Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Meatballs (Printable)

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

# What You 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 tbsp soy sauce
06 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
07 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
08 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1/2 tsp ground ginger
10 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

# How To Make It:

01 - Add the frozen meatballs to the slow cooker bowl.
02 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together preserves, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, ginger, and red pepper flakes until smooth and well combined.
03 - Pour the prepared sauce over the meatballs and stir gently to ensure even coating.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW 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 -
  • The slow cooker does all the work while you handle everything else on your to-do list.
  • Frozen meatballs mean zero prep, and the sauce comes together in under two minutes.
  • That sweet-tangy glaze is the kind of flavor that keeps guests guessing what's in it.
  • It works as a last-minute appetizer or a weeknight dinner over rice with almost no effort.
02 -
  • Don't skip the vinegar, it's what keeps the sauce from tasting like straight jam and gives it that true sweet-and-sour balance.
  • Stir at least once during cooking so the meatballs on top don't dry out and the ones on the bottom don't stick.
  • If your sauce looks too thin after cooking, leave the lid off for the last 20 minutes to let it reduce and thicken up.
03 -
  • Use a slow cooker liner for the easiest cleanup you've ever had, just toss it when you're done and the crock stays spotless.
  • If you're serving these at a party, start them on LOW in the morning and switch to WARM an hour before guests arrive so they stay perfect without overcooking.
  • A little splash of pineapple juice in the sauce adds tropical sweetness and makes the glaze even shinier.
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