Description

This Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe offers a deliciously easy way to prepare a comforting, tangy, and slightly sweet meal perfect for busy days. Slow cooking the meatballs in a flavorful blend of pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar results in tender meatballs coated in a luscious sauce. Ideal for serving over white rice and garnished with fresh green onions.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

1 (32 oz) bag frozen homestyle meatballs

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks in 100% juice (do not drain)
½ cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ketchup

Thickening Mixture

¼ cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Optional Garnish

Sliced green onions

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Instructions

Combine Ingredients: Spray the slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray. Add the canned pineapple chunks with the juice (do not drain), honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and ketchup into the slow cooker. Stir until combined to create the sweet and sour sauce base.
Add Meatballs: Place the frozen meatballs into the slow cooker and stir well so that all the meatballs are evenly coated with the sauce.
Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and set it to LOW heat. Let the meatballs cook for 4-6 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the meatballs to become tender.
Thicken Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the water and cornstarch thoroughly with a fork until smooth. Pour this mixture into the crockpot and stir. Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. If necessary, turn the slow cooker to HIGH heat to speed up the thickening process.
Serve: Once the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are heated through, sprinkle sliced green onions on top if desired. Serve the sweet and sour meatballs over a bed of cooked white rice for a complete meal.

Notes

Do not drain the pineapple chunks; the juice contributes to the sauce flavor.
You can adjust cooking time depending on your slow cooker settings and preference for sauce thickness.
Use cooked white rice or any rice variety of your choice as a base when serving.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce.
This recipe can be doubled or halved to accommodate different serving needs.