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Home » Appetizers

Hawaiian Meatballs

Published: Sep 27, 2019 · Modified: Dec 28, 2020 by Brooke · This post may contain affiliate links, which can earn us a commission.

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Looking for a crowd-pleasing appetizer to serve at your next party?  Our Hawaiian meatballs showcase water chestnuts that provide a satisfying crunch in each bite with a yummy sweet and tangy sauce.

If you love this Hawaiian inspired dish we think you'll enjoy our sausage balls and sloppy joe sliders!

bowl of Hawaiian meatballs with forks

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Store
  • Variations
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipe
  • Comments

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Ingredients

glass bowls of ingredients for Hawaiian meatballs

Our Hawaiian meatballs are made with pantry staples which are easy to find. Let's talk about the key ingredients.

  • Meat: We used 2 pounds of lean ground beef, (90% meat, 10%fat).
  • Spices: We used onion powder and salt.
  • Water Chestnuts: We used 8 ounces of minced water chestnuts.
  • Binder: We used 1 large egg to bind the ingredients together. It also stretches and lightens the meat, and provides additional flavor.
  • Sauce: We used apricot jam, ACV, pineapple, sugar, cornstarch, and spices to create the Hawaiian flavors in the sauce.

How to Make

Gather all the ingredients for our Hawaiian meatballs.  You'll need ground beef, an egg, butter, minced garlic, water chestnuts, soy sauce, brown sugar, and spices.

sauteeing garlic and mixing meatball mixture
  1. Melt the butter over medium heat, then sauté the garlic for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it's fragrant and golden.
  2. Place the ground beef, garlic, water chestnuts, brown sugar, egg, soy sauce, and spices in a mixing bowl.
mixing the meatball mixture and rolling into balls

3. Mix the Hawaiian meatball ingredients together with your hands.

4. Wet your hands, then roll the meat mixture into meatballs about 1 ½ inches in diameter.  Place them on a baking tray and bake in the oven at 375°F for 20 minutes.  They should be browned and have an internal temperature of 160°F.

making a cornstarch slurry and cooking the apricot sauce

5. While the meatballs are cooking, put all the ingredients for the Hawaiian sauce, except the cornstarch, into a small saucepan, then mix together with a spoon.  Heat it up over medium heat. Whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.

6. Pour the slurry into the warm Hawaiian sauce, then whisk until it is well combined over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until thickened, whisking constantly.

baked meatballs and serving the meatballs

7. Place the cooked ones on a paper towel-lined tray to absorb any excess grease from the ground beef.  They will reduce in size once cooked.

8. Pour half of the Hawaiian sauce over the cooked meatballs.  Pour the other half into a bowl to use for another use.  (This freezes very well.) Place the Hawaiian meatballs and sauce in a small crock pot and place on the warm setting until ready to serve. 

If serving as an appetizer, serve with toothpicks.  If serving as a main course place on top of rice, and add red bell pepper, fresh pineapple chunks, and red onion.

Recipe FAQs

What to put on meatballs to stick together?

You need a binder for meatballs to hold up. We suggest using eggs, breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, shredded cheese, oatmeal, avocado, or chia seeds for binders. If you are using a dry binder, it's a good idea to soak it in milk or water before mixing it into the meatballs.

What is the secret to making good meatballs?

The secret to them is using the right combination of ingredients. Start with ground meat such as ground beef, pork, turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage. Then you will need binders to hold the meatballs together. Last choose some seasonings such as dried or fresh herbs, or nutritional yeast, and liquid flavorings such as soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Hoisin sauce, or chili sauce to make them taste great.

Is it better to fry or bake meatballs?

Frying in a skillet is faster if you have a small number. You’ll need to cook them in batches if you have a lot. Baking in the oven is easier, and adds fewer calories, as there is no oil needed as in frying.  It is also faster if you have a lot.

Why are my meatballs tough?

The main reasons for toughness are using meat that was too lean, the meat mixture was overmixed, you didn't use a binder, and finally, the dry binder wasn't moistened prior to mixing.

Serve

Serve them over rice, egg noodles, or quinoa for a weeknight main course. Add fresh pineapple chunks, red bell pepper, and red onion to the Hawaiian main dish.

They also work as an appetizer with toothpicks at a party.

You can turn them into a sandwich on a hoagie roll, lettuce wrap, or on a slider bun for lunchtime.

Store

Make ahead: They work great to prepare and bake them ahead of time. 

Freezer: Cook, cool, and place the meatballs on a baking sheet. Flash freeze for two hours, then repack them in a freezer bag or freezer-friendly airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Variations

  • Need this as a main course?  Serve over rice along with red bell pepper, pineapple chunks, and red onion.
  • Want other garnish ideas?   Use green onions, sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, or chives.
  • Want to add textured ingredients?  Try cheese, cooked rice, grains, or crushed nuts.
  • Want this meatless?  Use canned chickpeas, mushrooms, or brown lentils.
  • Want some heat? Add a pinch of cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, jalapeño powder, or hot sauce.

