Description
Asian Meatballs Crockpot Recipe: Flavorful pork meatballs in a sweet and tangy Asian sauce, slow-cooked to perfection. Easy, comforting, and crowd-pleasing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (900g) ground meat (preferably a mix of pork and beef)
- 1/2 cup (75g) breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 cup (120ml) soy sauce (low-sodium recommended)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) honey
- 1/4 cup (60ml) rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons water)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Meatball Mixture In a large mixing bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, minced garlic, grated ginger, chopped green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper. Using clean hands, gently mix until just combined—overmixing will result in tough meatballs. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the breadcrumbs to absorb moisture.
- Step 2: Form the Meatballs With slightly dampened hands (this prevents sticking), portion the meat mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs. Roll each portion between your palms with gentle pressure until rounded. You should get approximately 24-28 meatballs depending on exact size. Place formed meatballs on a baking sheet or plate.
- Step 3: Optional Browning Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, quickly brown the meatballs on 2-3 sides (about 1-2 minutes per side). This step is optional but adds wonderful flavor. Don’t worry about cooking them through—they’ll finish in the crockpot.
- Step 4: Prepare the Sauce In your crockpot, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sriracha, brown sugar, minced garlic, and grated ginger until well combined.
- Step 5: Slow Cook to Perfection Gently add the meatballs to the sauce in the crockpot, carefully coating each one. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
- Step 6: Thicken the Sauce During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the cornstarch slurry. Replace the lid, slightly ajar, and continue cooking until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. For an even thicker glaze, you can transfer the sauce to a saucepan and reduce it further over medium heat.
- Step 7: Garnish and Serve Transfer the finished **Asian Meatballs** to a serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and optional fresh cilantro. Serve hot over rice, noodles, or as an appetizer with toothpicks.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 320 calories per serving
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Sodium: 1050 mg
- Fat: 18 grams
- Saturated Fat: 6 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 16 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 24 grams
- Cholesterol: 120 mg