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Teriyaki Meatballs with Pineapple + Red Bell Peppers

Source of Recipe

From "Little Foodie" by Michele Olivier


Recipe Introduction

"I make these teriyaki meatballs for everything — birthday parties, weekday dinners, drop-off meals for new moms. Made with pineapple, soy sauce, and green onions, these meatballs are browned to perfection, then simmered in a tropical, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce (I always add extra hot sauce to my plate) with pineapple and peppers. I haven't yet met a kid who doesn't love this tempting fruity combination. I like to serve this over steamed brown rice mixed with chopped cilantro, a drizzle of olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper, alongside a simple mixed green salad for the adults."

List of Ingredients

For the meatballs:
â—¦ Cooking spray
â—¦ ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds ground chicken or beef
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
â—¦ 2 teaspoons brown sugar
â—¦ 2 stalks green onions, finely chopped
â—¦ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
â—¦ ¼ cup drained and finely chopped canned pineapple chunks
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:
â—¦ ¼ cup brown sugar
â—¦ 3 tablespoons soy sauce
â—¦ 1 tablespoon cornstarch
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 lemon, juiced
â—¦ 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, divided
â—¦ 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
â—¦ 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Generously spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, ground meat, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, green onions, soy sauce, and chopped pineapple with your hands until everything is well incorporated, and season with salt and pepper.

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, gently stirring halfway through baking time.

In a large skillet, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, garlic, and lemon juice over medium heat until well combined. Add in the pineapple and bell peppers, and bring to a gentle boil.

Add in the meatballs, reduce heat to the lowest setting, stir every so often, and let it gently simmer for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. The longer you let them cook, the more intense the flavor of the sauce.


Makes 6 small servings