Dorothy Kern
Looking for a fast dinner? My Easy Teriyaki Meatballs with P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Teriyaki Sauce are the perfect 30 minute meal when you’re in a hurry – but you can also make them in a slow cooker as an appetizer. Teriyaki meatballs with pineapple is my favorite 3 ingredient recipe!
This post is sponsored by Conagra, but opinions expressed are my own.
I was a really picky kid growing up but there were a few meals I looked forward to and one of them was anything with teriyaki. My mom would toss pork chops in teriyaki sauce before stir frying and she’d also make a homemade teriyaki sauce with breaded chicken and pineapple.
I think I loved teriyaki as a kid because of the sweet flavor and now I can appreciate all the bold and unique flavors in it too. I can make my own teriyaki sauce but I prefer buying the P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Teriyaki Sauce because it’s so much easier!
As an adult I always have teriyaki sauce in my refrigerator. I love adding it to marinades and sauces or to serve as a dip for chicken fingers or I make homemade takeout on Friday night.
If I’m looking to make a quick dinner recipe I always grab that bottle of teriyaki and some leftover meat or frozen meatballs. This meal satisfies the whole family!
What is the best teriyaki sauce?
I have tried so many different sauces in my lifetime and I keep going back to the one from P.F. Chang’s Home Menu. P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Teriyaki Sauce for Dipping Cooking & Marinating is the sweetest of all their line of sauces; it blends pineapple juice with the soy sauce and wine flavors creating a salty and sweet addition to any meal.
My favorite sauce is already thickened and perfectly sweet with all that flavor you expect from an Asian-inspired meal. Plus it’s SO easy to make this into a simple dinner – or appetizer – in under 30 minutes.
Where can you buy teriyaki sauce?
You can grab this sauce at Walmart using Online Grocery. Have you ever ordered online with Walmart? It’s SUPER simple to order everything you need online and then go to the designated pickup area, where they’ll bring your groceries to the car.
Order your groceries now, pick them up on the way home, and make dinner in under 30 minutes – easy peasy!
Make Teriyaki Meatballs with pineapple for dinner or an appetizer!
That’s right: this is a double duty dinner! You can serve it one of two ways:
- As a meal with rice and a vegetable side dish OR
- As an appetizer!
Whether you save this recipe for the holiday season or you make it for game day, everyone loves meatballs. (I know my husband does – I make double when he’s around, ha!)
Frozen meatballs make this three ingredient recipe done in under 30 minutes!
This recipe can be made on the stove top or in the slow cooker!
For dinners, I prefer doing this in a skillet because it’s just quicker and easier for me (I forget to start the slow cooker). But if you’re making an appetizer, then the slow cooker is the way to go!
How long do you cook frozen meatballs in the sauce?
Simply add the P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Teriyaki Sauce, pineapple, and some of the juice from the pineapple can to the skillet with the frozen meatballs.
Cook this in a large skillet so the meatballs are in a single layer for fast cooking!
PRO TIP
Cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes and your frozen meatballs will be hot throughout and coated in the delicious sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.
Meatballs also make a perfect appetizer, don’t you think? I make them often for game day or any gathering because it feeds a lot of people and it’s so easy to make so many different flavors.
Any of the P.F. Chang’s Home Menu sauces, including the Sesame Sauce, would be great on meatballs like this, and you can use the exact same method!
Make these meatballs in a slow cooker as an appetizer so they’ll stay warm throughout the party!
PRO TIP
How to make teriyaki meatballs in the slow cooker:
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Make sure it’s been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or use a slow cooker liner.
- Cover and cook on low for about 3-4 hours, or until hot.
- Serve with toothpicks.
My daughter is just as picky as I was – even more so sometimes, but she’ll always eat teriyaki when I make it – and she loves meatballs, so this is a win-win.
Can I omit the pineapple from the recipe?
Yes you can omit the pineapple chunks if you’re not into that in your meal. I do recommend using a bit of water or pineapple juice when cooking these on the stove so that the sauce doesn’t burn.
Can I make this with homemade meatballs?
Absolutely! I have my favorite turkey meatball recipe and you can make the meatballs from that recipe to use in this one. If you’re starting with homemade meatballs here is what I suggest:
- Bake the meatballs according to the recipe (instead of steaming them, or they’ll end up mushy).
- Heat up the teriyaki sauce and pineapple chunks in a sauce pan, then toss the hot meatballs with the hot sauce before serving.
You could also use this teriyaki sauce on Shredded Chicken, as a dip for Chicken Tenders, or as a sauce on my Foolproof chicken recipe!
What to serve with teriyaki meatballs:
Have you made this recipe?
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Easy Teriyaki Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 32 ounce package frozen meatballs
- 1 14 ounce jar P.F. Chang’s Home Menu Teriyaki Sauce for Dipping Cooking & Marinating
- 1 20 ounce can pineapple chunks or tidbits in juice
- Rice, optional for serving
Instructions
On the stovetop (30 min meal)
- Add meatballs and teriyaki sauce to a large skillet. It's best if the meatballs are in a single layer.
- Drain pineapple but reserve juice. Add the pineapple and 1/4 cup reserved liquid to the pan with the meatballs. Stir to combine.
- Cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are hot and warmed through, about 20-25 minutes.
- Serve as a meal with rice and vegetable. To serve as an appetizer, place meatballs on skewers with pineapple chunks and serve hot.
In the Slow Cooker
- Add meatballs and teriyaki sauce to the liner of a slow cooker that's been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Drain pineapple but reserve juice. Add the pineapple and 1/4 cup reserved liquid to the pan with the meatballs. Stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or until hot.
- Serve as a meal with rice and vegetable or with toothpicks as an appetizer.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Use this easy recipe as an appetizer or a 30 minute meal – everyone loves teriyaki meatballs, especially the kids!
P.F. CHANG’S HOME MENU are registered trademarks owned by P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc. and are used with permission.
All text and images © DOROTHY KERN for Crazy for Crust. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Published on: January 17, 2020
Please send me basic cake recipes
Would you please tell me a favorite brand of frozen meatballs<thanks so much!