These tangy Hawaiian Meatballs are made in the slow cooker for ease and convenience. Enjoy alone as an appetizer, or served on a bed of rice as an entree.
Slow Cooker Tangy Hawaiian Meatballs
It’s always good to have some great appetizer recipes on hand, especially this time of year. There’s plenty of entertaining coming up!
It’s even better when an appetizer recipe such as this one, can also easily be the star in a main dish by the addition of rice.
This Slow Cooker Tangy Hawaiian Meatballs recipe was first made about 8 years ago, and since I’ve made again and updated the photos and added an easy step-by-step video for you!
How to make Slow Cooker Meatballs
This meatball appetizer recipe could not be simpler. First you combine just a few ingredients into a bowl and set aside. Place meatballs into the slow cooker and top with pineapple chunks and mixture. Then, slow cooker for 2-3 hours.
You can make your own meatballs for this recipe or use store-bought pre-cooked like I have many times. The nice thing about using pre-made is that they are also cooked, so once heated, you can enjoy. It’s not an all-day process.
Take note, this recipe is not sweet and sticky. It’s tangy and full of flavour. Another thing to note, is that it’s a good idea to take off the crockpot lid in the last 30 minutes of cooking, to thicken up the sauce.
Another great snack idea is good old dip recipes, and I have plenty of those too. I’m here to keep you stocked on all the greatest so that your entertaining is a hit.
Enjoy this Slow Cooker Tangy Hawaiian Meatballs recipe as well as my other slow cooker recipes!
These tangy Hawaiian Meatballs are made in the slow cooker for ease and convenience. Enjoy alone as an appetizer, or served on a bed of rice as an entree.
- 2 lb precooked frozen meatballs
- 1 can Pineapple Chunks, reserve the juice
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 3 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2/3 cup White Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
In a bowl, mix reserved pineapple juice from the can, brown sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
- Place meatballs in crock pot and top with drained pineapple chunks.
Pour mixture over meatballs and pineapple.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through. For a thicker sauce, take off slow cooker lid and cook for another 30 minutes on high.
- Serve warm
Ellen Christian says
12/29/2012 at 11:07 amYum! That sounds good!
Jess says
12/29/2012 at 12:23 pmThose look so good! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Meagan Paullin says
12/29/2012 at 1:18 pmOhmyHECK – this photo makes me SOOOO hungry!! Pinned this, and so adding it to my New Years party food menu 🙂
Kathleen Kennedy-Leon says
12/29/2012 at 1:36 pmThis meatballs look great! nice dish for New Year’s Eve too! thanks for sharing and Happy Healthy New Year 🙂
Nickida says
12/29/2012 at 1:58 pmThose look so yummy. I love having meatballs for family gatherings. They are always the first to get eaten.
Teresa McKerracher says
12/30/2012 at 11:45 amThe recipe looks great. Wonderful shot of finished product too!
Huguette E. says
12/30/2012 at 5:08 pmI love meatballs and this recipe sounds delicious and super easy. Definitely going to try it, thanks!
BarbFS says
12/30/2012 at 8:42 pmSounds delicious! We use our slow cookers at our New Year fondue!
Nancy J Montgomery says
12/30/2012 at 10:57 pmMy mouth is watering! I’m headed for the kitchen.
Nikkita Hill says
01/01/2013 at 11:13 pmThese look and sounds so good! I had to pin them so I could try them later!
Sprinkle says
01/02/2013 at 8:15 amThe dish looks so good and delicious. My mouth started watering 🙂 Lovely 🙂
Tania Smith says
01/02/2013 at 1:32 pmyummy! Definitely going to try this. Thanks for sharing!
Danielle says
01/02/2013 at 4:17 pmThat sounds good. A nice twist on a classic.
Jamie Glenn says
01/02/2013 at 6:17 pmSo going to try this
Lee Pearson says
01/03/2013 at 4:07 amOh these meatballs look so good! I never would have thought to add pineapples to meatballs. I love using my slowcooker and will try this one…thank you!
