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Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs: Paleo, Whole30, Gluten-Free, Easy!

These Paleo and Whole30 sweet and sour meatballs are the perfect weeknight meal or delicious recipe to meal prep. What makes this Asian-inspired recipe even better is that it’s done in the slow cooker with little hands-on time. It’s a family friendly recipe that everyone is going to love! Plus it’s so much healthier than any traditional take out menu item!

  • Author: Bailey
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
  • Category: Beef
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

2 tbsp almond flour

1 tbsp minced garlic

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 cup pineapple juice from canned pineapple in 100% juice

2 tbsp honey (can omit, or replace with 2 pureed dates)

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup ketchup ( I use Primal Kitchen brand)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 cup red onion, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 red pepper diced in 1-inch pieces

1 cup chunked pineapple

1 tbsp arrowroot powder dissolved with 1 tbsp water

Optional garnishes: sesame seeds, green onions

Instructions

  1. Using your hands, mix together ground beef, almond flour, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl until combined, being careful to not over-mix.
  2. Roll into 1-2-inch meatballs and gently place into the slow cooker. Cover the entire bottom of the slow cooker with formed meatballs, placing each meatball next to the others. Slightly touching is fine, but do not jam them in tightly.
  3. Once the bottom of the slow cooker is covered, add another layer of meatballs on top, slightly staggering the top layer by gently placing the formed meatballs between the meatballs on the bottom layer until all of the meat has been rolled into meatballs. Add the onion and pepper to the slow cooker.
  4. Next, combine pineapple juice, honey, white wine vinegar, ketchup and garlic powder. Mix well and then pour over the meatballs. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low or 2-2.5 hours on high. 30 minutes before serving, add the pineapple chunks and cover for the remaining cook time.
  5. Once finished, use a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs, pineapple and vegetables to a serving dish. Turn the slow cooker to high and thicken the sauce by dissolving 1 tbsp arrowroot in 1 tbsp water and pouring it into the slow cooker.
  6. Stir into the sauce and allow a few minutes for the sauce to thicken and then pour it over the meatballs. Top with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve over cauliflower rice.

Notes

Swap almond flour for coconut flour to make this nut-free

Recipe from the cookbook Slow Cooked Paleo

Nutrition Facts:

  • Serving Size: 4 meatballs
  • Calories: 385
  • Fat: 15.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 25 g
  • Fiber: 1.3 g
  • Protein: 32.7 g

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