Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice

Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice is an easy and delicious recipe that can quickly be prepared for a week night meal.  This pressure cooker recipe is loaded with pineapple and spices to wake up those taste buds! 

These saucy cocktail meatballs are the perfect complement to a dish of rice.

This pressure cooker recipe uses the Pot in Pot method to cook the long grain rice.

Top each serving of rice with a scoop of meatballs and sauce for a flavourful combination.

Your taste buds will appreciate the mix of textures and flavours in every bite of Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice!

Mix it up and save the rice for tomorrow's fried rice and serve the meatballs on their own as an appetizer.  Or you could omit cooking the rice altogether to create an appetizer dish only.

Printable Recipe Card with a Full List of Ingredients and Instructions is Located at the Bottom of the Post.

Be sure to read through the entire post so that you don’t miss out on any important tips and tricks!

To begin making Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice I rinsed off some long grain rice and left it to drain while I prepared the sauce.

For the sauce I stirred together some brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger and dry mustard in a medium size mixing bowl.

Then I poured in some crushed pineapple with juice, water, vinegar, ketchup and gluten free soy sauce.

Next I dumped 2 pounds of frozen gluten free, fully cooked meatballs into the Instant Pot.

Then I poured the prepared sauce over the meatballs in the Pot.

Next I placed an egg holder on top so I could place my Pot in Pot rice on it.

I put 2 cups of water into an Instant Pot cake pan and sprinkled in the drained, long grain rice.

Then I placed the lid on the Instant Pot, turned the steam release handle to the sealing position and set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook High for 4 minutes.

Once the Instant Pot was done cooking, I allowed it to do a Natural Release for 10 minutes before turning the steam release handle to the venting positon.

Once all the pressure was released I removed the lid.

After carefully removing the rice, I fluffed it with a fork and covered it with tinfoil to keep warm while I thickened the sauce.

To thicken the sauce I turned the Instant Pot to Saute Normal for 3 minutes and stirred in a corn starch slurry.

I continued stirring until the sauce had boiled and thickened.

To plate Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice I spooned a serving of rice on a plate, or you could use a bowl.

Then I scooped a generous serving of meatballs and sauce over the rice on the plate.

This recipe combines sweet and sour flavours to make each mouthful a delight for your taste buds!

Whether you choose to eat Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice all at once, or serve the meatballs separately as an appetizer, you will enjoy every bite!

Printable Recipe Card with a Full List of Ingredients and Instructions is Located at the Bottom of the Post.

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PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE RECIPE CAN BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE

Ingredients You'll Need to Make this Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice:

  • 2 lbs gluten free frozen fully cooked meat balls (small)
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 14 oz crushed pineapple with juice (398ml can)
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon gluten free Soy Sauce
    Pot in Pot:
  • 2 cups long grain rice
  • 2 cups water
    After cooking:
  • 3 tablespoon corn starch
  • water to make slurry

How to Make Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice:

  1. Rinse the rice well and leave it to drain while preparing the sauce.
  2. In a medium size mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger and dry mustard.
  3. Stir in the crushed pineapple with juice, water, ketchup, vinegar and gluten free soy sauce.
  4. Dump the frozen meatballs into the Instant Pot.
  5. Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
  6. Place the 2 cups of water in a steel pan for the Instant Pot and sprinkle in the rice.
  7. Place a tall trivet or egg holder over the meatballs in the Pot and place the rice pan on top of it.
  8. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the steam release handle to the sealing postion and set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook High for 4 minutes.
  9. Once the Instant Pot is done cooking, allow it to do a Natural Release for 10 minutes before turning the steam release handle to the venting positon.
  10. Once all the pressure has been released remove the lid and carefully lift out the rice pan.
  11. Cover the rice with tinfoil to keep warm while thickening the sauce.
  12. To thicken the sauce create a slurry with the corn starch and a bit of water.
  13. Turn the Instant Pot to Saute Normal for 3 minutes and stir in the slurry.
  14. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes once it has boiled and thickened.
  15. Fluff rice with a fork and serve it onto individual plates.
  16. Top rice with the meatballs and sauce.
  17. Serve and Enjoy!
  18. Another option is to save the rice for fried rice the next day and serve the meatballs up as an appetizer!

Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice is an easy and delicious recipe that can quickly be prepared for a week night meal.  This pressure cooker recipe is loaded with pineapple and spices to wake up those taste buds! 

Yield: 6

Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice

Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice is an easy and delicious recipe that can quickly be prepared for a week night meal.  This pressure cooker recipe is loaded with pineapple and spices to wake up those taste buds! 
4.5 Stars (2 Reviews)

Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and Rice is an easy and delicious recipe that can quickly be prepared for a week night meal.  This pressure cooker recipe is loaded with pineapple and spices to wake up those taste buds! 

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 43 minutes
Additional Time 3 minutes
Total Time 51 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs gluten free frozen fully cooked meat balls (small)
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 14 oz crushed pineapple with juice (398ml can)
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon gluten free Soy Sauce
  • Pot in Pot:
  • 2 cups long grain rice
  • 2 cups water
  • After cooking:
  • 3 tablespoon corn starch
  • water to make slurry

Instructions

  1. Rinse the rice well and leave it to drain while preparing the sauce.
  2. In a medium size mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger and dry mustard.
  3. Stir in the crushed pineapple with juice, water, ketchup, vinegar and gluten free soy sauce.
  4. Dump the frozen meatballs into the Instant Pot.
  5. Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
  6. Place the 2 cups of water in a steel pan for the Instant Pot and sprinkle in the rice.
  7. Place a tall trivet or egg holder over the meatballs in the Pot and place the rice pan on top of it.
  8. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the steam release handle to the sealing postion and set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook High for 4 minutes.
  9. Once the Instant Pot is done cooking, allow it to do a Natural Release for 10 minutes before turning the steam release handle to the venting positon.
  10. Once all the pressure has been released remove the lid and carefully lift out the rice pan.
  11. Cover the rice with tinfoil to keep warm while thickening the sauce.
  12. To thicken the sauce create a slurry with the corn starch and a bit of water.
  13. Turn the Instant Pot to Saute Normal for 3 minutes and stir in the slurry.
  14. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes once it has boiled and thickened.
  15. Fluff rice with a fork and serve it onto individual plates.
  16. Top rice with the meatballs and sauce.
  17. Serve and Enjoy!
  18. Another option is to save the rice for fried rice the next day and serve the meatballs up as an appetizer!

Notes

*This recipe was tested in an 8 quart Instant Pot Duo.

*Make only the meatballs and sauce and serve as an appetizer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 585Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 743mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 1gSugar: 36gProtein: 45g

4 Comments

  1. Oh! My god... I remember my Mother making Hawai'i Meatballs!
    I completely forgot about this fantastic dish!
    Thank you, Thank you for this recipe. I'm going to use it soon and often.
    Many thanks,
    Pa

  2. Could I make it with chicken breast? If so how long would you cook it?
    Thanks. I tried it with meatballs and it was excellent

    1. Hi Sue,
      That sounds delicious. I would saute the chicken for a couple minutes first and then use the liquid to deglaze. I would also use the same cook time. I will be trying this soon as well!
      Take care,
      Kathleen

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