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slow cooker honey garlic meatballs - featured image

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs: Better Than Takeout

  • Author: Eden
  • Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Description

These slow cooker honey garlic meatballs are sticky, tender, and incredibly easy to make. With zero active cooking time and a rich, savory-sweet sauce, they taste like high-end takeout but are healthier and cheaper to make at home.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds ground meat (mix of ground beef and ground turkey recommended)
  • 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (for meatballs)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (for meatballs)
  • 2 stalks green onions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced (for sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (for sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons cold water (for cornstarch slurry)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground meat, Panko breadcrumbs, egg, milk, minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped green onions, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with hands until just combined; do not overmix.
  2. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls (about 24-30 meatballs). Place them on a plate.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sesame oil.
  4. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a smooth slurry.
  5. Place the raw meatballs into a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Pour the honey garlic sauce over the meatballs, ensuring they are mostly submerged.
  6. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours until meatballs are cooked through and tender.
  7. Stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes to thicken the sauce into a sticky glaze.
  8. Turn off the slow cooker. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice.

Notes

Do not skip the cornstarch slurry; adding dry cornstarch will cause lumps. Use fresh ginger for the best flavor. If using a small slow cooker, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. The sauce will thicken in the fridge; add a splash of water or broth when reheating to restore consistency. This recipe does not freeze well due to the dairy in the meatballs and sauce texture changes.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Asian Fusion

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 meatballs per serv
  • Calories: 320
  • Sugar: 18
  • Sodium: 680
  • Fat: 12
  • Saturated Fat: 4
  • Carbohydrates: 28
  • Fiber: 1
  • Protein: 22

Keywords: slow cooker, honey garlic meatballs, easy dinner, meal prep, better than takeout, ground turkey, ground beef, Asian inspired, weeknight dinner

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Find it online: https://dinnercraft.online/slow-cooker-honey-garlic-meatballs-better-than-takeout/