Servings 24 meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, chicken, pork or a combination
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2/3 cup minced yellow onion
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the sauce:
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 cup diced pineapple
Instructions
Make the meatballs:
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. Grease 9x13 baking dish or mini muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and milk and let sit for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, garlic, onion, egg, salt, pepper and breadcrumb mixture, mixing with your hands just until combined.
- Using your hands, break off 2 or 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture and roll it into a ball. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Bake the meatballs for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are cooked through. While the meatballs bake, make the sauce.
Make the sauce:
- Add the olive oil to a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Once the oil it hot, add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until golden brown.
- Whisk in the pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce and cornstarch mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked meatballs to a large bowl then add the diced pineapple. Add the prepared sauce and toss to combined. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Keep each meatball about the same to ensure even cooking. A small cookie scoop is my go-to tool for shaping, ensuring each meatball is the same size and it speeds up the process, too.
- Overmixing can lead to a denser texture, so mix the ingredients just until they are combined.
- Before shaping the meatballs, wet your hands slightly to prevent the meat mixture from sticking.
- How to Make Ahead: I prefer to cook the meatballs, cool them completely and then freeze them in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag (without the sauce). To reheat them from the frozen state, I find they remain most moist by microwaving them in a shallow bowl with a splash of water for 1-minute increments until warmed through.
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