How to Make Easy 3 Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs
It’s time for a healthier game day option with my 3 Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs. In less than 30 minutes, you will have the perfect appetizer! No crock pot is needed but it can be used if you want to keep the meatballs warm.
Also, my recipe is gluten free! I use prepared chicken (cranberry and jalapeño) meatballs from a Paleo company called Amylu, which I found at my local Costco. (Don’t be scared off by the jalapeño, these aren’t spicy)But if gluten isn’t an issue for you, you can substitute with another kind of meatball.
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Be sure to check out these other delicious meatball recipes: Braised Italian Ground Bison Meatballs, Hawaiian Roll Meatballs Sliders and also my Easy Homemade Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs.
Ingredients
This easy recipe has 3 simple ingredients:
- Chicken meatballs
- Green onions
- Pineapple and passion fruit preserves. The preserves have that Hawaiian flavor and little pineapple chunks throughout.
How to Prepare 3 Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs
- You will want to bake the meatballs in the oven for 20 min , or follow the cooking instructions on the back of the package (if you are using another kind).
- Then in a small sauce pan, add the preserves and add in a little bit of water to thin it out. The water will also help with the flavor of the sauce so that is not so sweet. Whisk gently until the preserves are more saucy and easily pourable.
- When the meatballs are done, pour sauce over them and toss. Then add chopped green onions on top. Another great substitute for the green onions is to use sesame seeds.
Why These are The Best Meatballs
They have a short cook time.
These easy meatballs are tasty AF!
This recipe is kid friendly and toddler approved!
There is less than 5 minutes of prep.
These make for an ultimate appetizer or as an easy dinner.
Ways to Enjoy This Easy Appetizer
This is a great appetizer for :
- Game Day
- Birthday parties
- All holiday parties
- New Year’s Eve Party
- Easter
- Friendsgiving
- Baby showers
Which ever event you choose, these are the perfect party food!
Serving suggestions for 3 Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs
My 3 Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs are also great as a main dish. Just serve these with some white rice and green bell pepper to make it a complete meal. This has become one of my husbands favorite meatballs and will soon become a family favorite of yours!
We can’t forget meatballs sliders! Just pick up a pack of Hawaiian rolls from the grocery store. I suggest King’s Hawaiian Roll or King’s Hawaiian Butter Roll.
Another suggestion is that you can serve these in a lettuce cup and top with shredded carrots and dab of chili sauce for spice.
How Do I Store Leftovers
You will want to store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Helpful tips for this 3 Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs Recipe
If you can’t locate Amylu chicken meatballs and if gluten isn’t an issue for you, you can use any type of meatball such as turkey meatballs or pork meatballs or even Italian meatballs. Trader Joe’s makes a delicious turkey meatball.
Homemade meatballs or frozen meatballs can be used as well.
For the preserves, if you can not locate pineapple and passion fruit from Bonne Mamon, you can use any pineapple or passion fruit preserves such as Smuckers. Also mango preserves would be delicious! When using the preserves, a little goes a long way once the water is added and it is heated up. Grape jelly also works.
Other ideas for Hawaiian meatballs are throwing in fresh chunks of pineapple, using your favorite barbeque sauce or using pineapple juice with brown sugar and soy sauce.
Why I Created This Recipe
I wanted to create a Hawaiian meatballs recipe that was as clean as possible. Lots of the sweet and sour pineapple sauce or teriyaki sauce that they sell in the grocery stores have gluten and other ingredients I’m not familiar with.
I like using the pineapple and passion fruit preserves for Hawaiian recipes because it gives the flavor I’m looking while only using minimal ingredients.
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3 Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs
Equipment
- baking sheet
- small sauce pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken meatballs or substitute with pork or turkey meatballs
- 1/3 cup pineapple and passion fruit preserves or substitute with other pineapple preserves *see note below*
- 1/8 cup water
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced
Instructions
- Cook or warm the meatballs according to the package.
- In a small sauce pan, heat the preserves on low. Continue to stir gently for 5 minutes. Then add the water and whisk slowly to combine. Let the sauce simmer on a low setting while continuing to stir for about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Pour on top of the meatballs and toss gently to coat. Garnish with the sliced green onions.
- Enjoy!
This was the bomb! My family enjoyed it!
Thank you! great to hear!