skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs, working in batches if your skillet isn’t big enough. Remove meatballs from skillet and pour away leftover fat.
- In the same skillet, mix together cornstarch and sugar. Stir in reserved pineapple syrup, vinegar and soy sauce. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.
- Add meatballs, pineapple tidbits and green pepper to skillet. Heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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These meatballs look amazing! Definitely adding them to the menu plan for next week!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
That looks wonderful! Pinned.
I need to try this! I have a picky eater and he loves meatballs so I am feeling it’s a winner!!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
These look amazing and I can’t wait to try them. Thanks so much for sharing. Pinned!
Congratulations!
Your post is featured on our Top Ten of Full Plate Thursday this week and it will be on my Whats For Dinner Next Week Meal Plan next week. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome post with us!
Miz Helen
That glaze over the meatballs looks amazing! Thanks for sharing your family favorite recipe with us on Merry Monday.
These were great… my family loved them. I served them with jasmine rice w/ scallions. I’ll make this again, but when I do, I’ll saute the green peppers a little bit.
This was delicious but did this only take everyone 15 minutes to prep?? I sautéed the onions and also green peppers and it was closer to an hour prep.
I always bake my meatballs instead of frying them. One of my favorite meals over yellow rice.