Slow Cooker Chinese Meatballs

These slow cooker Asian-inspired meatballs are cooked in a sweet and savory pineapple soy sauce, onions, and peppers! Perfect as a main dish or party appetizer, these meatballs are a hit with everyone!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword chinese food, chinese meatballs, Meatballs, Slow Cooker Dinner, slow cooker meatballs

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Servings servings

Calories 438.9kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 25 oz. bag frozen fully-cooked turkey or beef bite-sized meatballs
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 sweet bell peppers seeded and sliced
1 sweet onion sliced

Sauce Ingredients

4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups pineapple juice
½ cup less-sodium soy sauce
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup water
¼ cup brown sugar

Serving + Garnish

White rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice
Sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

In a large saucepan, whisk together cornstarch and pineapple juice until smooth. Add soy sauce, vinegar, water, and brown sugar, whisking to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking constantly, just until thickened (about 3-5 minutes).
4 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 cups pineapple juice, ½ cup less-sodium soy sauce, ½ cup rice vinegar, ½ cup water, ¼ cup brown sugar
Pour sesame oil in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place meatballs in the slow cooker and pour sauce over top. Cover and cook on LOW for 2 hours.
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, 1 25 oz. bag frozen fully-cooked turkey or beef bite-sized meatballs
Stir in bell peppers and onion. Cook on LOW for 1 more hour, or until vegetables are tender and meatballs are heated through.
2 sweet bell peppers, 1 sweet onion
Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
White rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, Sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds

Notes

Start with a really thick, flavorful sauce because the water from the condensation in the pot will thin the sauce as it cooks.
Wait to add your vegetables during the final hour of cooking time. This way, they stay crisp-tender rather than becoming too soft.
When you grab frozen meatballs from the grocery store, make sure to grab homestyle meatballs, not Italian meatballs!
To make this a freezer-friendly meal, cook the sauce as instructed and allow it to cool completely. Then, combine the sauce and frozen meatballs in a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Leftover meatballs will keep for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can easily double or triple this recipe, but you'll need at least an 8-quart or larger slow cooker to accommodate a larger crowd.
Be sure to give the meatballs a good stir throughout cooking to ensure everything is well-coated with the sauce and cooking evenly.

Cooking Just for Two? Cut the ingredients in half and prepare the dish in a small 2- or 3-quart slow cooker. The rest of the instructions remain the same.

Want to Prepare these Chinese Meatballs on the Stovetop? Start by making the sauce in a large pot, as instructed. Whisk in the sesame oil and add the meatballs; cover, and simmer over low heat for about 20-30 minutes (or until meatballs are completely heated through). Add vegetables and continue to cook (covered) over low heat until tender.

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