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Crockpot Asian Meatballs

Crockpot Asian meatballs with tender 1.5-inch balls and a glossy ginger-soy-hoisin glaze. Browned first, then slow-cooked on Low for 3–4 hours and finished with a cornstarch thickened sauce for sticky results.
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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
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 green onions
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
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 sesame seeds for serving
  • 1 green onions for serving
  • 1 rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make and brown the meatballs
  1. Mix ground beef or pork with breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and green onions, then roll into 1.5-inch balls.
  2. Brown the meatballs in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned on the outside, then transfer them to the Crockpot.
Cook with the ginger-soy-hoisin glaze
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, fresh ginger, and sriracha, then pour the glaze over the meatballs in the Crockpot.
  2. Cook on Low for 3–4 hours or on High for about 2 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and simmering in the sauce.
Thicken the sauce and serve
  1. Stir cornstarch with water to make a slurry, then mix it into the sauce in the Crockpot.
  2. Cook on High for 20 minutes until the glaze thickens and looks glossy, then serve over rice with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For the best texture, avoid overmixing the meatball mixture—mix just until combined, then roll. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat in the Crockpot on Low or microwave until hot. Freezing is yes: freeze meatballs and sauce for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. If you want a lighter option, use lean ground turkey or extra-lean ground pork in place of the beef/pork.