Jamaican Jerk Meatballs

These Jamaican Jerk Meatball are a fantastic way to enjoy Caribbean flavors as an appetizer. In this recipe the scratch made meatballs are filled with bell peppers and sweet onion and seasoned with a Jamaican jerk blend sealing the island inspired flavor combination. They’re a taste of simple island inspired goodness when served with a Caribbean sauce for dipping.

Ingredients to Make Jamaican Jerk Meatballs Recipe

These kicked-up jerk meatballs meatballs are guaranteed to disappear whenever they’re served. You can enjoy them for holiday celebrations, game day snacking, or any day when tasty appetizers are on the menu. These meatballs can also be served over rice or mashed potatoes as an entree. these jerk seasoned meatballs will hit the spot.Meatballs tend to always be a crowd pleaser and often disappear rather quickly when entertaining. You may want to make a double batch. Ingredients to make homemade Jamaican Jerk Meatballs Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Pork – One pound ground fresh pork, not sausage. Unseasoned ground pork.
• Beef – One pound 85/15 ground beef.
• Vegetables – One onion and red bell pepper. Both should be finely diced.
• Oil – Olive oil.
• Garlic – Three medium garlic cloves for a hint of earthiness.
• Breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs.
• Whole Eggs – Two large eggs bind the meat mixture together.
• Liquid – A combination of milk, pineapple juice and lime juice add island flavors.
• Herb – Chopped fresh cilantro.
• Worcestershire Sauce – Adds depth of flavor and enhances the beef.
• Seasonings – Three teaspoons Jamaican Jerk seasoning i.e.McCormick’s or similar, salt and black pepper.
• Dipping Sauce – One cup Spicy Caribbean Jerk Marinade and Sauce. I used KC Masterpiece.

How to Make the Best Jamaican Jerk Meatballs Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prep Pan – Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.
• Sauté Veggies – Cook onion and red bell pepper in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat just until translucent. Add minced garlic.
• Meatball Mixture – In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sautéed vegetables, ground pork, ground beef, breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, milk, pineapple juice, cilantro, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, jerk seasoning, salt and black pepper. Using your hands mix until combined.
• Form Meatballs – Use a meatball maker or small scoop to form into bite sized balls. Place side by side onto the baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
• Oven – Bake per the recipe until cooked through and juices run clear.
• Serve – Serve immediately with the spicy Caribbean dipping sauce (i.e. KC Masterpiece), spicy ketchup or hot sauce.

Tips for Making Jerk Meatballs

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: Large bowl, sharp knife and chopping board, measuring cups and spoons, rimmed baking pans,skillet, meatball maker or small scoop.
• You Can Bake or Fry the Meatballs: You can fry these jerk meatballs in a skillet on the stovetop or in an air fryer.
• Use Ground Pork Not Sausage: The ground pork used in this recipe isn’t breakfast sausage. It’s unseasoned ground pork that’s typically found in the meat section along with the other pork products at your local supermarket.
• Can I Make Homemade Jerk Seasoning? Jerk seasoning comes in many brands and combination of spices. It typically includes dried onion or onion powder, garlic powder, cloves, thyme, allspice, ground black pepper, cinnamon and cayenne pepper in varying amounts. Sometimes it will include brown sugar, ginger and nutmeg as well as additional herbs. You can certainly make your own blend to suit your personal taste. You would also need to add 1 teaspoon salt to the recipe.
• Finely Dice the Veggies so the Meatballs Hold Together: When dicing the onion and bell pepper think finely diced. Big chunks won’t work here and could make the meatballs fall apart.
• How to Serve: Serve with picks along with your favorite dipping sauces.
• Make Jerk Sliders: An optional serving idea for these tasty meatballs, is to stuff sweet Hawaiian slider rolls with these jerk meatballs topping each with grilled pineapple and a sprig of cilantro.
• Slow Cooker Meatballs: If you prefer to make your own sauce and simmer these meatballs in a slow cooker, I included a delicious homemade sauce in the recipe notes, too.

Recipe Variations

• Protein: You could adapt this recipe using ground chicken or ground turkey for turkey meatballs in place of the pork or ground beef. You can also use all beef or all pork meatballs.
• Seasonings: I used McCormick’s Jerk seasoning in these meatballs, as it’s readily available in most grocery stores on the spice aisle. It’s fine to use your favorite brand such as Walkerswood. You may need to adapt the amount of sodium depending on the brand used.
• Spice: You could add diced scotch bonnet peppers or habanero peppers to these meatballs for added heat. When doing so, sauté along with the onion and red bell pepper. Add the amount that suits your taste.
• Dipping Sauce: The dipping sauce I serve along with these meatballs is a prepared sauce that can be found in the marinade section of most local grocery stores. This one was made by KC Masterpiece. That said, there are many island inspired sauces that you can use it’s fine to go with your favorite. You could also serve these meatballs with barbecue sauce or hot honey for dipping.
• Air Fryer Meatballs: You can cook these in an air fryer, too. See the Cook’s Notes for instructions.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store Jamaican Jerk Meatballs chilled in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheating: Reheat jerk meatballs gently in a preheated 350°F oven on a sheet pan or in an air fryer.
• Freezer Storage: Cook and freeze the meatballs for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat before serving.

More Easy Meatball Recipes to Make

• Swedish Meatballs smothered with a creamy sauce are a vintage favorite.
• Fire up the crockpot and make these Slow Cooker Party Meatballs for your next homemade soiree.
• Spaghetti and Meatballs is a bowl filled with comfort.
• These Buffalo Chicken Meatballs feature all of the flavors we love in wings.
• Mouthwatering Teriyaki Meatballs are a party staple.
• Make your own meatballs for this Meatball Pizza.
• Italian Meatball Kabobs from Homemade Hooplah.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Sheet Pans
• Meatball Scoop
• Measuring Set
• Mixing Bowls