Easy Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs

Making these flavorful teriyaki meatballs in the slow cooker is such a breeze. Precooked meatballs make this so convenient and easy; prep time is very quick. In 2 hours you have a delicious dinner or the perfect appetizers!

You know we love a dish when we make it back-to-back! That’s the case with these delicious meatballs!!!

I recently made a big batch of these slow cooker teriyaki meatballs last Sunday for our fellowship meal. It must have been so well-loved and enjoyed that I was left with only a couple of pieces of meatballs and nothing more!

Sometimes, I feel like people just feel a bit shy in getting the last few pieces in a dish that they tend to leave them uneaten! At any rate, all the rice I brought to pair with these delicious meatballs was gone so that could have been the explanation too!

The point is – it was such a delicious pairing that it all went quite fast! I’m just glad I had a couple of meatballs left so I was able to taste them!

Because of this, I decided to make it again tonight for dinner! It was a big hit once again. I know why because my hubby who is usually not a huge fan of meatballs even had two servings! I call that a win.

We all enjoyed it that there was hardly anything left for leftovers the next day!

What I love about these meatballs is that it’s crazy easy to make! I make a shortcut by using precooked frozen meatballs so no extra effort is spent in making meatballs!

Naturally, you can use your own favorite meatball recipe if you have it for this recipe. But in a pinch, grab your favorite brand of frozen meatballs and make this yummy crockpot version pronto!

Instead of just using the usual 3-ingredient teriyaki meatballs recipe, I decided to tweak it and added a couple more ingredients to make it more delicious. I found the 3-ingredient one too salty for my liking and didn’t really enjoy the flavors.

With this easy slow cooker teriyaki meatballs, I believe I have achieved that delicious balance between sweet and savory!

What to serve with Teriyaki Meatballs

  • White Rice 
  • Brown Rice
  • Broccoli
  • Asparagus 

FOR FULL RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS and to PRINT, SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW.


WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR EASY SLOW COOKER TERIYAKI MEATBALLS?

  • 26 oz pack of frozen meatballs (2 packs)
  • 20 oz teriyaki sauce, preferably low sodium
  • 1/4 plus 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 20 oz canned pineapple chunks, reserve the juice
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 4 stalks of green onions or scallions


HOW DO YOU MAKE EASY SLOW COOKER TERIYAKI MEATBALLS?

Mix together the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, juice from the canned pineapple, flour, and sesame seeds. I would usually add all the above ingredients in a saucepan, whisk them together and heat them.

Place frozen meatballs at the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour over the teriyaki mixture. Stir to coat the meatballs.

Scatter the pineapple chunks all over. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or 4 hours on low until fully heated through. Serve immediately garnished with some thinly sliced onions.

What are you waiting for? Enjoy this yummy dish soon!

Easy Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs

Making these flavorful teriyaki meatballs in the slow cooker is such a breeze. Precooked meatballs make this so convenient and easy plus prep time is very quick. In 2 hours you have a delicious dinner or the perfect appetizers!
4.72 from 21 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Appetizers, Main Course
Cuisine American, Asian, Japanese
Servings 12
Calories 263 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 20 oz teriyaki sauce, preferably low sodium (see recipe below for homemade teriyaki sauce)
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 20 oz canned pineapple chunks, reserve the juice
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
  • 26 oz each 2 packs of frozen meatballs,
  • 4 stalks of green onions or scallions, sliced thinly

For Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (if preferred)

  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ginger, minced or freshly grated
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

For Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (if preferred)

  • Combine and mix all the ingredients. Let it sit for 1 hour before using.

For the Meatballs

  • Mix together the teriyaki sauce (storebought or homemade), brown sugar, juice from the canned pineapple, flour, and sesame seeds. I usually add all the above ingredients in a saucepan, whisk them together, and heat them.
  • Place frozen meatballs at the bottom of the slow cooker. Pour over the teriyaki mixture. Stir to coat the meatballs.
  • Scatter the pineapple chunks all over. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours or 4 hours on low until fully heated through.
  • Serve immediately garnished with some thinly sliced onions. Perfect with rice!

Notes

TIPS & TRICKS
This recipe makes a huge batch so this is perfect for a party or gathering or as a game day food. It can also be halved if you just wish to make a smaller serving for your family.
If you wish to halve the recipe, simply use only one pack (about 26 oz) of frozen meatballs, 1/4 cup sugar,  and about 8-10 oz teriyaki sauce (adjust the amount to how many meatballs you have). The rest of the ingredients don’t need to be adjusted.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 14gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 1847mgPotassium: 366mgFiber: 1gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 68IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg
Keyword easy slow cooker teriyaki meatballs, easy teriyaki meatballs recipe, frozen teriyaki meatballs crockpot recipe, slow cooker pineapple teriyaki meatballs, slow cooker teriyaki meatballs, slow cooker teriyaki with frozen meatballs
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Last updated on April 17th, 2024 at 08:04 pm

Follow:

2 Comments

  1. Carrie Kenney
    June 6, 2024 / 10:37 am

    5 stars
    Ok so this taste amazingly good and was so
    simple to make. I did make your teriyaki sauce through i used corn starch instead of the flour and I added 3 chopped green onions to the meatballs and pineapple mix while cooking and served it over white rice and had steamed broccoli on the side. I topped the bowls with more sesame seeds and green onions. Total win as family loved it and will definitely be making it again. Thank you !

    • abigail
      Author
      June 7, 2024 / 3:49 pm

      Yay! So delighted to know this and thank you so much for letting us know!

4.72 from 21 votes (20 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating