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A close-up of slow cooker honey garlic meatballs in a glazed sauce, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs

These delicious slow cooker honey garlic meatballs are incredibly easy to make and bursting with flavor. Perfect for a party appetizer or a satisfying meal, they come together with minimal effort.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Large Bowl
  • Medium Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Skillet (optional)

Ingredients
  

For the Meatballs

  • 1.5 lbs Ground Beef (80/20 lean works well for flavor and moisture)
  • 0.5 cup Breadcrumbs (Panko or plain)
  • 0.25 cup Milk
  • 1 large Egg
  • 2 cloves minced Garlic
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 0.25 tsp Black Pepper

For the Honey Garlic Sauce

  • 0.5 cup Honey
  • 0.5 cup Soy Sauce (low sodium is a good option)
  • 0.25 cup Ketchup
  • 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Cornstarch (mixed with 1 tbsp cold water for a slurry) mixed with 1 tbsp cold water for a slurry
  • Red pepper flakes (optional, for a little kick) to taste

Instructions
 

Meatball Preparation

  • In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, minced garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper carefully not to overmix.
  • Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and optionally brown them in a skillet, or place frozen meatballs directly into the slow cooker.

Sauce Preparation

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes if you are using them.

Cooking

  • Place meatballs in a single layer at the bottom of the slow cooker, then pour the honey garlic sauce evenly over them.
  • Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2-3 hours until the meatballs are cooked through and tender (160°F / 71°C internal temperature).
  • To thicken the sauce, stir in the cornstarch slurry about 30 minutes before serving, and continue cooking until the sauce has reached the desired thickness.

Serving

  • Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired, and serve the honey garlic meatballs hot.

Notes

For extra flavor and texture, browning the meatballs before slow cooking adds a nice sear. Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level. These meatballs are great served over rice or with toothpicks as an appetizer.