Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Meatballs (Printable View)

Frozen meatballs in tangy-sweet peach preserve sauce. Effortless slow cooker appetizer or main dish in 3 hours.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 2 lbs frozen fully-cooked meatballs

→ Sweet and Sour Sauce

02 - 1 cup peach or apricot preserves
03 - 1/2 cup ketchup
04 - 1/4 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
05 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
06 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
07 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, optional
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
10 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Transfer frozen meatballs into the slow cooker bowl.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together preserves, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, ginger, and red pepper flakes until smooth and fully incorporated.
03 - Pour sauce over meatballs and stir gently to ensure even coating of all pieces.
04 - Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW setting for 3 to 4 hours until meatballs are heated through and sauce is bubbling. Stir once or twice during cooking if possible.
05 - Serve hot as an appetizer with toothpicks or over steamed rice as a main dish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can prep it in under five minutes and walk away while the slow cooker does all the work.
  • The preserves create a glossy, restaurant-style glaze without any fuss or fancy techniques.
  • It works equally well as a quick weeknight dinner over rice or a party appetizer that always gets compliments.
02 -
  • Don't cook on high to save time, the sauce can scorch on the edges and the meatballs won't heat as evenly.
  • If the sauce looks too thick after a few hours, stir in a tablespoon or two of water to loosen it back up.
  • Resist opening the lid too often, every peek adds about fifteen minutes to the cooking time.
03 -
  • Use a slow cooker liner for the easiest cleanup, the sticky sauce can be a pain to scrub off the crock.
  • Add a handful of diced bell peppers or pineapple chunks in the last hour for extra texture and a pop of color.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and add a pinch of salt or a splash more vinegar if it needs balancing.
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