Pineapple Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
This post is sponsored by Honeysuckle White. I’ve used Honest Turkey by Honeysuckle White in the recipe and I’m so happy to use ingredients I’m proud to feed my children. Thank you for supporting the lovely brands who support this site!
Let’s talk meatballs. I’ve never met one I didn’t like. I’ve said this before and it bears repeating. I’ve never met a meatball I didn’t like.
For this recipe I challenged myself to make a meatball that really embodies Spring and Summer. I wanted this dish to include all kinds of fun warm weather flavors. I think it does plus it’s just so very yummy.
So what about this turkey? Good question. I’ll tell you all about it. It’s a new product and I’m so happy to have discovered it. When you buy Honest Turkey by Honeysuckle White you can feel good knowing that their turkeys are raised with no antibiotics or added hormones and steroids. All their turkeys come from independent family farmers. I love supporting business like that, don’t you? You can find both their 93% Lean Ground Turkey and 99% Fat Free Ground Turkey Breast at select Walmart stores. I can personally attest to the great taste!
Now back to these meatballs. For those of you who follow along on the blog (thank you!) you already know that I like herbs. Who am I kidding? I love herbs. They have a freshness and earthiness that I can’t do without. So you know I’ve got some in here. I went with parsley and cilantro. I’ve also included red pepper flakes to give these babies just a little heat. It’s not much but it’s definitely there and a great balance to the sweetness of the pineapple teriyaki.
About that amazing (said like ah-MAY-zing) pineapple teriyaki sauce. You’re going to be seeing this sauce in future recipes. It is so simple and so rich. Traditional teriyaki sauce recipes call for brown sugar. Who needs that when you have the natural sweetness of pineapple?
Make your dinner even more tropical by serving it with baked pineapple slices and mini sweet peppers over cauliflower (or traditional) rice. Just slice the pineapple and mini peppers, place them on a greased (with olive oil) baking sheet, and pop them in the oven when you bake your meatballs. Of course you could grill them too but I like tossing them in the oven since I’ll already have it on. They’ll be done when your meatballs are! Super simple and now you have a complete meal!
I’m so excited to share this dish with you and hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.
- FOR THE MEATBALLS:
- 1 lb lean ground turkey (I use Honest Turkey 93/7)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- FOR THE PINEAPPLE TERIYAKI SAUCE
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large cast iron skillet add your tablespoon of olive oil, onion, and garlic. Saute on medium high heat, stirring frequently, for approximately 2-3 minutes. The garlic should be a nice golden color.
- Move your sauteed garlic and onion to a mixing bowl. Add your ground turkey, cilantro, parsley, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper. Combine with your hands until it’s completely mixed. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes remove your meatball mixture from the refrigerator. Use a small cookie scoop or your hands to create balls that are approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter (smaller than a golf ball). Place in the same cast iron skillet you’d originally used for your onion and garlic.
- Place your meatballs in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. (If you’d like to bake pineapple and mini sweet peppers too this is when you’d also place them in the oven. Just slice them up, add to a greased with olive oil baking sheet, and bake.)
- Remove from the oven. Flip your meatballs in the skillet. Add 1/3 inch of vegetable or peanut oil. Fry on medium high heat, flipping meatballs during the frying until they’re browned all over. This takes 3-5 minutes total. Remove meatballs from the oil and set aside on a paper towel lined plate until you’re ready to serve.
- Let’s make the pineapple teriyaki sauce. In a small pot add soy sauce, honey, garlic, pineapple juice, ground ginger, and 1 cup water. Stir and heat over medium heat.
- In a separate bowl whisk together your 1/4 cup cold water and corn starch. Once combined add it to your teriyaki sauce mixture. Stir. Heat a few more minutes. You’ll notice your sauce will now thicken very quickly. If it’s too thick for your liking you can add water in small increments until you get it where you want it.
- Drizzle pineapple teriyaki sauce over your meatballs and garnish with parsley or cilantro. Enjoy!
65 Comments on “Pineapple Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs”
Woah, these meatballs sounds phenomenal. My kids won’t eat them because they are picky, but they are perfect for an at home date night with my hubby!
I hope you get a chance to make them, Robin!
CHRIS.TI.NA. these look SOOO good! luckily turkey was on the menu tonight, I was going to go with the same thing I do every week but I’m going to switch it up with this. growing up in an asian family, we only got frozen meatballs and canned marinara sauce — it wasn’t until i started cooking where gained a newfound love for meatballs.
i’m also a big herb fan – especially if they’re fresh herbs! start a club, HA – herbs anonymous.. i’d be a member with you.
Ha! I want everyone to say my name like that! I’m definitely in Herbs Anonymous with you!!
On my! Looks amazing! I’m hungry now….
Haha me too but I’m always hungry! Thank you!
These look scrumptious! I will be adding these to the menu next week 🙂
Rae | Mindful Rambles
I hope you love them! My family did!
My mouth is watering just looking at these. Pineapple and teriyaki is such an amazing combination!
Right?! They should get married. Thank you, Corey!
