Now who doesn't like a good meatball? I know I love meatballs. And there are so many ways to make meatballs but I don't recall if I have ever made them in a slow cooker? Especially Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Meatballs.
If you are reading this post, you've probably seen hundreds of different recipes for meatballs. Some use beef and some use both beef and pork, while some have quinoa in them. The possibilities are endless. Just like my Fantastic Bourbon Meatballs.
I love sweet & sour flavored dishes. One of my favorite things to order when I have Chinese food is Sweet & Sour Chicken so making sweet & sour meatballs was a real no brainer for me to make for dinner.
The beauty of this meatball recipe is that it's pretty simple to make when you don't have a lot of spare time on your hands thanks to your slow cooker. It doesn't get much easier than this to be honest. A little prep work and let the slow cooker do its thing!
Sometimes it's nice to just be able to throw a bunch of things in a pot, press a button, and a few hours later you have a delicious dish. Don't you agree? That is exactly what this meatball recipe is.
Keep in mind that you may end up with more or less meatballs depending on their size. The important thing to remember is to make sure they are thoroughly cooked and no longer pink inside.
Try to resist as much as possible the temptation to open the lid while it's cooking as the slow cooker loses heat. By just opening the lid to stir the contents can make the internal temperature drop by 10°F to 15°F.
🐄 How to Handle Raw Beef
Thaw raw ground beef on a plate on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator, to avoid dripping onto other foods.
Keep raw and ready-to-eat meats separate.
Wash hands thoroughly before and after handling raw ground beef. Wash cutting boards, bowls, and utensils used to prepare raw ground beef with hot soapy water and rinse well.
Use separate plates to carry raw ground beef patties to the cooking area and cooked patties to the serving area.
Use a Thermometer to ensure Ground Beef Reaches the Safely Cooked Internal Temperature of 160°F.
For more great recipes with Panko Bread Crumbs, I suggest you check these recipes out:
📋 Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Sweet & Sour Meatballs recipe in your Slow Cooker (see recipe card for quantities): Cornstarch, Water, Pineapple Juice, Rice Wine Vinegar, Soy Sauce, Ketchup, Light Brown Sugar, Yellow Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Eggs, Panko Bread Crumbs, Milk, Kosher Salt, Ground Ginger, Ground Black Pepper, Ground Beef, Garlic and Green Onions.
🥣 How to Make Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Make the Sauce
Place the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and whisk until completely dissolved. Transfer to a 5-quart or large slow cooker.
Add the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir to combine. Cover and turn on to the LOW setting while you make the meatballs.
Make the Meatballs
Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, milk, salt, ginger, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Use your fingers to work the mixture together just until all the ingredients are evenly combined. Do not overwork.
Scoop out about a tablespoon of the meatball mixture and roll into balls in the palm of your hands. Place in the slow cooker. Repeat until all the meatballs have been shaped. The meatballs will not be completely submerged with the sauce. Gently stir and scoop a little sauce over the top so that they're coated.
Cover the slow cooker and cook until the meatballs are no longer pink at the center, 4 hours on the LOW setting. Gently stir, top with the green onions, and serve warm.
I prefer my meatballs with a little grill on the outside so at this point I carefully drop the meatballs in a skillet with some of the sauce from the slow cooker and brown them up. This step is totally up to you but having made this recipe several times now I prefer to brown them up a bit.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- ¼ Cup Cornstarch
- 3 tablespoon Water
- 1 Cup Unsweetened Pineapple Juice, Unsweetened
- ½ Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- ¼ Cup Ketchup
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion, Chopped
- 1 Large Red Bell Pepper, Chopped
For the Meatballs
- 1 Large Egg
- ½ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- ¼ Cup Milk
- 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 lbs Ground Beef, Lean
- 1 Cup Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 2 Green Onions, Chopped
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- Place the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and whisk until completely dissolved. Transfer to a 5-quart or large slow cooker.
- Add the pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar and stir to combine. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir to combine. Cover and turn on to the LOW setting while you make the meatballs.
Make the Meatballs
- Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, milk, salt, ginger, and pepper and stir to combine. Add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Use your fingers to work the mixture together just until all the ingredients are evenly combined. Do not overwork.
- Scoop out about a tablespoon of the meatball mixture and roll into balls in palm of your hands. Place in the slow cooker. Repeat until all the meatballs have been shaped. The meatballs will not be completely submerged with the sauce. Gently stir and scoop a little sauce over the top so that they're coated.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook until the meatballs are no longer pink at the center, 4 hours on the LOW setting. Gently stir, top with the green onions, and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.
Judith
I love any recipe that I can use my slow cooker. This one was no exception. The meatballs were delicious and very tasty. My son who is a picky eater just loved them also. A keeper in my book.