Cozy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs
An easy 5-ingredient slow cooker recipe featuring tender meatballs coated in a sweet and savory honey garlic glaze, perfect for cozy weeknight dinners.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (900g) frozen or fresh meatballs
- ½ cup (120ml) honey
- ¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- If using frozen meatballs, place them directly into the slow cooker. For homemade meatballs, shape about 2 pounds of ground beef or beef-pork blend into 1-inch meatballs and brown lightly in a skillet (optional, about 10 minutes).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, and apple cider vinegar until glossy and fragrant (about 5 minutes).
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker and gently stir to coat all meatballs evenly.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours. Stir gently halfway through cooking.
- Before serving, stir the meatballs again to coat with sauce. Adjust seasoning with black pepper or extra vinegar if desired.
- If the sauce is too thin, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 teaspoons cold water and stir into the slow cooker. Cook on high for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
Notes
Brown homemade meatballs before slow cooking for extra flavor and firmer texture. Use fresh garlic for best taste. Avoid frequent stirring to maintain heat and cooking time. Adjust honey and vinegar to taste. To thicken sauce, use cornstarch slurry near end of cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 310
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Protein: 22
Keywords: slow cooker, honey garlic meatballs, easy dinner, 5-ingredient recipe, comfort food, crockpot meatballs