Description
A small-batch, slow-cooker honey garlic meatball recipe designed to yield exactly two servings, eliminating leftovers while delivering restaurant-quality sticky, savory, and sweet flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) ground beef (80/20 fat content)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (25g) plain dried breadcrumbs (or Panko)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup (120g) real honey
- 1/4 cup (60ml) soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
- Green onions, sliced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, diced onion, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with hands until just combined; do not overwork the meat.
- Roll the mixture into 12-15 balls, approximately 1.5 inches in diameter, and place on a plate.
- In a separate bowl or directly in the crockpot, whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes until smooth and honey is dissolved.
- Place meatballs into the crockpot and pour the sauce over them. Gently toss to coat evenly.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 2 hours, until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
- If a thicker sauce is desired, stir in the cornstarch slurry during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Serve immediately over steamed white rice or with roasted vegetables, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions if using.
Notes
Do not overmix the meat to avoid tough meatballs. Use real honey for best flavor. If using lean beef (93/7), texture may suffer. For a spicy version, add sriracha or gochujang. Meatballs can be frozen raw before cooking; add 30 minutes to cook time if cooking from frozen.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2-4 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6-7 meatballs per se
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 30
Keywords: honey garlic meatballs, crockpot meatballs, slow cooker dinner, small batch recipe, no leftovers, easy weeknight dinner, ground beef recipes