A novel 1 kHz single-frequency, Q-switched Er-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser pumped by a 1470 nm laser diode is demonstrated. The 500 ns, 5.52 mJ single-frequency, diffraction-limited pulses are obtained by using a ‘ramp-fire’ injection-seeding technique and an optical feedback architecture. The full width at half-maximum of the pulse spectrum is measured to be 1.47 MHz by using the heterodyne technique. The beam quality M² factors are measured to be 1.18 and 1.24 in the x and y directions, respectively.