Scarlet says
01/06/2013 at 3:37 pmThese sound really yummy!
Jenn @therebelchick says
01/07/2013 at 6:24 amThese look so good! I love that you can cook them in the slow cooker!
Elizabeth Vlug says
01/07/2013 at 8:56 pmI have browsed your recipes all evening. There are many that I have printed and this is one I am going to make tomorrow. The next day it is going to the Bacon wrapped chicken. Thanks for the recipes. I love ease and taste.
Sandra Conner says
01/08/2013 at 12:02 amThey look good! I wonder how they would taste with ground turkey
Lucie Harvey says
02/23/2013 at 7:16 pmOh ! This one is just wath I nead for my little Samyra: we just have to say ‘ananas or pineapple’ to make her sit down and wait.
jackie reid says
02/25/2013 at 2:06 pmLove this. going to try making this tonight. Thanks for such great recepie ideas 🙂
Christina Strapp says
03/15/2013 at 2:06 amThese look really good. Will have to give these a try.
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
03/15/2013 at 7:35 amslow cooker and meatballs perfect combo! yum
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
05/26/2013 at 6:29 amwe will have to try them with turkey and chicken with the #breakupwithbeef movement happening
Nena Sinclair says
06/14/2013 at 2:26 amThese meatballs look and sound amazing! I would love to make them right now! Tomorrow for sure! Thanks for the recipe!
Wanda Bergman says
06/17/2013 at 1:58 pmI would be proud to serve these meatballs to my family and friends.
Susan T. says
06/17/2013 at 4:59 pmThese look awesome and it is great that they can be made in a slow cooker. I’m so making these!
Erika B says
06/18/2013 at 10:49 amOh man this looks so good and would be a big hit at our place Im sure!!! Sharing and bookmarking!!!
Eva Mitton-Urban says
06/19/2013 at 10:21 amGosh these look good – just bought some Hamburger Helper – indecisive girl – guess it’s back to Sobeys to pick up extra ingredients. Thanks for sharing.
Jo-Anne Pfoh says
06/21/2013 at 11:45 amI actually tried these on the weekend and they were a big hit thanks so much
Susan T. says
06/26/2013 at 8:29 pmThese look great for a party! Everyone loves meatballs!
Penny says
07/02/2013 at 10:41 amSounds delicious and quick and easy using frozen meatballs.
Anne Cresswell says
07/05/2013 at 1:36 pmThese look really good and I love the fact they’re done in the slow cooker, great for the summer.
Vesper says
07/07/2013 at 9:07 amno slow cooker but cooking in a skillet would do I think – looks like a lot of sugar and so I might have a bit of a problem with the husband who doesn’t like his food sweet
Debbie Bashford says
07/11/2013 at 9:24 amGoing to make these!
MrDisco says
08/07/2013 at 4:48 pmthese look amazing!
Chandra Christine O'Connor says
08/15/2013 at 5:59 ammaking these this weekend
Jo-Anne Pfoh says
08/16/2013 at 11:53 pmwhat an amazing recipe thanks so much for posting
Doris Calvert says
09/05/2013 at 12:10 pmGoing to make these tonight, although I will have to take it easy on the cayenne pepper, hope it’s still as good
Bcteagirl says
09/10/2013 at 8:58 pmI may actually have to make this.. thank you!
loriag says
10/13/2013 at 5:52 amMeat balls are such a comfort food. I forgot how much I love a sweet and sour type recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Lynn M says
10/14/2013 at 11:29 amThese sound delicious!!
Darlene Schuller says
10/16/2013 at 2:25 pmmmm that looks freaking amazing, over a bed of rice I bet it’s phenomenal!!! I pinned it so I can take a stab at it later .. thank you!
