Community recipe
Sticky Pineapple Turkey Meatballs with Snap Peas and Rice
Juicy oven-baked turkey meatballs get tossed with crisp snap peas and pineapple in a glossy ginger-soy glaze, then served over fluffy rice.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
Get ready
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 1.75 cup waters
- 0.25 tsp kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 0.5 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp ground black pepper
- 20 oz canned pineapple chunks in juice, drained, 1/2 cup juice reserved
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp cornstarches
- 8 oz sugar snap peas, washed, dried, and trimmed
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Heat the oven and prepare a baking sheet
Set an oven rack in the middle position and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set out a medium saucepan with a lid, a large skillet, and a mixing bowl. | Why: A hot oven and a ready baking sheet let the meatballs cook evenly as soon as they are shaped.
- 02
Start the rice
Rinse 1 cup long-grain white rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cool running water until the runoff is mostly clear; drain. Put it in the saucepan with 1 3/4 cups water and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes; keep covered until serving. | Why: Rinsing removes surface starch, and the covered rest makes the rice fluffy.
- 03
Mix and shape the meatballs
Peel and mince 2 garlic cloves. In the mixing bowl, gently combine the garlic with 1 lb ground turkey, 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp ground black pepper. With damp hands, shape into about 20 evenly sized meatballs and arrange them 1 inch apart on the lined sheet. Wash your hands and any surfaces that touched the raw turkey. | Why: Gentle mixing keeps the meatballs tender; even sizing helps them finish together.
- 04
Bake the meatballs
Put the sheet on the middle rack of the heated oven. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until lightly browned and a thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball reads 165°F (74°C). While they bake, prepare the glaze and vegetables. | Why: Baking browns the meatballs without breaking them apart in the skillet.
- 05
Prepare the pineapple glaze and snap peas
Drain 20 oz canned pineapple chunks in juice over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup of their juice; refrigerate any extra juice for another use. Peel and finely grate 1 tbsp fresh ginger. In a small bowl, whisk the reserved juice with the ginger, 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, and 2 tsp cornstarch until smooth. Wash 8 oz sugar snap peas, pat them dry, and trim any tough stem ends or strings. | Why: Reserving the juice flavors the glaze, and drying the peas lets them sauté rather than steam.
- 06
Sauté the peas and thicken the glaze
When the meatballs are nearly done, heat the large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil, then the prepared snap peas; cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until vivid green and crisp-tender. Add the drained pineapple and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Stir the glaze again, pour it into the skillet, and simmer for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until glossy, bubbling, and thick enough to coat a spoon. | Why: A quick sauté keeps the peas crisp while the brief simmer activates the cornstarch.
- 07
Coat and serve
Transfer the fully cooked meatballs to the skillet and gently toss over medium-low heat for 1 minute, until coated and hot. Fluff the rested rice with a fork, divide it among four bowls, and spoon the meatballs, pineapple, peas, and glaze on top. Serve warm. | Why: Tossing at the end keeps the meatballs intact and gives every serving a glossy coating.
