Hawaiian Meatballs feature tender homemade meatballs smothered with a sweet and sticky, Polynesian-inspired pineapple sauce for a quick and easy dinner!
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix ingredients until thoroughly combined but not packed down. Scoop meat into 3 tablespoon mounds (I use a 3 T. cookie scoop) and gently roll into balls (which should measure between 1 ½ and 2 inches across).
Arrange meatballs on prepared baking sheet, at least an inch apart. Bake meatballs for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through to the center (cut into a meatball to check for doneness; internal temperature should be 165°F if using a thermometer). Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any grease and cover with foil to keep warm.
While meatballs are baking, cook rice according to package directions.
At the same time, in another saucepan set over medium heat, prepare sauce by combining pineapple, water, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and fresh ginger. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then reduce to a simmer. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Stream cornstarch mixture into simmering sauce while stirring. Allow sauce to cook for a few minutes until thickened and glossy, stirring occasionally.
Serve meatballs over rice with sauce poured on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sesame seeds, if desired.
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Notes
You may substitute ground turkey or ground pork for half of the ground beef.
Finely minced fresh pineapple can be used in place of the canned crushed pineapple. Just be sure to add any fresh pineapple juices to the sauce as well, and add an additional splash of water if the sauce is still too thick.