Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs Recipe
Make these simple and delicious Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs for an easy weeknight dinner! Serve with cauliflower rice or regular rice!
Ingredients
Teriyaki Sauce (Optional):
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup soy sauce sub coconut aminos or tamari for gluten-free
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced or paste
- ¼ cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- ½ pound ground pork
- ¼ cup green onions minced
- ¼ cup crushed pineapple
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking ONLY, do not mix into meatballs
Serving Suggestions:
- cooked rice of choice regular or cauliflower
- pineapple chunks
- 1-2 cups broccoli florets steamed, optional
Instructions
- Make Sauce: In a small saucepan, add 1 cup water, ½ cup soy sauce, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon honey, and ½ - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. (Note: homemade teriyaki sauce is optional - feel free to use store-bought instead).
- Thicken Sauce: In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together ¼ cup cold water and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Add to the simmering sauce and whisk to combine. Sauce will start to thicken. Remove when it reaches your desired thickness - remember it will thicken a little more as it cools.
- Make Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine 1 pound ground beef, ½ pound ground pork, minced green onions, ¼ cup crushed pineapple, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Take approximately 1 ½ tablespoons of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. Continue until all of the meat mixture is used.
- Sear Meatballs: Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add meatballs and sear for 2-3 minutes and then use a pair of tongs to flip. Continue moving the meatballs around as they cook. Once the meatballs are fully cooked (approximately 12-15 minutes - 160℉ internal temperature - don't overcook or they will dry out) remove them from the cast iron skillet and place on a large plate; set aside.
- Add Sauce: Pour the Teriyaki Sauce into the cast iron skillet and bring back to a simmer. Continue simmering and stirring to allow the sauce to thicken, about 2-3 minutes - during this time the meatballs will continue to cook and reach an internal temperature of 165℉.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately with your rice of choice, pineapple, and/or broccoli.
Notes
- Teriyaki Sauce: we included our homemade teriyaki sauce recipe (it is a blog favorite!), but if you are short on time - grab your favorite store-bought version and use that instead.
- Serving: Feel free to serve over your choice of rice or our homemade cauliflower rice if you want. We love serving with some steamed broccoli and extra pineapple chunks.
- Oven Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 24 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven, and toss with teriyaki sauce.
- Slow Cooker Method: Follow recipe as written through searing the meatballs in the middle of step 4. Once the meatballs have been seared, place them in a crock pot along with 1 C of teriyaki sauce and let them cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Nutrition
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 2386mg | Potassium: 750mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 216IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 4mg
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