Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs

The last day of 2014 is finally here! I really can’t believe 2015 starts tomorrow. Seeing those numbers is making me feel old. It’s been 13 years since high school graduation and 9 years since college graduation, funny how quickly time goes by. I don’t have many complaints about 2014, overall it’s been a quiet and rather uneventful year, but that’s a good thing! As always I plan to enjoy the last evening of the year eating delicious food, desserts, and drinks. These Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs will most definitely be making an appearance and they should make an appearance on your table as well!

I love appetizers that can be prepared in the slow cooker, actually I love anything that can be prepared in the slow cooker. It’s so nice to be able to put everything in one pot, turn on the heat, and a few hours later it’s ready to be eaten. The slow cooker is particularly nice to use when you are hosting a party. They hold a generous amount of food and keep your oven free for even more delicious appetizers, like these Sausage and Gorgonzola Stuffed Mushrooms.

Meatballs are one of my favorite appetizers and this teriyaki version may very well be my new favorite! I gravitate towards meatballs because they are full of protein so I don’t have to eat 20 of them to fill up and because it’s just so darn fun to eat a meatball off of a little toothpick! I love the fresh ginger and green onion in these moist Asian inspired turkey meatballs. But even more than that, I love the homemade teriyaki sauce that coats them in the most sticky and delicious way!

The teriyaki sauce is a combination of low sodium soy sauce, pineapple juice, hoisin sauce, fresh ginger, rice wine vinegar, and honey for sweetness. Sure you could just dump in a bottle of store bought teriyaki sauce, but this version is so much healthier for you. No high fructose corn syrup and copious amounts of sugar. Nope, just the good old natural sweetness of honey and pineapple juice!

I hope you have had a wonderful year and have enjoyed the recipes I have shared! I am so excited to start creating even more delicious recipes as well as start bringing a little more information about running to my blog in 2015. If you ever have any questions, suggestions, or requests about recipes or running tips you’d like to read more about please don’t hesitate to let me know. Cheers everyone and Happy New Year!

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Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs

Yield: 20-22 meatballs

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Healthy, moist, turkey meatballs are coated in a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce in this easy to make slow cooker appetizer!

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Ingredients

Turkey Meatballs

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

Teriyaki Sauce

• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F., line a baking sheet with foil, and spray it with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together all of the meatball ingredients except the ground turkey. Add in the turkey and mix together with a fork or your hands until everything is combined.
3. Using an cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out equal portions of the meatball mixture and form into balls. Place the meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
4. In the meantime whisk together all of the ingredients in the teriyaki sauce in a medium sized bowl.
5. Remove the meatballs from the oven and place them in a slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and toss everything together. Set the slow cooker to low, cover, and cook the meatballs for 2-3 hours. Give the meatballs a stir a couple times during the cooking process to ensure that all the meatballs are coated in the teriyaki sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 151Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 646mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 21g

More Easy Appetizers: 

Prosciutto Wrapped Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates

Skinny Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Dip 

Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Stuffed Meatballs 

Chicken Salad in Endive Spears