This stovetop skillet turkey meatball recipe delivers juicy, tender ground turkey meatballs bursting with sweet and spicy goodness. But the real star of this dish is the sweet and spicy sauce, made with a quick homemade pineapple ketchup that adds an irresistible zing. Whether you’re planning a weeknight dinner or searching for the perfect appetizer for your next party or game day gathering, these turkey meatballs are a versatile crowd-pleaser. Serve them solo, thread them onto skewers with fresh pineapple chunks, or pile them onto mini sliders for a truly unforgettable bite.
After several years of making ground turkey meatballs only to be disappointed in their dry, desiccated, and mummified texture, I was bound and determined to find a solution to this annoying little meatball dilemma. And y’all, let me just tell you, I’ve tried all of the tricks, like soaking bread in milk, using a mixture of meats with a higher fat content, and even adding extra egg yolks. Zero, zip, zilch. Well, y’all, turns out the solution is pretty gosh darn stupid-simple. Grated onion. The grated onion helps to add moisture to the meatballs and ensures that they aren’t as dry as a mouthful of soda crackers without a single drop of water in sight. Surprisingly, even when reheated in the microwave, after being both refrigerated and frozen, these meatballs, made with our recent Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup, still retained their moist texture as well as their amazing sweet and spicy flavor. So, if you’re craving turkey meatballs that won’t leave your mouth feeling like you’ve got a mouth full of dried-out soda crackers, this is the recipe for you. Hoorah for stupid-simple solutions to annoying little dilemmas.
Ingredients:
Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup:
- 2 Cups Fresh Pineapple, Very Finely Diced
- 1 Cup Ketchup
- 3 Tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
Meatballs:
- 1/2 Cup Grated Sweet Yellow Onion
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
- 1 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2-oz. Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
- 2 Pounds 93% Lean Ground Turkey
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Meatball Sauce:
- 1/2 Cup Grated Sweet Yellow Onion
- 1 (12-oz.) Lager Beer
- 1 Cup Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup (Recipe Above)
- 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
Directions:
Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup:
- Place all of the ingredients into a medium stainless steel or non-reactive metal pot. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes, stirring often.
- Allow the ketchup to cool for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Using a blender, purée the ketchup until smooth.
- Transfer the ketchup to an airtight, lidded glass jar or bowl and refrigerate until use.
Meatballs:
- In a large bowl, use a fork to stir the grated onion, eggs, heavy whipping cream, pepper, salt, garlic powder, panko, and grated cheese together until well combined.
- Add the ground turkey and use the same fork to mix all of the ingredients until evenly distributed.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to measure out balls of ground turkey and then roll them with your hands.
- Place a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add 1/3 of the meatballs and cook them until they are browned on all sides. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and set them aside.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and cook the next 1/3 of the meatballs until they are browned on all sides. Transfer the browned meatballs to the same plate as the first meatballs and set them aside. Repeat these steps with the final 1/3 of the meatballs.
Meatball Sauce:
- Add the grated onion to the skillet after you have finished browning all of the meatballs.
- Cook the onion for 2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add the beer, 1 cup of the Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup, and the brown sugar. Allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil, stirring often.
- When the mixture comes to a rolling boil, cook it for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce in a single layer.
- Cover and cook for 15 minutes, shaking the pan every few minutes.
Suggestions:
- CLICK HERE to see all of the suggestions and improvements for our Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup recipe. This homemade ketchup recipe will yield way more ketchup than this meatball recipe calls for. You can use the extra ketchup in another recipe or freeze it for future use.
- If your stove runs hot, you may need to turn the heat down a bit when browning the meatballs.
- The meatballs don’t need to be cooked through completely when you brown them; however, you will want them to be sufficiently browned. They will eventually finish cooking in the sauce.
- One large sweet yellow onion should yield the amount of grated onion needed for both the meatballs and the meatball sauce.
- I used Devils Backbone Brewing Company Vienna Lager for this recipe. Other great beers to use would be Samuel Adams Boston Lager or Yuengling Traditional Lager. I would not suggest using any type of light beer for this recipe.
- When cooking the meatballs in the meatball sauce, try to arrange them in a single layer, so that they are all submerged in the sauce equally. If you are using a large skillet, this shouldn’t be hard to do.
- Shaking the pan every few minutes will prevent the meatballs from sticking or burning and will also ensure that they are all equally coated in sauce.
- This recipe makes a whole lot of meatballs; however, these meatballs freeze wonderfully. Spoon the meatballs, along with some of the meatball sauce, into FoodSaver bags. Freeze the unsealed bags overnight before sealing them to ensure that none of the sauce is vacuumed out. If you don’t have a FoodSaver, you could use the same method with large resealable plastic bags. Just make sure to extract any excess air from the bags to help prevent freezer burn.
Improvements:
- Serve these meatballs over rice with chunks of fresh pineapple.
- Garnish these meatballs with finely chopped scallions.
- Add a few cloves of finely chopped garlic to the meatball sauce.
- Use these meatballs to make meatball sliders. Place them on Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, topped with provolone and a little bit of the meatball sauce.
- If you like these meatballs, make sure to check out this Grilled Stuffed Meatballs with Pineapple Sauce recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Fresh Pineapple, Very Finely Diced
- 1 Cup Ketchup
- 3 Tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Grated Sweet Yellow Onion
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Dried Parsley
- 1 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Teaspoon Finely Ground Sea Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2-oz. Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
- 2 Pounds 93% Lean Ground Turkey
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup Grated Sweet Yellow Onion
- 1 (12-oz.) Lager Beer
- 1 Cup Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup (Recipe Above)
- 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
Directions:
- Place all of the ingredients into a medium stainless steel or non-reactive metal pot. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 25 minutes, stirring often.
