Easy Crockpot Honey Garlic Meatballs: Best 4-Ingredient Dinner
These Easy Crockpot Honey Garlic Meatballs are the ultimate hands-off dinner. With just 5 minutes of prep and a handful of simple ingredients, you get sticky, glossy, impossibly tender meatballs in a sweet-and-savory sauce that tastes like it simmered for hours.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 15 minutes (on LOW) or 1 hour 45 minutes (on HIGH)
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes (on LOW) or 1 hour 50 minutes (on HIGH)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs frozen fully cooked meatballs (homestyle or Italian-style)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tablespoon)
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Optional: sesame seeds, sliced green onions, red pepper flakes for garnish
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, and minced garlic until smooth.
- Place frozen meatballs directly into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pour the honey garlic sauce evenly over the meatballs and stir gently to coat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5-2 hours, until meatballs are heated through and sauce is bubbly.
- About 15 minutes before serving, make the cornstarch slurry: mix cornstarch with cold water until dissolved.
- Pour the slurry into the slow cooker and stir gently. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze.
- Transfer meatballs to a serving dish, spoon remaining glaze over the top, and garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, and red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
Use fresh garlic for best flavor. The cornstarch slurry is essential for a thick, sticky glaze. Cook on LOW for more tender meatballs. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 meatballs
- Calories: 375
- Sugar: 20
- Sodium: 720
- Fat: 17
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 22
Keywords: crockpot meatballs, honey garlic meatballs, easy slow cooker dinner, frozen meatballs recipe, 4-ingredient dinner, game day appetizer, weeknight dinner