MLV says
10/18/2013 at 3:28 pmmmmm pineapples and meatballs… never thought about that! thanks for the receipe!
Jo-Anne Pfoh says
10/25/2013 at 6:55 pmthese look amazing thanks for posting
Elizabeth Matthiesen says
10/28/2013 at 2:40 pmthis is my sort of food, thanks for sharing the recipe with us, it sounds delicious. I’ll definitely be trying this out, maybe this weekend.
Athena says
10/29/2013 at 7:48 pmThis sounds great for a pot luck
Marylou Simmons says
11/01/2013 at 7:03 pmthese meatballs sound yummy. I will be trying them real soon.
Alexia says
11/04/2013 at 12:22 pmThis looks SO great! I’ve been looking for a recipe that was a little different and this is perfect. I have a potluck coming up at work and I think I’ll make this. I think it’ll be prefect. Thanks for the share!
CutiesMomx3 says
11/04/2013 at 7:46 pmThese look so good! I guess I know what’s for dinner tomorrow!
MJ @ The Flying Couponer says
11/05/2013 at 3:16 pmOooh yummy! I am definitely going to try this recipe!
Anne C. says
11/06/2013 at 11:26 amThese look great
Eva Urban says
11/17/2013 at 9:02 amSearching for great Christmas H’Ors D’Oeuvres…glad I stopped here. ty
Cassie Fancy says
11/20/2013 at 9:52 pmthese look delicious , thank you for sharing your recipe . I always have the worst luck with meatballs
michelle elizondo says
11/30/2013 at 5:38 amWe love meatballs.
Michelle armstrong says
12/02/2013 at 12:09 amOmg these look so tasty! This week I’m making them!
Amanda says
12/02/2013 at 11:56 amomg these look amazing ! i think i will try these this weekend!
Stacy Scott says
12/06/2013 at 8:43 pmI have been looking for a new way to do meatballs for my family =) This sounds amazng easy and def a must try =) Thank you so much for sharing =) Can’t wait now to try them =) <3
Christine says
12/08/2013 at 11:34 pmI made these tonight, and they were sooo good! I didn’t have cayenne pepper, so I used a few red pepper flakes instead, and they were delicious! I can’t wait to have a party so I can serve them to other people!
Teri says
12/11/2013 at 3:34 pmThese look amazing! Thanks for sharing!
sara rai says
12/12/2013 at 2:40 amThis looks delicious! craving now lol
Leigh-Ann Murphy says
12/27/2013 at 2:24 pmThis sounds delicious, putting it on my weekend list!
Melissa G says
12/27/2013 at 4:17 pmOhhh my…Why must you tease me with your mouth watering meatballs?! HAHA
They look amazing. I am going to have to try these soon…Maybe for my New Years Eve appetizers 🙂 Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year!
Karen Hill says
01/02/2014 at 1:16 pmI am using this for tonight’s dinner lets hope its as good as it looks.
Jeanette Jackson says
01/10/2014 at 11:23 amMy husband loves meatballs. I’ll have to try making these for him.
natasha severson says
01/26/2014 at 5:33 ami’m going to make these this week!! thank you so much for sharing!
kathy downey says
01/26/2014 at 8:07 ami have been looking for a new meatball recipe and this looks so good,thanks for sharing
Stacy Scott says
01/30/2014 at 3:22 pmThese’s Look and Sound Delicious! Thank you so much for sharing. I will be giving this a try this weekend for the Big Game coming up! I know these’s are going to be a Hit! Thank you so much again
Karen Hill says
01/31/2014 at 7:12 amMy Mum used to make these from scratch for her bridge club and I could remember going down inthe morning to see if there were any left so we could cadge them off her. Even good cold!
Leigh-Ann Murphy says
02/01/2014 at 6:21 amThese look amazing, will add to my grocery list for next week =) Haven’t made meatballs in a looong time
Amy Heffernan says
02/04/2014 at 10:02 ammmm these look so good and not that hard to make. I love my slowcooker and am always looking for new things to make. Bookmarking this now! Thanks.
melissa wakeling says
02/11/2014 at 3:47 pmSounds yummy, I love slow cooker recipes.
