Go Back

Crockpot Asian Meatballs

Crockpot Asian meatballs with a glossy ginger-soy-hoisin glaze and tender 1.5-inch meatballs. Brown first, slow-cook on Low for 3–4 hours, then thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry for a sticky finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For meatballs
  • 1.5 lb ground beef or pork
  • 0.33 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 3 garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 green onions minced
For Asian glaze
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.33 cup hoisin sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 3 garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 0.5 sesame seeds for serving
  • 2 green onions sliced for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. Mix the meatball ingredients until evenly combined, then roll into 1.5-inch balls. The mixture should hold together without falling apart when lifted.
  2. Brown the meatballs in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, then transfer them to the Crockpot. Aim for visible caramelized edges before you slow-cook.
Slow-cook with the glaze
  1. Whisk the Asian glaze ingredients together, then pour over the meatballs in the Crockpot. Make sure the glaze pools around and coats the meatballs.
  2. Cook on Low for 3–4 hours (or High for about 2 hours) until the meatballs are cooked through and hot in the center. Keep the lid on to maintain steady temperature.
Thicken and serve
  1. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the sauce, then cook on High for 20 minutes until thickened. The glaze should turn glossy and cling to the meatballs when stirred.
  2. Serve the meatballs over rice and top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Spoon extra sauce over the rice so everything is coated.

Notes

Pro tip: Browning the meatballs first helps the glaze cling and boosts flavor, even though they finish cooking in the Crockpot. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze cooled meatballs and sauce up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat. For a lighter option, use ground turkey instead of beef or pork.