Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Meatballs (Printable Version)

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

# 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

# Directions:

01 - Transfer frozen meatballs into a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together peach or apricot preserves, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard if using, garlic powder, ginger, and red pepper flakes until smooth
03 - Pour sauce over meatballs and stir gently to coat all pieces evenly
04 - Cover 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 - Transfer to serving dish and serve hot as an appetizer with toothpicks or over steamed rice as a main dish

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It takes less than five minutes to dump everything in and walk away while the slow cooker does all the work.
  • The sauce gets thick and sticky, clinging to every meatball with a perfect balance of sweet fruit and tangy vinegar.
  • You can serve it straight from the crock pot, no plating required, and people will still think you fussed.
02 -
  • Don't cook them on HIGH unless you're in a real hurry, because the sauce can get too thin and the meatballs don't soak up as much flavor.
  • If the sauce looks too runny after a few hours, take the lid off for the last 30 minutes to let it thicken up and get glossy.
03 -
  • Stir the meatballs gently so they stay intact and don't break apart in the sauce.
  • Taste the sauce before pouring it over the meatballs and adjust the vinegar or sugar to your liking, because preserves vary in sweetness depending on the brand.
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