Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs: 3 Amazing Steps Recipe
These Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs are a delicious, effortless dish featuring tender meatballs simmered in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce. Perfect as an appetizer or served over rice or noodles, this recipe is a set-it-and-forget-it meal that delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours (LOW) or 1.5 to 2 hours (HIGH)
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (LOW) or 1 hour 40 minutes (HIGH)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course, Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound frozen meatballs
Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Honey Garlic Sauce: Pour the ketchup, honey, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce into the slow cooker. Add the minced garlic (or garlic powder), then stir well to combine into a glossy sauce base.
- Add the Meatballs: Add the frozen meatballs directly into the slow cooker without thawing. Stir gently to ensure all meatballs are fully coated with the honey garlic sauce for even flavor.
- Cook to Perfection: Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or on HIGH for 1.5 to 2 hours. The meatballs should be heated through, and the sauce will thicken and become bubbly, coating the meatballs beautifully.
- Serve and Enjoy: Carefully spoon the meatballs onto a serving platter or over rice or noodles, and enjoy immediately. They can also be served as a party appetizer with toothpicks or alongside steamed vegetables.
Notes
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce before cooking for a subtle spicy kick.
- Substitute garlic powder if fresh garlic is unavailable.
- For a tangier flavor, add 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar to the sauce.
- Swap half of the ketchup with chili sauce for a different sweet profile.
- Serve meatballs with rice, noodles, steamed broccoli, or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be enjoyed cold straight from the fridge.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 6-7 meatballs with sauce)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
Keywords: slow cooker meatballs, honey garlic meatballs, easy slow cooker recipes, party appetizers, set it and forget it dinner
