This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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!
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs
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
- Preheat oven to 400° F., line a baking sheet with foil, and spray it with cooking spray.
- 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.
- 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.
- In the meantime whisk together all of the ingredients in the teriyaki sauce in a medium sized bowl.
- 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Appetizers:
Prosciutto Wrapped Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates
Skinny Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Dip
I need to make these for tonight so can you please tell me… Can I make these now and refrigerate them and cook them in a few hours I need to know as soon as possible thank you
Yes you can make them ahead of time. Just put them back in the slow cooker to warm before serving.
If I put a package of frozen turkey meatballs in a slow cooker with your sauce recipe…would that work? How long to cook?
Hi Barb,
I haven’t tried using frozen meatballs, but I suspect they will work just fine. I would still cook them in the slow cooker for a couple hours on low so that they have time to absorb the flavors of the sauce.
danae
(/)…
i have a pack of frozen all ready Flavored Turkey Terriyaki Pineapple Meat Balls.
i want to cook them in my crock pot. what do i need to add to them for juice?
I am tryin to put them in the crock pot, like today like a.s.a.p.
can you help me out with the juice,please
Hi Denise,
I would just use the recipe for the teriyaki sauce that I shared, toss the meatballs in with it, then put everything in the slow cooker on warm or low heat.
This look amazing! Pinned & shared. Thanks :)
These meatballs look absolutely ah-MAZING! You seriously make meatballs look so dang pretty! Love love that sauce. :) Pinned!
Thanks Sarah, you are so sweet! :-)
Love the flavor of teriyaki! Gotta try this in the slow cooker!
Teriyaki is one of my favorites and it works great in the slow cooker! Happy New Year Christine!
Seriously with you about slow cooker appetizers! These look amazing!
Thanks Julie! Slow cooker apps are the best! Happy New Year!
These look amazing, perfect for New Year’s Day Buffet or Football Parties this Winter, Thanks!
Thanks so much Valerie! Happy New Year!
I also love anything you can cook in a slow cooker, saves so much time! These sound like a perfect appetizer for any occasion!
Thanks Kristy! :-)