5 Star Reader Comment
Awesome meatballs! A big hit at our get together and everyone wanted the recipe! Was almost like sweet and sour. Will make them many times again!
Pate
When Meatballs Get A Glow Up!
My boys have always been obsessed with my meatball recipe. I think that Hunter could probably eat them every day of the week and has been known to scarf down at least 4 helpings at a time. To keep these guys happy, I’ve come up with a new recipe for meatballs that has them totally smitten. I’ve combined meatballs, chunks of pineapple, fresh ginger, and a sweet, tangy sauce for a flavor combination that’s crazy good!
Can You Use Frozen Meatballs? Here’s the Good News
Yes! That’s one of the best things about this recipe. Just add the frozen meatballs straight to your slow cooker — no need to thaw. They’ll cook low and slow in the sauce until they’re tender and flavorful.
Want to take it up a notch? You can use my Homemade Meatballs for this recipe — they hold up beautifully in the crockpot and add even more flavor to the dish.
Ingredients For Slow Cooker Hawaiian Meatballs
- Frozen Meatballs – You can use beef, turkey, chicken, or even vegetarian meatballs.
Pineapple Chunks – Drained from the can or fresh pineapple cut into bite-sized pieces.
BBQ Sauce – Your favorite store-bought brand works great.
Soy Sauce – Adds a little salty depth.
Rice Wine Vinegar – For a bit of acidity and brightness.
Brown Sugar – Adds a rich, molasses-like sweetness.
Fresh Ginger + Garlic – Brings warmth and zing to the sauce.
Cooking Time Cheat Sheet
High setting: 2–3 hours
Low setting: 5–6 hours
Internal temperature should reach 165°F for serving.
How To Make Pineapple Meatballs In The Slow Cooker
This is essentially a set-it-forget-it recipe. Here’s how it comes together:
- Add meatballs to your slow cooker. No need to thaw!
- Drain the pineapple and add the chunks on top of the meatballs.
- Mix the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Grate in the ginger and garlic, then whisk again.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and pineapple. Stir gently to coat everything.
- Cover and cook: on low for 5 to 6 hours, on high for 2 to 3 hours
- Serve warm with toothpicks, or over white rice for a heartier meal.
Meatballs are a favorite in my family. Whether it’s Crock Pot Bourbon Meatballs, Easy Party Cocktail Meatballs, or Homemade Meatball With Sauce, they always disappear fast!
More Crock Pot Recipes You’ll Love
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds frozen meatballs
- 1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
- 2 cups BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
- To the bowl of a crock pot, add frozen meatballs and pineapple chunks.
- In a medium-size bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and brown sugar.
- Using a micro-plane, grate ginger, and garlic and whisk into the sauce. Pour the sauce over meatballs then gently toss to coat. Put lid on crock pot. Set to HIGH for 2-3 hours or LOW for 5-6.
- When done, sprinkle meatballs with chopped chives and serve.
Substitutations
- * ¼ teaspoon of dried ginger can be substituted for fresh grated.
- * Apple cider vinegar can be substituted for rice wine vinegar.
Video
Notes
Let leftovers cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze:
Place cooled meatballs and sauce in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the slow cooker or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Nutrition
Do The Meatballs Need To Be Thawed?
Nope. Put the frozen meatballs in the crock pot and let it work its magic.
How To Store And Freeze Leftovers
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze in portions for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
What To Serve With Pineapple BBQ Meatballs
When I serve these yummy little bites as an appetizer, I like to serve them with Baked Cheese Sticks and Southern Deviled Eggs. They are fantastic for dinner with Baked Fettuccini with cheese and Roasted Broccoli.
If you tried this Crock Pot Hawaiian Meatballs Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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I have a question could you use your own homemade frozen pork meatballs?
Sure! Any meatballs you like will work. Of couse, I’m partial to my mine so if you make your own…I say, go for it!
~Donya
Love this was so good
I’m Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the rating! ~Donya
Absolutely delicious. I made these for the first time for an Tropical themed 80th birthday party and they were a hit! Someone even asked who my caterer was. 😉 Here in South Texas, I used Texas Style HEB BBQ sauce which has a peppery kick and the Kirkland meatballs from Costco. We tested the recipe ahead of time and preferred more sauce, so it was doubled. I also omitted the brown sugar. Several people have asked for the recipe and I’m bringing them to the Super Bowl party. Thank you so much!
Was not prepared for how good these were. Very easy to make. Used Bell and Evans frozen (uncooked) 30 oz chicken meatballs – had to cook those first – then put in crockpot on high for about an hour and a half. SO GOOD. Also halved all the ingredients as I did not have as many meatballs as recipe called for. This will be a repeat in my house.
Thank you, Kim for this awesome comment and the great rating. I am so glad you are cooking with me!
~Donya
I’ve prepared this receipt 3 times in past month! Everyone raves about them and asks me to make
Thank you so much Betteann!
I’m making these for office Christmas party tomorrow. Could i add a cup of rum to the bbq sauce before pouring over the meatball. Thank you.
I only had a 1 pound bag of meatballs, so I added an onion and a red pepper. This was so good and the veggies were tender crisp, adding just a bit of crunch. Served over sticky rice.
Thanks!
~Donya
Can these be frozen?
We LOVE this! Served with rice, broccoli and egg rolls! Delish! My teen really enjoyed it! 😃
Thank you so much!
~Donya
Definitely a new favorite! The first time we ate it with rice. It was not the best combination. The next time we had some steamed yams so decided to try them with the meatballs. Excellent combination!
This is awesome, Cassie!
Thank you,
~Donya