Sweet + Sour Pork Meatballs
with Pineapple
These Sweet and Sour Pork Meatballs with Pineapple are everything you want in an easy weeknight dinner — tender, juicy meatballs flavored with ginger and garlic, a naturally sweet roasted pineapple glaze, and the beauty of a one-pan meal. Every bite is packed with flavor thanks to the fresh pineapple, aromatic shallots, and that perfect sweet–sour balance.
The mini pork meatballs cook alongside the pineapple so the fruit becomes caramelized and juicy. The roasted pineapple is then blended into a simple sauce made with brown sugar, coconut aminos, tamari (or soy sauce), and just a touch of heat. It’s tangy, sweet, and the perfect match for the ginger-garlic meatballs.
This recipe is a dream if you love an easy pork dinner with big flavor and minimal cleanup — exactly the kind of sheet-pan meal that becomes a weekly go-to.
The Extra Step That Changes Everything
To build even deeper flavor in these pineapple pork meatballs, roast the pineapple twice. After the first roast, remove the meatballs and return the pineapple to the oven. Let it caramelize a little more, deepen in color, and get extra syrupy. This step makes the final sweet-sour glaze unbelievably delicious.
Once the sauce is blended and poured over the warm meatballs, add the extra roasted pineapple and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Trust me — it’s next-level.
Why This Is the Perfect Sheet Pan Meal
A good sheet-pan meatball recipe means fewer dishes, faster cleanup, and a hands-off cooking process. Everything cooks together: the meatballs, shallots, and pineapple. All the flavors mingle on the pan, creating a rich base for the sauce before it gets blended.
This is the kind of recipe you’ll keep in your back pocket for nights when you want something comforting but quick.
What to Serve on the Side
These sweet and sour pork meatballs pair beautifully with:
Jasmine rice
Cauliflower rice
A simple green salad
Or your favorite grain bowl setup
You will like these recipes too!
Pro Tip:
Blend the roasted pineapple while it’s still warm — it creates a smoother, silkier glaze that clings beautifully to the meatballs. And don’t skip the second roast of the pineapple on the sheet pan… that caramelized sweetness is what makes this dish unforgettable.
For more easy weeknight recipes and sheet-pan dinners, follow along on Instagram @whitesparrowfoodco — delicious inspiration is waiting!
Sweet + Sour Pork Meatballs with Pineapple
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 1/3 cup gluten free panko bread crumbs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 4 tablespoons coconut aminos, divided
- 1 egg
- 3 scallions, sliced thinly, divided
- 1 whole pineapple, small diced
- 1 medium onion, small diced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F. Drizzle the olive oil over a sheet pan with raised sides.
- Mix together the meatballs by combining the ground pork, panko bread crumbs, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons coconut aminos, egg, and 1/2 of the sliced scallions. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands.
- Using a scoop, measure out about 1 rounded tablespoon and press together slightly with your hands to form a round ball, aka meatball. Place on the oiled sheet tray and repeat until all the meat is made into meatballs.
- Scatter the diced pineapple and onions around the pan and the meatballs.
- Place in your preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Using tongs, remove the meatballs from the sheet pan to a serving bowl or plate. Place the sheet pan with the pineapples and onions back into the oven for 10 minutes.
- Add half of the pineapples and onions to a blender. Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut aminos, soy sauce, brown sugar, and hot water. Pulse to blend until the pineapple is pureed but it’s don’t completely smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and place the remaining pineapples on top. Garnish with scallions and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
These freeze amazingly well. Freeze with the sauce – let thaw overnight in your refrigerator and reheat. Dinner time!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: pork
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: dinner
Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @whitesparrowfoodco or #whitesparrowfoodco I’d love to hear what you thought of the recipe!
You might also like
Hi, I'm Kat. Thanks for being here.
I’m a Personal Chef in Colorado, and this is where I share the recipes I make for my clients — now with you!
If you’re looking for easy, wholesome ideas, you’re in the right place.
Try my One Pan Dinners for simple weeknight meals.
Don’t miss the Cookies — they’re so good, you won’t believe they’re Paleo-friendly.
Check out my Meal Prep Tricks and reader-favorite recipes my kids ask for on repeat!
Take a look around, explore, and stay awhile — I’m so happy you’re here.
And if you’re curious, go see what’s still surprising me — my most popular recipe ever!
