Homemade pineapple meatballs are a breeze to make and delicious to eat. They’re made with tender baked pork and beef meatballs in a tangy BBQ sauce with lots of pineapple chunks. Serve them with rice for dinner or skewered onto toothpicks as an appetizer.
Sweet and tangy pineapple meatballs are hard to resist. I make them with a juicy, flavorful mix of beef and pork, then finish them in a Hawaiian-inspired BBQ sauce with plenty of big pineapple chunks. They’re sticky, saucy, and always a crowd-pleaser.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how versatile it is. I serve these meatballs as an easy appetizer—friends love skewering one at a party—and I can make them ahead for zero stress. But they’re just as good for dinner, spooned over rice with a side of broccoli. It’s a simple, family-friendly meal that is often requested here.
Make it a meal
These Hawaiian-influenced meatballs make an amazing appetizer, but most often, I serve them for dinner. Here are my favorite sides to make it a meal:
- Favorite Coconut Rice
- Best Roasted Broccoli
- Garlic Butter Snap Peas
- Sauteed Bok Choy
Store and freeze
Can I make these meatballs ahead of time? Yes! The meatballs can be rolled and kept on the baking sheet (covered) in your fridge for up to 2 days. You can also make the sauce up to 3 days ahead.
How long do the leftovers last? These pineapple meatballs will keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat them in a microwave or gently on the stovetop.
Can I freeze pineapple meatballs? Yes! You can freeze the cooked pineapple meatballs in their sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat them in the microwave or in a pan over medium heat.
Pineapple Meatballs Recipe
- Pin
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ▢ 1 lb lean ground beef
- ▢ 1 lb lean ground pork
- ▢ 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ▢ ½ cup milk
- ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion, powder, sea salt, and black pepper
- ▢ ½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
Pineapple Sauce
- ▢ 20 ounce can pineapple chunks
- ▢ 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce
- ▢ ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ▢ 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- ▢ Chopped green onions to serve
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Form the meat into 1 ½ inch balls – a medium-sized cookie scoop works great for this. Place the meatballs onto the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re browned and cooked through. 1 lb lean ground beef, 1 lb lean ground pork, 1 cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion, powder, sea salt, and black pepper, ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. Drain the can of pineapples into a large, high-sided frying pan. Add the BBQ sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat then continue to simmer until the sauce reduces and is as thick as BBQ sauce. 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, 1 cup BBQ sauce, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- When the meatballs have finished cooking, add them to the sauce. Add the pineapple chunks to the pan and let them warm for a few minutes. Serve the Hawaiian meatballs with some chopped green onions over the top. Chopped green onions to serve
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
Did you make this?
We love to see what you made! Tag @theendlessmeal or hashtag #theendlessmeal !
Popular Meatball Recipes
Love meatballs? We do, too! Whether we eat them for dinner or serve them as an appetizer at a party, we can’t get enough.
Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
Firecracker Meatballs (Just Like Hello Fresh!)
Tex-Mex Meatballs in Spicy Chipotle Tomato Sauce
Sweet Hoisin Meatballs
Pineapple Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb lean ground pork
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion, powder, sea salt, and black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes , optional
Pineapple Sauce
- 20 ounce can pineapple chunks
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- Chopped green onions to serve
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Form the meat into 1 ½ inch balls - a medium-sized cookie scoop works great for this. Place the meatballs onto the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re browned and cooked through. 1 lb lean ground beef, 1 lb lean ground pork, 1 cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion, powder, sea salt, and black pepper, ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce. Drain the can of pineapples into a large, high-sided frying pan. Add the BBQ sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat then continue to simmer until the sauce reduces and is as thick as BBQ sauce. 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, 1 cup BBQ sauce, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- When the meatballs have finished cooking, add them to the sauce. Add the pineapple chunks to the pan and let them warm for a few minutes. Serve the Hawaiian meatballs with some chopped green onions over the top. Chopped green onions to serve
