Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Vegan Meatballs

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Meatballs! These meatballs are packed in a sweet and spicy pepper and pineapple sauce. So delicious and perfect for weeknight dinners! Throw everything in a slow cooker and dinner is ready when you are!

this Recipe

I can’t wait for you to try these slow cooker sweet and spicy vegan meatballs. I’m always looking for more recipes to use in my slow cooker, especially this time of year.

Raise you hand if you love your slow cooker. While I also adore mine, it gets a special place in my heart this time of year. So much, in fact, that I end up just keeping it on the counter instead of putting it back in the basement after each use.

Considering that I use it at least 2-3x a week, it’s a mainstay in my kitchen this time of year. I know that most of you feel the same way, which is why I’ll be sharing at least a few new slow cooker recipes (and yes, some Instant Pot) over the next few months.

First up, these slow cooker sweet and spicy vegan meatballs! Long-time readers may recognize this recipe as I first published it back in 2013. However, it desperately needed a retest and a makeover, which is what I’ve got for you today.

What I love most about this recipe is how incredibly easy it is to put together. This dish reminds me of the recipes that you’d find in the back of a church cookbook. A true dump recipe; throw everything in, turn it on and dinner is ready a few hours later.

We’re essentially making a spicy tangy BBQ sauce first, letting the meatballs, peppers and pineapple soak up all of the sweet and spicy goodness as it cooks. Subtly sweet, thanks to the addition of pure maple syrup, yet spicy and rich at the same time.

One note — I am calling for cooked rice to serve this with as the sauce is so yummy, you’ll likely want something else to help soak it up. Of course, this takes it out of a true one-pot recipe, so you can either make rice ~30 minutes before you’re ready to serve dinner or use microwave rice or instant rice packets. I actually love a white rice instead of brown rice here, but that’s just my personal preference.

The sauce was incredible on these vegan meatballs, but I bet just about any protein would taste great here. Have leftovers? Stuff extra meatballs and peppers into a hoagie roll for a tropical twist on a meatball sub!

If you try these slow cooker sweet and spicy vegan meatballs, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Vegan Meatballs

• Author: Alex Caspero MA, RD
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, main, entree, slow cooker, lunch
• Method: slow cooker
• Cuisine: slow cooker, american

Description

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Meatballs! These meatballs are packed in a sweet and spicy pepper and pineapple sauce. So delicious and perfect for weeknight dinners! Throw everything in a slow cooker and dinner is ready when you are!

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• Author: Alex Caspero MA, RD
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, main, entree, slow cooker, lunch
• Method: slow cooker
• Cuisine: slow cooker, american

• Author: Alex Caspero MA, RD
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, main, entree, slow cooker, lunch
• Method: slow cooker
• Cuisine: slow cooker, american

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, sliced thin
• 1 cup plain tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. corn starch
• 1 teaspoon ground all spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. liquid smoke (optional, but recommended)
• 1 (20 oz.) can diced pineapple, drained, 1/3 cup liquid reserved
• 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen vegan meatballs* (We love the Trader Joe’s brand)
• Cooked rice for serving

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Instructions

1. Place crockpot on high setting.
2. Add 1 tbsp. olive oil and chopped onion. Stir and let cook until onion is slightly cooked, about 10 minutes.
3. Add bell and jalapeno peppers, stir into the onion mixture and let sit for another 5 minutes.
4. in a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch, maple syrup, pineapple juice, tomato sauce, all spice, ginger, garlic powder and liquid smoke (if using). Stir together until blended and pour onto the pepper mixture.
5. Stir in the frozen meatballs and diced pineapple.
6. Cover and let cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.
7. Sauce should be reduced and thick, meatballs heated all the way through.
8. Serve over cooked rice, if desired.

Notes

• I used frozen meatballs here but if you want to make your own, I love my mushroom meatball recipe!

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