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Sweet and Sour Meatballs are the best appetizer for any party! Frozen meatballs are flavored deliciously with just grape jelly and chili garlic sauce to make the most mouthwatering combo. The best part is that you can easily make them in either your Crockpot or on the stove top – the choice is yours!

A hand is lifting a meatball from a full bowl using a toothpick.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

I love a good party appetizer that can be eaten with a toothpick! It makes it so much easier to grab a quick bite and keep the party going, rather than having to slice or plate something.

These easy to make Sweet and Sour Meatballs aren’t just convenient to serve at a party, they’re also totally stress free, which makes them ideal for prepping just before your guests arrive.

Depending on how many guests you have headed your way, you may want to consider doubling this recipe. These meatballs tend to go very fast! They’re such a quick bite and pretty downright addictive, so before you know it, only half an hour has passed and all of your meatballs are gone. I think the sauce is to blame for that. I mean, it’s truly the best balance of sweet and sour. Everyone loves it!

Oh, and have I mentioned that this is a three ingredient recipe? Yes – THREE INGREDIENTS! All you need to whip up this party favorite is frozen meatballs, grape jelly, and chili garlic sauce.

As if that didn’t simplify things enough already, the steps to making these meatballs are also very minimal and easy to follow! You can either use your stove top or Crockpot. Either way, you’ll end up with the best Sweet and Sour Meatballs for your party!

The ingredients for meatballs are placed on a white table.
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How to Make Them

Is it football season already?! Make sure you’re prepared all season long with quick and easy appetizer recipes like this one!

The stove top method:

Add the meatballs to the pan.

Stir together the chili garlic sauce and jelly in a small bowl. 

Pour the jelly mixture over the meatballs and cook over medium heat until hot, approximately 15 minutes.

The Crockpot method:

Add the meatballs to the slow cooker.

Stir the chili garlic sauce and jelly in a small bowl and pour over the meatballs. Toss the meatballs in the sauce.

Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.

Frozen meatballs in a pot are mixed with jelly and chili garlic sauce.

How do I serve Sweet and Sour Meatballs?

These meatballs are most commonly served as appetizers. Simply present them in your favorite serving dish or keep them on the “Warm” setting of your Crockpot and serve them with toothpicks. They really make an excellent party food!

Alternately, you can always serve these meatballs as part of an entree. Just pop them onto a pile of white rice and plate them with the veggie of your choice for a well rounded meal, we’re partial to broccoli but make your favorite..

How long will they stay fresh?

In an airtight container in the fridge, any leftovers you have will stay fresh for about 3-4 days. To reheat the meatballs, either pop them into the microwave or back into the Crockpot. I recommend using the Crockpot to reheat the meatballs, as the microwave tends to dry them out.

Are these meatballs spicy?

Nope, but I can see why that can be assumed! Chili garlic sauce has a little kick to it, but it’s not too spicy. Especially since that spice is so tamed by the sweet grape jelly and neutral meatballs – you really won’t find heat in this sweet and sour recipe. You could always add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes if you’re really craving a little spice.

A white bowl is filled with cooked meatballs.

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Sweet and Sour Meatballs

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Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 18
Quick, easy and addicting, Sweet and Sour Meatballs are a stepped up version of the classic grape jelly meatballs from your childhood. With an extra kick of heat, you'll need a double batch for your next party because they go so fast!

Equipment

  • slow cooker
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Ingredients 

  • 1 32 ounce bag frozen fully-cooked meatballs (or your favorite meatballs from scratch)
  • 12 ounces Chili Garlic Sauce
  • 10 ounces Grape Jelly

Instructions 

  • Add the meatballs to the pan.
  • Stir together the chili garlic sauce and jelly in a small bowl.
  • Pour the jelly mixture over the meatballs and cook over medium heat until hot, approximately 15 minutes.
  • Serve hot.

To make in the slow cooker:

  • Add the meatballs to the slow cooker or crockpot.
  • Stir the chili garlic sauce and jelly in a small bowl and pour over the meatballs. Toss the meatballs in the sauce.
  • Cover and cook on high for 2-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

Meatballs can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat in a saucepan or in the slow cooker until hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 68kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 0.2g, Fat: 0.2g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.02g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 934mg, Potassium: 14mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 0.1IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 3mg, Iron: 0.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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2 Comments

  1. Michele says:

    What brand of frozen meatballs did you use??

    1. Kellie says:

      Hi! I used Wegman’s brand.