Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs are an easy and delicious appetizer or main dish. Just add the frozen meatballs to the Slow Cooker and pour on the simple and incredibly tasty Honey Garlic Sauce.
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I love quick and easy meals that everyone in my family loves. This recipe is just that! It’s so easy, it only takes 5 minutes to prepare! The slow cooker does the rest of the work. And everyone loves it!
This is now a recipe I make often because my kids all love it so much!
I got this recipe from my sister-in-law when we had a birthday party at her house with all of my husband’s family. She served it along with rice and it was a hit!
How to Make Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs:
1- Add to the slow cooker: brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, and garlic cloves.
2-Mix those ingredients together then add the meatballs.
3- Let the Slow Cooker do the work and after only a few hours it’s ready!
For the meatballs, I bought a big bag of frozen meatballs at Costco and just measured out how much I needed. I can’t believe how easy and yummy this recipe is! It’s the best!
The flavor is so delicious! The meatballs are super tender. And honestly one of my favorite things about it is how much my kids love it!
Ways to Enjoy Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs:
-Enjoy as an appetizer
Perfect for potlucks, parties, and more!
–Make it your main dish.
Meatballs go great with rice, mashed potatoes, pasta salad, mac n’ cheese, salad and so much more!
–Make a meatball sandwich or slider!
Just get your favorite bread! Baguette, slider rolls, sub rolls, etc.
Tip: Double the sauce if you would like!
Enjoy!
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 oz. fully cooked, frozen meatballs
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the brown sugar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Add the meatballs and toss to cover with the sauce. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Add salt and pepper if needed. If desired, top with sesame seeds, chopped parsley, or cilantro. Serve as an appetizer or main dish over rice or as a sandwich.
Notes
If you like more sauce with meatballs, double the sauce ingredients.
For a little spice add 1-2 tablespoons sriracha.
I like to add a little garlic salt. (From my Trader Joe's garlic salt grinder.)
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I love how easy this is and that it can all be made in the slow cooker! Win! Win! Xoxo
I agree! It’s so awesome how easy it is and that it tastes so yummy too! 🙂
Can I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic
Yes, I would use about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon, just depending on how much garlic flavor you’d like.
Approx. how many meatballs are in 28 oz?
I just double checked using my kitchen scale and it is 40 meatballs. (The Kirkland Italian Meatballs.)
Can I put the meatballs in frozen?
Yep! That’s what I do.
Could you put these on high to cut the time in half?
I haven’t tried it but I’m sure that would work fine!
What do you serve these with?
Rice, mashed potatoes, rolls, vegetables, etc.
Do you put the meatballs in raw or are they cooked. Can I broil them first?
In this recipe, I use fully cooked, frozen meatballs, so I am not sure. I personally would cook the meatballs first.
Does it matter if I use dark or light brown sugar?
Planning on making these for dinner this coming week!
It doesn’t matter. Dark brown sugar has a little more molasses, which I love. I usually use dark brown sugar in cooking/baking, but in this recipe, it doesn’t matter. Enjoy!
3 tablespoons brown sugar
enjoy your diabetes
You don’t have to add the brown sugar if you’d rather not.
As a type 1 diabetic I can confirm I did not become a diabetic by eating sugar. And also, no type 2 diabetics have ever become diabetic from eating slow cooker meals with only tablespoons of sugar. If you’re going to comment at least know the facts.
More importantly, Becky thank you for this lovely recipe! 😊
Thank you, Jill! I appreciate your comment! 🙂
Ty Jill! I was just thinking same thing. You eat a serving, not whole pot. ENJOY!
3 tablespoons of sugar in an entire recipe which feeds a family would hardly give you diabetes,unless of course the rest of your lifestyle is already down the tubes 🤣
haha yeah!
Do you think this word work if you made the sauce, added the frozen meatballs and froze sauce and already frozenmeatballs together as a freezer prep meal?
I haven’t tried it but I think it would work just fine! Great idea! If you try it, let me know what you think.
What size slow cooker would I need?
I would recommend a 6 quart slow cooker.
Can I use frozen raw meatballs ?
I think that would work but I haven’t tried it. Let me know how it goes.
I made meatballs from scratch with a little thyme and garlic with panko to keep them together (roughly 30 1in diameter balls) turned out great! Does increase cooking time to either bake or pan fry meatballs. I made double the sauce and used light brown sugar. Grer recipe!
Thank you so much for letting me know. That all sounds delicious!
This recipe has quickly become a family and friends favorite. I’ve made it at least 5 times since December and every time, someone has asked for the recipe. It’s such a yummy and unexpected change from the standard crockpot meatballs! Definitely follow the double-sauce instructions if you like sauce. You will not be disappointed by this delicious meal!
Thank you Joy for this kind comment! I am so happy this has become a favorite recipe! 🙂
This is my 5th time making these and I felt the need to comment today! Amazing recipe…followed it to a T and of course followed the recommendation to double the sauce! You will not be disappointed! I love that all of the ingredients are always kept on hand(in my home) so it makes it that much easier to just throw in the crockpot for a quick homemade meal for the family! ❤️
Thank you Kia for commenting! This makes me so happy! 🙂
I have already made these 10 times because they are delicious and so versatile. We love them as an appetizer or with Broccoli and rice, or inside of a slider with cheddar cheese. Thank you for the recipe this will be one of my family’s favorite meals forever! AND yes double that yummy sauce!
I love this! Thanks for letting me know. I love hearing the different ways you serve it. 🙂
Serve over egg noodles with a can of cream of mushroom soup mixed in for an easy meatballs and pasta.
Smart idea! Thanks for sharing.
You think I could use chicken instead of beef? 🙂 make my own meatballs?
It could work. I haven’t tried it before so I can say for sure but there are recipes out there for Slow Cooker Chicken meatballs so I would assume it would be fine. Please let me know how it goes.
I made them on the stovetop and they came out deliciously tender and sooooo good. Still followed the recipe except I browned the frozen meatballs first.
That sounds perfect! A much quicker way to enjoy this yummy recipe. Love it!
Do plain meatballs have enough flavor, or would Italian meatballs work too?
Either works! The sauce has plenty of flavor!
How much minced garlic should I use? I only have the pre minced in a jar.
The jar should tell you how many 1/2 teaspoons equals 1 clove of garlic. My jar of garlic says 1/2 a teaspoon = 1 clove so I would use 1 1/2 teaspoons of minced garlic.
Thank you!
How long do I cook it for if I double the recipe?
The cook time should be about the same. Just check on the temperature of the meatballs after it’s been in the slow cooker for about 4 hours.
Delicious! I made these for a party this weekend and everyone raved about them. I used the Wellsley Farms Italian meatballs from BJs and quadrupled the sauce. It was the perfect amount for a 6 qt crockpot. Thank you for a great recipe!