Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe. Tender meatballs in a tangy, sweet sauce. Better than takeout! After making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve discovered the trick to keeping the meatballs moist and the sauce perfectly balanced. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy No-Bake Mango Coconut Rice Pudding Recipe and Easy Aloo Keema Recipe with Ground Meat and Potatoes.

What You'll Need for Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• Optional: Green onions, chopped
• Optional: Sesame seeds

How to Make Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

1. Prepare meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and ginger. Mix well and form into 1-inch meatballs.
2. Cook meatballs: Place meatballs in the slow cooker. In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice, and cornstarch. Pour over meatballs. Add pineapple chunks.
3. Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened.

Storing & Reheating Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make-ahead tip: Meatballs can be formed and frozen uncooked for up to 2 months. Add frozen meatballs to the slow cooker and increase cooking time by 1-2 hours.

Freezing Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Freeze cooked meatballs in the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and stir into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Best substitution: Substitute ground turkey for ground beef for a leaner version.
• Make-ahead: Prepare meatballs and sauce the night before. Store in the fridge separately and combine in the slow cooker in the morning.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved.
• Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too sweet, add a splash of vinegar to balance the flavors.

Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

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Prep

Prep: 15 minutes

🍳

Cook

Cook: 6-8 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)

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Total

Total: 6-8 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high)

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free, Low-carb

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks

Seasonings

• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ginger

Optional Toppings

• Green onions, chopped
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Prepare meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and ginger. Mix well and form into 1-inch meatballs.
2. Cook meatballs: Place meatballs in the slow cooker. In a bowl, whisk together brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice, and cornstarch. Pour over meatballs. Add pineapple chunks.
3. Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and stir into the slow cooker during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Best substitution: Substitute ground turkey for ground beef for a leaner version.
• Make-ahead: Prepare meatballs and sauce the night before. Store in the fridge separately and combine in the slow cooker in the morning.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved.
• Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too sweet, add a splash of vinegar to balance the flavors.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked meatballs in the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Make ahead: Meatballs can be formed and frozen uncooked for up to 2 months. Add frozen meatballs to the slow cooker and increase cooking time by 1-2 hours.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 350
• Protein: 25g
• Fat: 17g
• Carbs: 25g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 18g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Cholesterol: 80mg
• Sat. Fat: 7g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!