Go Back

Crockpot Sweet Chili Meatballs

Crockpot sweet chili meatballs with sticky, thickened glaze—made by simmering frozen fully cooked meatballs in a slow-cooker sauce. The result is tender, evenly coated meatballs with a glossy sweet-salty finish.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs and sauce base
  • 32 oz frozen fully cooked meatballs No thawing needed.
  • 1 can (12 oz) sweet chili sauce
  • 1 cup soy sauce Measure as listed—use low-sodium if you prefer.
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 0.5 sesame seeds For garnish.
  • 0.25 sliced green onions For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Add and coat
  1. Place the frozen fully cooked meatballs in the slow cooker, spreading them into an even layer for consistent heating.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger until smooth and glossy.
  3. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir to coat evenly, making sure most surfaces are covered.
Slow cook
  1. Cook on low for 4 hours (or high for 2 hours) until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Serve
  1. Stir gently to re-coat all meatballs before serving so the glaze clings to every piece.
  2. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

Pro tip: choose a slow cooker size that fits the meatballs in a single, not-too-crowded layer so the sauce thickens evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days; reheat in the microwave or in the slow cooker on low until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze glazed meatballs up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a gluten-free swap, use tamari instead of soy sauce.