Crock Pot Teriyaki Meatballs are homemade slow cooker beef meatballs with a sweet and savory sauce containing pineapple, soy sauce and brown sugar.
Crock Pot Teriyaki Meatballs are perfect as a main dish or as an appetizer.
These saucy slow cooker meatballs are tender and packed with flavour.
This meatball recipe takes about ten minutes of prep time and then about four hours of slow cooking time on LOW.
Printable Recipe Card with a Full List of Ingredients and Instructions is Located at the Bottom of the Post.
Be sure to read through the entire post so that you don’t miss out on any important tips and tricks!
To make this teriyaki meatballs, I started by dumping some lean ground beef into a large mixing bowl.
I added some breadcrumbs, milk, egg, green onions, garlic, and black pepper to the bowl.
I used my hands to mix the ingredients together until well combined.
I shaped the meat mixture into one inch meatballs and placed them in the slow cooker.
I poured some brown sugar into a mixing bowl.
I added some soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, and canned pineapple to the bowl.
I whisked the ingredients together well.
I poured the sauce mixture over the meatballs in the slow cooker.
I placed the lid on the slow cooker and set it to LOW.
I cooked the meatballs for four hours.
I combined some cornstarch and water in a mixing bowl.
I added the cornstarch slurry to the Crock Pot during the last hour of cooking.
When the meatballs were cooked through and the sauce had thickened, I removed the lid and stirred the meatballs.
I garnished the meatballs with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
Then the slow cooker teriyaki meatballs were ready to serve.
These sweet and savoury Asian meatballs are sure to be a hit.
Serve them as an appetizer or over rice or noodles as a main dish.
If you are looking for an easy slow cooker meatball recipe, then you need to try these Crock Pot Teriyaki Meatballs!
More Easy Crock Pot Beef Recipes You’ll Love…
PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE RECIPE CAN BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make These Crock Pot Teriyaki Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 cup water
- Liquid from canned pineapple (8oz)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pineapple (about 2 rings)
- 1-2 tbsp cornstarch (depending on how thick you want the sauce)
- 1-2 tbsp water (depending on how thick you want the sauce)
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish
How to Make Crock Pot Teriyaki Meatballs:
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, green onions, garlic, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them in the slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, and pineapple. Pour the mixture over the meatballs.
- Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- In a small bowl, mix equal amounts of cornstarch with water until dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker and stir gently until the sauce thickens. Cornstarch needs to heat up to thicken so you might want to do this during the last hour of cooking. Start with 1 tablespoon of each and if that isn’t enough, try another tablespoon of each until you reach the desired thickness.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions before serving.
- Serve and enjoy!
FAQS:
Can I eat these warm or cold?
You can eat these meatballs warm, straight out of the slow cooker, or you can refrigerate them and eat them cold as leftovers.
How should I store this recipe?
Store the meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What are other variations I can make?
- Asian-style meatballs: Replace the ground beef with ground pork or a mixture of ground pork and beef. Add 1 tablespoon of grated ginger to the meat mixture, and add 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar to the sauce.
- Sweet and spicy meatballs: Add another 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of sriracha sauce to the sauce. You can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Meatball sliders: Instead of serving the meatballs over rice, use small slider buns. Feel free to top each meatball with a slice of your favorite cheese.
What substitutions can I make?
- Ground beef: You can substitute ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey for the ground beef.
- Breadcrumbs: If you don’t have breadcrumbs, you can use crushed crackers or panko breadcrumbs instead.
- Milk: If you’re out of milk, you can use water or any other type of milk you have on hand, such as almond milk or soy milk.
- Egg: To make this recipe egg-free, you can use a flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water) or a chia egg (1 tablespoon of chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water).
- Garlic: If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder or minced garlic from a jar.
- Soy sauce: You can use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option.
- Brown sugar: You can substitute honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar for the brown sugar.
- Rice vinegar: If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead.
Can I make this ahead of time and freeze them?
Yes, you can make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them. Place the cooked meatballs in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave or oven until heated through.
Crock Pot Teriyaki Meatballs
Crock Pot Teriyaki Meatballs are homemade slow cooker beef meatballs with a sweet and savory sauce containing pineapple, soy sauce and brown sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 cup water
- Liquid from canned pineapple (8oz)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pineapple (about 2 rings)
- 1-2 tbsp cornstarch (depending on how thick you want the sauce)
- 1-2 tbsp water (depending on how thick you want the sauce)
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, green onions, garlic, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them in the slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, and pineapple. Pour the mixture over the meatballs.
- Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours, or until the meatballs are cooked through.
- In a small bowl, mix equal amounts of cornstarch with water until dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker and stir gently until the sauce thickens. Cornstarch needs to heat up to thicken so you might want to do this during the last hour of cooking. Start with 1 tablespoon of each and if that isn’t enough, try another tablespoon of each until you reach the desired thickness.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions before serving.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use lean ground beef: Opt for a leaner variety to prevent the meatballs from becoming too greasy.
- Don't over-mix the meat: When mixing the meatball mixture, be careful not to overwork the meat. Over-mixing can result in tough meatballs.
- If you're short on time, you can make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them until you're ready to use them. Just be sure to thaw them completely before adding them to the slow cooker.
- If you want to save even more time, you can use store-bought meatballs instead of making your own.
- Adjust the sweetness: If you prefer your teriyaki sauce on the sweeter side, you can increase the amount of brown sugar or honey. Likewise, if you prefer it to be less sweet, you can reduce the amount of sweetener used.
- Thickening the sauce: Give the cornstarch slurry at least 30 minutes to heat up and thicken the sauce before adding another tablespoon.
- If you don't have a slow cooker, you can cook the meatballs on the stovetop or in the oven. For stovetop cooking, simply simmer the meatballs in the sauce in a covered skillet for 15-20, or until they're cooked through. For oven cooking, bake the meatballs in a baking dish at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until they're cooked through.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 671Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 1395mgCarbohydrates: 69gFiber: 3gSugar: 51gProtein: 38g
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Hi! My name is Erin and I have been here since 2016 sharing simple family friendly recipes that can be prepared by any home cook. Get ready to whip up delicious meals in no time!