Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Meatballs (Printable)

Tender meatballs in a fruity tangy sauce, perfect for parties or easy weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 2 pounds frozen fully cooked meatballs

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup peach or apricot preserves
03 - 1/2 cup ketchup
04 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

10 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together peach or apricot preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
02 - Place frozen meatballs in a 4-6 quart slow cooker basin.
03 - Pour prepared sauce over meatballs and gently toss to coat evenly throughout.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5-2 hours until meatballs are heated through and sauce reaches a gentle simmer.
05 - Stir gently before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve warm as an appetizer with toothpicks or over rice as a main dish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between the tender meatballs and that sticky glaze creates this almost addictive bite that makes people hover around the crockpot until the last one disappears.
  • You can literally dump everything in while still wearing pajamas in the morning and have something that tastes intentional and guest-worthy by dinnertime with zero additional effort.
02 -
  • Dont stir these meatballs too aggressively or too often during cooking or theyll start to break apart, especially if using turkey or chicken varieties.
  • The sauce thickens considerably as it cools, so if youre planning to keep these warm for a party, you might want to add a splash of water or pineapple juice toward the end to maintain the perfect consistency.
03 -
  • Keep your slow cooker on the warm setting during parties and place a small bowl of toothpicks nearby for the perfect self-serve appetizer that stays hot without overcooking.
  • The thickness of your sauce depends largely on your preserves brand, so wait until the end of cooking to adjust consistency rather than diluting too early.
Go Back