Serena Debolt says
02/13/2014 at 9:28 pmThis looks so easy to make!
Eva Mitton-Urban says
02/14/2014 at 7:07 amMy sister annually makes sweet and sour meatballs each Christmas – they are HUGE. And again New Years resolution – trim down. These meatballs look the right size, easy and very appealing. To 2014 and to smaller meatballs 000ooooo.
Eva Mitton-Urban
amy lovell says
03/10/2014 at 7:27 pmi am all the sudden starving! LOL Totally bookmarking these
Laurie P says
04/17/2014 at 10:12 amThese would be devoured in my house!! Love a reason to bust out the slow cooker too lol
Tina F says
04/24/2014 at 11:46 pmmy aunt always made these for us then I started to make them I have not made these in about 15 years Time to start again now that I have a recipe again here
seham merzib says
04/28/2014 at 4:11 pmsounds delish!
blonde says
05/04/2014 at 8:51 amI have made these for years, always a hit at every party and function, a must try for everyone sooo yummy!
Mark Guevarra says
05/12/2014 at 9:01 pmThese looks yummy.
Kristine Ewald says
05/27/2014 at 4:30 pmLooks delicious 🙂
Cassandra Hafen says
06/07/2014 at 12:55 pmEver since I made this recipe for a baby shower it has been requested by many friends and family for parties and Sunday dinner. Everyone liked it and the sauce tasted delicious. People kept coming back for more. It is cheap and easy to make. I pair it with rice. Thanks for sharing!
Kori says
07/19/2014 at 10:10 amHi, I was So excited to make this, but it was a fail… for me. I followed the recipe to a T, only I doubled it. There is no glaze on the meatballs, whatsoever. There is a juicy mixture in the crackpot. The meatballs still taste great, but look like plain only brownish meatballs out of the bag 🙁
Monica says
05/26/2018 at 9:39 amThis also happened to me. Not sure what I should do to fix it. I was going to make them
For my daughter’s Moana themed birthday party but I’m glad I tried it this weekend first.
Tammi says
05/29/2018 at 10:38 amHmmm, so very odd! I’m going to make these this weekend {it’s been so long since I did!}, and see what could be the issue.
Elizabeth says
07/26/2014 at 5:43 pmThese are perfect. I can’t wait to try these on a busy day and come home to these simmering in the slow cooker!
déménageurs sherbrooke says
08/08/2014 at 6:54 pmI used to be recommended this web site through my cousin. I’m now not positive whether this post is written by him as nobody
else recognize such exact approximately my trouble.
You’re incredible! Thank you!
Teresa Claire says
08/19/2014 at 9:41 amI saw this picture and said…out loud…OMG!! I need to make these…I love meatballs and this recipe looks far too easy 🙂
Wanda Tracey says
08/28/2014 at 2:17 amI love food and these meatballs look so delicious.I love that they are easy to make for the family in the slow cooker too.Thanks for sharing this with us.
Elena says
09/12/2014 at 3:03 pmWow, these look great… can’t wait to try them
Mark Cook says
09/14/2014 at 4:33 pmthere’s nothing better than sweet meatballs like this recipe, have rice n veggy stir fry on the side, or pour over top, done deal.
Michelle says
09/15/2014 at 11:53 amI love using the slow cooker for dinner ,these meatballs look so so good…
Eva Mitton-Urban says
09/17/2014 at 10:53 amThis dish looks so appealing and delicious. Busy Mom – always running….never tried frozen meatballs but tempted to try. Mealtime can be a headache at times…like today….chuckle. Great blogsite – love the content/recipes.