- Allow the ketchup to cool for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Using a blender, purée the ketchup until smooth.
- Transfer the ketchup to an airtight, lidded glass jar or bowl and refrigerate until use.
- In a large bowl, use a fork to stir the grated onion, eggs, heavy whipping cream, pepper, salt, garlic powder, panko, and grated cheese together until well combined.
- Add the ground turkey and use the same fork to mix all of the ingredients until evenly distributed.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to measure out balls of ground turkey and then roll them with your hands.
- Place a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add 1/3 of the meatballs and cook them until they are browned on all sides. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and set them aside.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons more extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet and cook the next 1/3 of the meatballs until they are browned on all sides. Transfer the browned meatballs to the same plate as the first meatballs and set them aside. Repeat these steps with the final 1/3 of the meatballs.
- Add the grated onion to the skillet after you have finished browning all of the meatballs.
- Cook the onion for 2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
- Add the beer, 1 cup of the Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup, and the brown sugar. Allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil, stirring often.
- When the mixture comes to a rolling boil, cook it for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce in a single layer.
- Cover and cook for 15 minutes, shaking the pan every few minutes.
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Use this Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup to make these Pineapple Ketchup Ground Turkey Meatballs. Tired of the same dull store-bought tomato ketchup? Prepare to transport your taste buds to a tropical island paradise with this sweet and spicy ketchup, infused with the tangy sweetness of fresh pineapple and the fiery kick of crushed red pepper flakes. A touch of savory soy sauce and subtle hints of onion, garlic, and ginger help make this Hawaiian-inspired condiment almost as versatile as it is delicious. Whether you use this ketchup to create your favorite party meatballs, as a spread with mayonnaise for ham or chicken sandwiches, as a glaze for grilled meats or seafood, or simply as a dip for grilled, roasted, or deep-fried vegetables, this sweet ketchup is sure to spice up your menu. CLICK HERE for the recipe.
In 2024, we cooked and baked our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, we shared a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December. CLICK HERE to find all of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge recipes.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Fresh Mint
Imagine soft, chewy brown sugar cookies, bursting with the refreshing taste of fresh mint. Now, add in just the right amount of roughly chopped rich chocolate chunks. These chocolate chunk cookies with fresh mint are the epitome of summer’s sweet indulgence, offering a cool and minty twist on the classic brown sugar cookie. If your backyard garden or porch planters are overflowing with fresh mint, or you just so happen to stumble upon gorgeous fresh mint at your local market or grocery store, these cookies are a must-bake.
In 2025, we’ll be cooking and baking our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, for the 2025 Alphabet Challenge, we’ll be sharing a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December.
“A” – Creamy Parmesan Acini di Pepe with Potatoes
“B” – Chocolate Espresso Rainbow Brownie Cookies
“C” – Cheesy Cheddar Taco-Seasoned Corn Chip Dip
“D” – Sun-Dried Tomato Dip with Italian Seasoning
“E” – Cajun Deviled Eggs Garnished with Pickled Okra
“F” – Sausage Meatballs with Vodka Fennel Sauce
“G” – Guinness Stout Crockpot Simmered Corned Beef
“H” – Baked Homemade Buttery Herb Croutons
“I” – Sun-Dried Tomato & Kale Italian Pasta Salad
“J” – Sweet & Spicy Jalapeńo Canned Tomato Salsa
“K” – Sweet & Spicy Hawaiian Pineapple Ketchup
“L” – Chickpea Salad with Lemony Swiss Chard Pesto
“M” – Pineapple Ketchup Ground Turkey Meatballs
“N” – Nut-Free Basil Pesto Chunky Tomato Sauce
“O” – Sheet Pan Italian Olive Oil Summer Vegetables
“P” – Peach Crumble Pound Cake (Cake Mix Recipe)
“Q” – Parmesan Potato & Zucchini Crustless Quiche
“R” – Cinnamon Raisin Vanilla Zucchini Bread Muffins
“S” – Weeknight Sweet Italian Sausage Gravy with Beer
“T” – Budget-Friendly Chunky Potato Soup with Thyme
“U” – Chunky Pumpkin Ancho Unsweetened Cocoa Chili
“V” – Sweet Tea Vodka Vegetable Couscous Soup
“W” – Creamy Butternut Squash Soup with Whiskey
“X” – Rotisserie Chicken Xavier Soup with Fennel
“Y” – Yellow Mustard Seed Giardiniera Deviled Eggs
“Z” – Simple Zero Cream Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Please make sure to check out the other great “M” recipes below. A huge thanks to A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this 2025 Alphabet Challenge event.
- Mango Bread Pastry – No Bake Dessert by Sneha’s Recipe
- Maple Pecan Madeleines by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Milk-Roasted Chicken by Food Lust People Love
- Mini Lemon Cupcakes with Marionberry Frosting (Doctored Cake Mix) by A Messy Kitchen
- Mini Peach Galettes by Culinary Cam
- Mint Mascarpone Dip by Magical Ingredients
- Mocha Milkshake by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Moong Dal Salad | Kosambari by Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Movie Night Charcuterie Board by Blogghetti
- Pineapple Ketchup Ground Turkey Meatballs by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Steak and Mushroom Bites by A Day in the Life on the Farm
