Description

This Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs recipe offers a delicious and effortless way to enjoy a flavorful appetizer or main dish. Using frozen fully cooked meatballs simmered in a homemade teriyaki sauce made from soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, honey, and aromatic ginger and garlic, this dish is perfect for gatherings or family dinners. The slow cooker gently heats and infuses the meatballs with sweet and savory flavors, while a cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce to a glossy finish. Garnished with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions, these meatballs can be served warm with toothpicks for snacking or over rice and noodles for a heartier meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

2 pounds frozen fully cooked homestyle meatballs

Teriyaki Sauce

0.75 cup low sodium soy sauce
0.75 cup pineapple juice
0.33 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Thickening and Garnish

2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

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Instructions

Arrange Meatballs: Place the frozen fully cooked homestyle meatballs in an even layer inside the bowl of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker without thawing them first.
Make Teriyaki Sauce: In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the low sodium soy sauce, pineapple juice, light brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and toasted sesame oil until the sugar dissolves and the mixture appears smooth and glossy.
Coat Meatballs: Pour the prepared teriyaki sauce evenly over the meatballs in the slow cooker. Gently toss the meatballs with a spatula or large spoon to ensure they are well coated with the sauce.
Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or on high for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the meatballs are thoroughly heated and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Stir once halfway through the cooking time to promote even heating.
Prepare Slurry: About 20 to 30 minutes before serving, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth and free of lumps to make a slurry.
Thicken Sauce: Stir the cornstarch slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker, making sure it is fully incorporated. Continue cooking covered on high for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the meatballs nicely.
Garnish and Serve: Before serving, sprinkle the meatballs with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve warm right from the slow cooker with toothpicks as an appetizer or spoon over rice or noodles for a satisfying main dish.

Notes

You do not need to thaw the meatballs before adding them to the slow cooker.
Stirring midway through cooking helps ensure even heat distribution.
The cornstarch slurry should be added near the end to thicken the sauce without overcooking the meatballs.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce.
Serve with steamed rice or noodles to complete the meal.