I love finding easy ways to enjoy our favorite dishes. I love that this is sort of a short cut way to enjoy teriyaki! Sounds so good!
It’s really good and that teriyaki sauce is so very easy! I hope you get a chance to try it!
I’ve never thought to make turkey meatballs, we always just go for beef. These look lovely! x
I thought turkey would go best with pineapple and teriyaki. It’s really yummy!
This is such a healthy take on meatballs! Loved it! I have/need to give this recipe a try ASAP! It looks so tasty and I love the fact that is healthy! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much!
Christina, these look amazing! I love the spin on traditional meatballs and using turkey instead of beef. This sauce sounds delicious, too! Give me teriyaki anything, and I’m instantly a fan!
I’m with you. Teriyaki on everything!
Teriyaki meatballs! Count me in! These sound so delicious! I’ll be trying them soon! You know, I’ve been working my way throw your recipe arsenal, Christina! You have amazing recipes!
That is suppose to say through not throw 😂 Spell check hates me!
You have been, Lu! Thank you so much!
What’s a girl gotta do to move in?!?! Christina this looks AMAZING!!! I CANNOT WAIT TO TRY IT!!! I love ground turkey. Can’t wait to check this brand out!!!
Come on over!!! We’ll take turns doing dishes! Is that what you had in mind? Haha!
Christina, this looks great and sounds delicious. I think it would do great on the BBQ as well.
Absolutely! And thank you!
Oh my goodness…I could lick my screen…but I won’t. Maybe I’ll make the recipe instead! Looks soooo yummy!
Haha yes don’t lick the screen!! And thank you!
These look and sound incredible! We are trying to make healthier decisions at our house so I love these ideas!
Thanks, Abigail! Turkey is such a great addition to healthy meals!
These look delicious and a great change from our normal ground beef meals. I am pinning this to save for next week.
So happy to hear that! I love switching it up too!
I pinned this recipe earlier this morning and for my grocery list I wrote down everything to make these! Can’t wait to try them.
Thanks, Kirstin! I hope you enjoy them!
Pineapple and turkey, that sounds AMAZING! I need to save this and try it out one night!
They go so well together!
love this recipe and your food pics. I have seen food photos that are not appealing! but love what you created here.
Yum!! These look so good. Gonna have to try them very soon! Thanks for sharing!
Yum. Triple yum. I would love to have this for dinner tonight, but alas, it is salmon packets.
Oh my those do sound really tasty. I’ll have to see if I have the ingredients on-hand, if not then I see a trip to the store in the near future.
I love homemade meatballs and this sauce sounds seriously delicious! Definitely going to make this recipe soon!
Oh my you are making me hungry Christina , my kids and husband will love this kind of meatballs. I am gonna try this looks so summery and spring at the same time . I bet the pineapple really make it taste even better.
Oh these look delicious! I just made homemade meatballs for the first time this week – I am definitely going to try these next!
I’ve already taken a screen grab for my grocery list! Thanks for making healthy look so delicious. ❤
Oh my goodness, these look soo good!! I need some in my tummy right now!
Im starving right now ready for dinner and this has me mouth watering. Soo good. Another recipe of yours to save!
These are just perfect! I know my husband will LOVE them. The kids will too! Pinned and will be made.
These look very delicious and healthy as well! I want to try this 🙂
This sounds incredible! I love mixing teriyaki and pineapple! I will definitely be giving this recipe a try.
Those. Look. Glorious. I actually don’t like beef, so turkey meatballs are my life. And these – I’m going to be making them so very soon. Yum!
These sound incredible! Turkey meatballs seem to be my go to sunday meal as it is. I’m going to have to change it up this week and try these!
OH I cannot get enough of this yummy dish! Been looking for a leaner dish with that doesn’t take away the flavor – nailed it! Can’t wait to try this 🙂
Those look delicious! I use ground turkey a lot in our home, but I usually make some kind of turkey taco bowl. This is a great way for me to mix it up! Thanks!
Wow these look so good, I’m going to try them out!
Yum this look delicious. I love homemade turkey. xx
Yum, I’ve never had anything like this. It sounds perfect for when I have a few random things in the pantry and don’t know what to do!
I think my whole family would like these, great recipe!
Always looking for new recipes, and this is so unique. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this!
Turkey meatballs are so good and less fatty! I love the pineapple flavors that you added. The sauce would be amazing with it!
I really love meatballs! They are packed with protein and yummy! I also like to use turkey instead of beef. Loving how these have that “spring-summer” vibe to them! Cant wait to try!
These look so good. I’m going to try them next time we have a get together.
I can’t wait to try this recipe out. I make turkey meatballs every now and again, but usually in more of the Italian style. It would be nice to give a different flavor profile a go.
Ooh, these look so delicious! I love homemade meatbals but never thought of adding pineapple. YUM
These ingredients are the perfect mix! I also love the touch of the cauliflower rice. You can’t even tell the difference!
These look fantastic! My youngest daughter loves meatballs but honestly I think it’s more about the shape so I’m sure she would love these!
These look absolutely delicious!!