Quick Crockpot Honey Garlic Meatballs
These Quick Crockpot Honey Garlic Meatballs are the ultimate weeknight hero—fast, forgiving, and freezer-friendly. With just 5 minutes of prep and simple pantry ingredients, you get a sweet-savory, glossy glaze that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours (low) or 1.5-2 hours (high)
- Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes to 4 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 24 oz frozen meatballs (about 36 meatballs)
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- Sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)
- Sliced green onions (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the honey, low-sodium soy sauce, minced garlic, tomato paste, and rice vinegar until mostly smooth.
- Place the frozen meatballs in a 4-6 quart crockpot in an even layer.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently toss to coat.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1.5-2 hours. Stir halfway through if possible.
- About 15 minutes before serving, mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the crockpot and cook on high, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately over rice, noodles, or as an appetizer with toothpicks.
Notes
For a gluten-free version, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. To make it spicy, add 1-2 teaspoons of sriracha or red pepper flakes to the sauce. If the sauce is too thin at the end, add more cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch to 2 teaspoons water) and cook for another 5 minutes. If too thick, add a splash of water or chicken broth. To make a freezer meal, mix the sauce (without cornstarch) in a freezer bag, add frozen meatballs, and freeze. On cooking day, dump the frozen bag contents into the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours; add slurry at the end.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 meatballs with sau
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 34
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 18
Keywords: crockpot meatballs, honey garlic meatballs, slow cooker meatballs, easy weeknight dinner, freezer-friendly, potluck recipe
Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/quick-crockpot-honey-garlic-meatballs/