13 Best Luau Finger Food Recipes

Luau finger food offers up some of the best and most delicious Hawaiian cuisine there is in tasty bite-sized samples.

Filled with tropical flavorings and unique recipes, these will be the hit of any party that you host. 

In our guide below, you’ll find a great range of different luau finger food recipes to pick from. Whatever you choose, it’ll certainly be a delicious treat!

1. Pineapple Upside Down Cakes

Surely one of the most unique cakes that you can get, the pineapple upside down cake is small and perfect for party finger food! On top of that, they’re actually very easy to bake.

Simply get a few eggs, some sugar and butter, plenty of cherries, and a helping of crushed pineapple and you’ve got the general basis for this simple recipe.

Mix them all into a bowl, before pouring your batter into some muffin cups and popping them in the oven.

With just 20 minutes of prep time and 20 mins of cooking, with 5 extra minutes for cooling, these treats will be ready in no time. 

2. Ham And Pineapple Kabobs

Kabobs are perfect finger food, because their sticks keep your hands clean! And what more refreshing than a combination of tasty ham and succulent, cooling pineapple?

On top of that, they’re very easy to make with very few ingredients needed. First, you’ll simply need to make a mixture to glaze the kebab with.

This consists of some vinegar, vegetable oil, mustard, and brown sugar – it’ll give it some extra kick!

Then simply cut your pineapple and ham into cubes and put them onto a kabob. The kebob is then brushed with the glaze mixture, before cooking it for about 8 minutes. Simple, quick, delicious!

3. Meatball And Pineapple Kabobs

Like the previous kabobs, this blends sweet and savory together in beautiful harmony! Similarly, they’re also quite easy to make. 

When it comes to the meatballs, this recipe tells you how to make them – but you can just buy them premade. Be sure to cook them properly though! 

Besides that, it’s a case of making a sauce and adding pineapples and peppers to the skewer. 

4. Creamy Pineapple Coconut Popsicles

These are delicious frozen treats, perfect as something sweet to follow the savory food at a dinner party. On top of that, they’re incredibly simple to make.

All you will need are some crushed pineapples, a bit of vanilla extract, some maple syrup, and servings of cream and coconut milk. Oh, and a pinch of salt! 

All of those, besides the pineapple, get mixed in a bowl. After some whisking, the pineapple and pineapple juice are added, before the whole mixture is put into molds.

A bit more pineapple and juice is added to top iit off, then popsicle sticks are put in. 

After that? They freeze for several hours until you have perfect frozen delights. Make sure to plan ahead with the timings!

5. Rainbow Fruit Kabobs

Another sweet and healthy treat, these kabobs are filled with a colorful array of different fruits! 

The other kabobs we’ve mentioned were easy to make, but this is easiness on a whole other level. Essentially, the hardest part is picking which fruits you want to have! 

The fruits are broken into categories to match the colors of the rainbow. For example, for the green you could pick a green apple, or you could have some green grapes – or even a kiwi!

The colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. 

Using the recipe website, pick one for each color and put it onto your kabob in the correct order. For extra fun, add a marshmallow at the end – kind of like a cloud by the rainbow!

6. Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Bites

This is a great blend of savory and sweet, in perfectly little bite-size chunks. 

If you’ve ever had some pigs in blankets, where the sausage is wrapped in bacon, this is sort of the same idea – only the sausage has been replaced by some pineapple.

This offers a perfect contrast of soothing fruit and tasty meat. 

They’re simple to make too! All you need are bacon slices and some chunks of pineapple.

Simply wrap each chunk with a piece of bacon, securing it with a toothpick, and put in the preheated oven. Click the recipe for more details!

7. Hawaiian Fried Rice

This is a delicious side dish, full of flavor. On top of that, it’s very easy to prepare!

The key ingredients involve a few eggs, cold cooked rice, some ham (see also ‘Can You Freeze Ham? (Yes, Here’s The Best Way)‘), and a whole series of sauces and oils. Oh, and onions, garlic, peppers, and some pineapple pieces!

As you can tell, this is going to be a very healthy – and very tasty – small dish. 

The recipe begins with mixing the sesame oil, hot sauce, and soy sauce all together in a bowl.

After that, ham, pepper, and onions are added…if this is all sounding mouth-watering so far, click the recipe to see the rest! This’ll surely please the whole family. 

8. Hawaiian Hot Dogs

These are a delicious twist on the classic hot dog (see also ‘13 Delicious Appetizers To Make With Little Smokies‘), with grilled pineapple added to the mix, as well as teriyaki mayonnaise. 

As you would expect, you’ll need some hot dogs and some long hot dog buns. On top of that, you’ll also want a quarter of a pineapple, sliced up into thick rounds.

Besides the added pineapple, the other unique twist with this finger food is the teriyaki sauce.

It may sound like it’ll be complicated to make, but it’s actually very simple! All you’ll need is some teriyaki sauce, a little lime juice, and a bit of salt. Easy! Give the recipe a read to find it all out in more detail. 

9. Spam Musubi

You may have never tried the canned meat “spam”, but we can promise you it’s delicious in this wonderful musubi concoction!

Basically, a musubi is a type of food that Hawaii shares with Japanese cuisine, which involves a ball of rice that is covered with nori. Meat is added on top of the nori – in this case spam. 

All you’ll need is some cooked sushi rice, nori, some spam, sugar, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. That may sound like a lot, but it all blends together easily, and the linked recipe makes quick work of it. 

With just 25 minutes of preparation time, and 5 minutes of cooking, this’ll be ready in no time.

10. Hawaiian Salsa

This is a supremely healthy and tasty side dish, bursting with fruit and vegetables! Just be sure to leave a few hours to chill it before you serve it up. 

This may have plenty of ingredients, but it really is just a case of mixing them all together in a bowl, covering it, and then refrigerating the whole thing. It couldn’t be simpler! 

Those ingredients include pineapples and mangos for a refreshing fruity kick, as well as peppers and onions, and some lime juice and lemon juice.

It even includes a jalapeno pepper, adding some spiciness! If that isn’t your thing, simply leave it out. 

11. Aloha Burgers

Everyone loves a good burger, and this Hawaiian special is no exception! In just 30 minutes, you can have these delicious treats ready. 

As for the ingredients, it’s what you’d expect – except for the delicious additions that make it truly Hawaiian! There’s the ground beef for the burger, lettuce, cheese, and an onion.

So far, so normal. However, you then add some teriyaki sauce, strips of bacon, and a few pineapple slices! 

These all combine to make a burger that is deliciously savory and sweet. 

12. Pina Colada Cupcakes

If you like pina colada…

This is a perfect finger food dessert nibble would be these pina colada cupcakes – though they will take a few hours to make!

As you would expect, these are pretty traditional cupcakes with the added benefit of having pineapple juice and coconut milk included – as well as being topped with a delicious coconut frosting.

The result is a moist and creamy treat!

13. Hawaiian Cheesecake Salad

This delicious snack is like a fruit salad with a cheesecake topping. 

Since it’s like a fruit salad, you know it’s going to be healthy! And it sure is, with pineapple, strawberries, mango, and more all included. 

However, first cream, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and cheese are mixed in a bowl. Some defrosted Cool Whip is then added, before the whole host of delicious fruits are put in too.

After that, some crushed crackers are put on top to give it extra texture. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is A Luau?

A luau is a Hawaiian party/feast, following their traditions.

What Are Hawaiian Appetizers Called?

“Pupu” is the name for Hawaiian appetizers and finger food.

Final Thoughts

Luau cuisine is full of delicious finger foods, and we’ve collected together some of the best recipes for them here. Find your favorite and enjoy!