Eva Mitton-Urban
Stacy Scott says
10/06/2014 at 9:21 pmOh my Goodness…..This Looks and Sounds Amazing!!!! Being a Mommy to 10, I am Always looking for New Ways to offer my Children! This is a going to be a must try! Now I can’t wait!!!! Tomorrow maybe??? Thank you so much or posting!!!!!! Can’t wait!!!!
Amy Lovell says
10/10/2014 at 4:24 amThese look delicious! Def bookmarking thanks!
Joan G. says
10/11/2014 at 12:19 pmThese meatballs sound like the perfect appetizer for a party. Thanks.
Tina F says
10/12/2014 at 11:11 amThis sounds like a very good recipe.Now another way of making meatballs for the family
Wanda Tracey says
10/31/2014 at 7:55 pmWhat an awesome recipe for a busy mom!! We love sweet and sour meatballs and this can be whipped together in a matter of minutes.Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.
ZZTHERESA says
11/07/2014 at 6:50 pmWow these look amazing. Defiantly going to make these this weekend . Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
Erica Seaman says
11/09/2014 at 5:44 amMy family is going to love these, thanks for sharing 🙂
Angie says
11/16/2014 at 8:13 pmThese look great – I am always looking for new meatballs ideas!
Teresa Claire says
11/23/2014 at 2:37 pmThis is the perfect recipe for today…I am looking for a comfort dish using hamburger.
Suzanne G says
11/25/2014 at 10:29 amI have always liked Hawaiian Meatballs and it is a go to recipe during the week as everyone loves them.
kristy e says
12/09/2014 at 9:04 pmI have a potluck coming up and this would be the perfect recipe!
Elena says
12/15/2014 at 11:12 amI’ve been looking for a good meatball recipe as an appetizer for the holidays… I’m going to give this one a try.
Terri says
01/09/2015 at 7:22 amThese sound delicious! My family is going to love them.
Lynda R says
01/21/2015 at 12:36 pmOk, so now I am hungry and this I must make…;)
Krista M says
02/16/2015 at 9:11 amUsing frozen meatballs is a huge time-saver, making this recipe one of the easiest meals to prepare. I’m a huge fan of tangy sweet/sour recipes like this. Slow cookers are a mom’s life preserver!
Debbie S. says
03/15/2015 at 11:35 pmSounds delicious. This will be a nice change and I love using my slow cooker. Thanks for sharing!
Wanda Tracey says
04/29/2015 at 10:24 pmI have been looking for a sweet and sour meatball recipe for the slow cooker and I think this one is perfect.I love that there is pineapple in it too.
Wanda Trcaey says
05/24/2015 at 3:00 pmI love the sound of these meatballs.I am pretty sure we will love them when I make them with the pineapple in them,They just sound delicious and perfect for a bed of rice.Thank you.
Elva Roberts says
07/04/2015 at 12:04 pmThis Slow Cooker Tangy Hawaiian Meatballs sounds so easy and delicious that it will probably become a staple at our home. Thank you so much for the reciipe.s
Wanda Tracey says
11/17/2015 at 10:20 amThese meatballs will be a big hit in our home! Thanks for the delicious ,yet easy to make recipe.
Cindy Nix says
05/19/2016 at 5:55 pmThis looks delicious, but what size can pineapple chunks do you use?
Tammi says
05/20/2016 at 8:10 amYou can use either actually, but I mostly buy the larger can.
Anna says
08/15/2016 at 8:32 pmWhat size can of pineapple chunks?
Tammi says
08/16/2016 at 4:33 amI use the larger one, but the smaller will do as well.
Gail says
12/17/2016 at 5:19 amI’ve made this added with the meatballs the cocktail wieners to ! Great for appetizer!!
Cheri says
04/10/2017 at 11:51 amI made these for a surprise 60th birthday Luau party and they were awesome
Elva Roberts says
05/06/2017 at 1:13 pmThis sounds like an easy and delicious supper dish. Thank you so much for this recipe.