Expert Tips

  • Have some picky eaters?  Serve the Hawaiian apricot sauce separately.
  • Using these for an appetizer?  Mix with the sauce and keep them warm in a crockpot with toothpicks nearby.
  • Need to make them in advance?  Make in advance, then freeze and thaw for the day of your party.
  • Want them to keep their shape? Chill for 1 hour on a tray before cooking. 
  • Too sticky when shaping? Use wet hands or lightly grease them with oil, so the meat doesn’t stick to your hands.

More Appetizer Recipes You'll Love

  • Easy Garlic Toast
  • Southern Pimento Cheese
  • Easy Southern Cheese Straws
  • Baked Jalapeño Poppers

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Recipe

person eating a Hawaiian meatball

Hawaiian Meatballs

Our Hawaiian meatballs are an easy recipe for homemade meatballs baked in the oven.  The sweet and tangy sauce has pineapple, apricot jam, apple cider vinegar and spices and is thickened on the stove top, poured over the meatballs, then kept warm in a crock pot.  Serve for a crowd as an appetizer or over rice as a main course.
4.3 from 3 votes
Print Pin FavoriteSaved! Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 45 medium meatballs
Calories: 54kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

For the Hawaiian Meatballs

  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons salted butter
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef, 90% meat, 10% fat
  • 8 ounces water chestnuts, minced
  • ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, optional

For the Hawaiian Apricot Sauce

  • ⅔ cup apricot jam
  • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup pineapple, pureed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Equipment

  • cookie sheets
  • bamboo spoon
  • whisks
  • paper towels

Instructions

Making the Hawaiian Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with oil, or line it with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
  • Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat, than saute the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Place the ground beef, sauteed garlic, water chestnuts, soy sauce, brown sugar, egg, and onion powder in a large bowl and mix together thoroughly with wet hands.  Shape into small balls for appetizers or slightly larger than a golf ball for a main course.
  • Space the meatballs close together on the prepared cookie sheet and bake uncovered at 375 F for 20 minutes, or until browned.  Drain the meatballs on paper towels.
  • Serve warm with apricot sauce poured over top.  Keep the meatballs hot in a small crockpot set on warm, if desired.

Making the Hawaiian Apricot Sauce

  • Place the apricot jam, apple cider vinegar, sugar, pureed pineapple, paprika, and garlic salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir well, then reduce the heat to medium.
  • Make a slurry to thicken the sauce by mixing the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until the cornstarch has dissolved.  Pour the slurry into the sauce, whisking constantly.
  • Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly until the sauce has thickened.  You'll feel a bit of resistance on the bottom of the saucepan as it begins to thicken.  Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired.
  • Pour half of the sauce over the meatballs, stirring gently to thoroughly coat each meatball.  Pour the other half of the sauce in a serving bowl to use with cooked rice.
  • Serve both the sauce and meatballs warm.

Notes

  • Serve the apricot sauce separately, if you have picky eaters.
  • For easy serving, keep them warm in a crockpot with toothpicks nearby.
  • Need to make this way in advance?  Flash freeze on a tray then place in zip-top bag and freeze for up to 2 months, without the sauce.
  • Want them to keep their shape? Chill for 1 hour on a tray before cooking. 
  • Too sticky when shaping? Use wet hands or lightly grease them with oil, so the meat doesn’t stick to your hands.

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcal (3%)Carbohydrates: 6g (2%)Protein: 5g (10%)Fat: 1g (2%)Saturated Fat: 1g (6%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 17mg (6%)Sodium: 96mg (4%)Potassium: 95mg (3%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 25IU (1%)Vitamin C: 2mg (2%)Calcium: 5mg (1%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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SaveOur Hawaiian meatballs were originally published on November 10, 2017Sav and was republished on September 27, 2019 with updated photos and content.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alex

    September 10, 2019 at 7:06 am

    5 stars
    I love the crunch of the water chestnuts, the softness of the meat, and the delicious garlic! I love the sweet and tangy apricot sauce; I can taste the apricot. Yum yum!

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 10, 2019 at 7:07 am

      Thanks, Alex! I really like these meatballs with the sauce. They're definitely yummy!

      Reply
  2. Beth

    September 09, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    5 stars
    These meatballs are amazing when they are hot, and the water chestnuts add a delightful crunch. The sauce is exceptionally tasty!

    Reply
    • Emma

      September 09, 2019 at 5:38 pm

      Thank you, Beth! I really enjoy these meatballs and the sauce, too.

      Reply

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Welcome to our kitchen! We're Brooke & Emma, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. As self-taught cooks and bakers, we love to inspire you to cook from scratch with real food! Increase your kitchen confidence with our recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts.

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