Every birthday growing up, each sibling excitedly chose their favorite “birthday meal” that Mom would make for our special family birthday dinner. I always looked forward to my birthday for this reason alone (I was always higly food motivated ) and always picked either Chicken Divan or Waikiki Meatballs. I just couldn’t get enough of those melt in your mouth meatball morsels. To this day, Waikiki meatballs (or Hawaiian), is one of my favorite meals. To update this classic, I kept the meatballs very similar to the original, but I mixed up the sauce with the addition of ketchup and Asian Sweet Chili Sauce which add an extra depth of flavor, spice and “YUM” to the already delectable sauce.
To make these Hawaiian meatballs in the slow cooker, I just wanted to dump and run, but adding a cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking and simmering did not produce the silky, thickened sauce we know and love. So this meal is almost dump and run. To remedy the thin sauce problem, simply simmer the sauce a few minutes on the stovetop then pour all over your meatballs, pineapple and bell peppers and then you can walk away while your house fills with the enticing aroma of the islands.
And when you can’t stand the Hawaiian siren calls any longer, lift your slow cooker lid and tender, juicy mouthwatering Hawaiian meatballs, pineapple and peppers infused with the luscious paradisical sauce await. Aloha!
Here are a few more meatball recipes you might enjoy:
Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Meatballs by Carlsbad Cravings Swedish Meatballs by RecipeGirl Asian Meatballs with Hoisin Blackberry Glaze by Just a Taste Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs by Carlsbad Cravings Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup by Two Peas and Their Pod
Disclosure: I’m working with Eggland’s Best in 2016. They are providing the eggs that I use in my recipes.
