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meatballs in a slow cooker
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3.90 from 50 votes

Slow-Cooker Hoisin Turkey Meatballs

These turkey meatballs simmer in a sweet and savory sauce for a perfect, super easy weeknight meal that the entire family will love. Serve over rice with steamed broccoli or green beans on the side.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: easy dinner, family friendly, slow cooker recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • 4-quart or 6-quart Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Hoisin Sauce (look for this in the international aisle)
  • 1/4 cup Low-Sodium Beef Stock
  • 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp grated Ginger
  • 1 1/2 lb Turkey Meatballs (use pre-cooked frozen or see note)
  • 1 Tbsp White Sesame Seeds
  • 2 stalks Green Onions, chopped
  • White or brown rice, for serving

Instructions

  • Whisk together Hoisin sauce, stock, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
  • NOTE: If using fresh / home-made meatballs, sear the meatballs in a non-stick pan with a bit of cooking oil until browned on all sides. (They don't need to be cooked all the way through, but searing the outside will help them to hold together while they cook.)
  • Place meatballs in the bowl of a slow-cooker (if using frozen, do not defrost). Pour sauce over meatballs.
  • Slow-cook meatballs on low for 4 hours for frozen meatballs / 6 hours if using fresh. In the last 30 minutes of cooking, gently stir the meatballs to coat in sauce (the meatballs will be super tender after cooking, so use a large spoon to scoop the meatballs and sauce from the bottom up to the top).
  • Transfer meatballs to a serving bowl and top with sesame seeds and green onions.
  • Serve meatballs over rice with steamed broccoli or green beans on the side.

Notes

Just about any meatballs will work in this recipe, as long as they will hold up to simmering in sauce. I actually prefer to use store-bought pre-cooked turkey meatballs (Trader Joe's are my favorite). I put them straight from the freezer into the slow-cooker for a dinner that just takes about 5 minutes to prep.
If you want make them from scratch, I love this recipe from The Kitchn.

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1636mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 3mg