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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What brand of frozen meaatballs did you use?
I didn’t use any specific brand — you can use any good quality frozen meatballs you like. Just pick a brand that you enjoy eating on its own (beef, Italian, or cocktail style all work great in most recipes). Whatever you choose will work just fine!
~Donya
Another hit for my family! Used Sweet Baby Ray Sweet n’Spicy BBQ sauce. Served with Hawaiian Rice with Crushed Pineapple recipe. Suggestions: use the drained Pineapple juice in the rice water and use a slow cooker liner. Game changer!
Love hearing that — sounds like a winning combo! Sweet n’ Spicy BBQ and that Hawaiian rice pairing is hard to beat. And yes to the slow cooker liner… total game changer. Thanks so much for sharing!
~Donya
Is it okay to use fresh meatballs
Yes — you can absolutely use fresh meatballs in this Crock Pot Hawaiian Meatballs recipe instead of the frozen ones!
Here’s how to make it work. If your fresh meatballs are fully cooked (homemade baked or pan‑seared), you can add them straight to the crock pot with the sauce. If they’re raw, you can still add them straight to the sauce — just make sure they cook long enough to reach a safe internal temperature (165°F). The crock pot schedule in the recipe will usually be plenty for raw meatballs. Enjoy!
~Donya
Could I make this with vegetable meatballs?
I have not personally tried making this with vegetable meatballs, if you prefer to use them you should try it! ~Donya
Do the meatballs have to be frozen or could I use my own homemade fresh meatballs?
You can use whichever you like! Enjoy! ~Donya
Donya… I made your recipe for the meatballs. Oh. My. Gosh. They were the best meatballs I’ve ever had. I ate three of them and was left with two dozen for the Crockpot. No matter what I did in the past, gently mixing the burger with ingredients, they always came out like bullets. I just mixed yours up with my fingertips and did a little less than 2 inch meatballs. Air fried them. They were the most moist, delicious meatballs I have ever made. I can throw out all my other recipes…lol.
Okay, now my question… since I’m not using frozen meatballs, is it still 5 to 6 hours on low for the Hawaiian meatballs? They will have been in the fridge as I’m not making the dinner until Monday, but not starting with frozen meatballs.
Thank you for such a great review! I absolutely love this meatball recipe too. You should be able to use the same cook time for your homemade meatballs! I hope you enjoy them! ~Donya
Would you share the homemade meatball recipe please? What BBQ sauce did you use in the recipe?
Could I make this with chicken thighs?
I have not personally tried it that way, but let me know if you do! I’m sure it would be wonderful! ~Donya