These Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs make an easy weeknight dinner or appetizer, with no browning or chopping required. Just add the frozen meatballs and homemade sauce to the slow cooker and let everything cook for a few hours as the flavors come together. Keep them warm and serve straight from the pot for an easy crowd-pleaser.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs at a Glance
- 🧄 Flavor & Texture: Sweet, tangy, smoky meatballs with a saucy finish.
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: Meatballs, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Dijon, and Worcestershire sauce.
- ⏱️ Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes.
- 🍴 Servings: 10
- 🥗 Dietary Info: Meat-based; specific dietary classifications aren't provided.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Serve as an appetizer or over rice for a meal.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: The recipe doesn't provide specific make-ahead instructions.
- ❤️ Why You Will Love It: Easy, crowd-pleasing meatballs with a fabulous sweet and sour sauce.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I've made these sweet and sour meatballs with frozen meatballs for enough get-togethers to know they're always a hit.
About once a month, my husband, Ken, has friends over to play cards and watch sports, and these meatballs have become a regular part of the spread. I always double the recipe and fill two crockpots because, after all these years, I can't remember a time when we had any leftover.
If you enjoy the sweet and sour flavor combination, you'll love my sweet and sour chicken thighs recipe and my sweet and sour pork chops with pineapple.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
"These meatballs are delicious. These are now my goto. Only made the recipe twice but I cant wait to make them again to store in my freezer. Thank you for this great recipe"
-Marsha
Jump to:
- Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs at a Glance
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Variations
- How to Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs in the crock pot
- Expert Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe FAQs
- Video
- More Delicious Meatball Recipes
- Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Use frozen or homemade meatballs: You may use frozen meatballs or your favorite homemade meatball recipe for this. If you don't have one, these easy carnivore meatballs work perfectly.
- Holds warm for hours: If you're planning to serve this to guests as an appetizer, you can safely leave the slow cooker on warm to prevent the meatballs from getting cold.
- Endless serving opportunities: Enjoy these meatballs as a gameday snack, as a main course for dinner, lunch meal prep, and more!
Ingredients
These are the main ingredients of this recipe for sweet and sour meatballs with no pineapple.
- Barbecue sauce: You can use any barbecue sauce depending on what kind of flavor profile you're looking for. A good sweet and smoky version is my go-to. I enjoy this homemade spicy honey barbecue sauce when I'm looking for a little more spice.
- Brown sugar: The molasses in the brown sugar provides depth, and you won't get the same result if you substitute white sugar. When measuring, pack the brown sugar well for accuracy!
- Dijon mustard: I love the tangy flavor of Dijon over yellow mustard. It also has way more depth and complexity, whereas yellow is brighter and more acidic. The flavors aren't interchangeable, but you can use one of the other depending on the flavor you prefer.
- Hot sauce: I add a little hot sauce for balance so the dish doesn't lean too sweet. If you're serving this to little ones, feel free to leave it out.
- Frozen meatballs: Any brand of frozen meatballs works great in this recipe. I do recommend skipping an Italian version just so the flavors don't conflict with the sweet and sour meatball sauce.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Pineapple and bell peppers: For a more classic sweet and sour version, add drained pineapple chunks and diced bell pepper during the last hour of cooking.
- Grape jelly swap: Use ½ cup ketchup and ½ cup grape jelly for a delightfully sticky, sweet twist.
- Turkey or chicken meatballs: Try these crockpot sweet and sour meatballs with ground turkey or chicken meatballs for a leaner result.
- Make it spicy: Really bring the heat with extra dashes of hot sauce or 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite chili garlic sauce.
- Cocktail party version: Add some little smokies alongside the meatballs, making this recipe truly cocktail party ready!
How to Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs in the crock pot
Step 1: Prepare the sauce. Add all the sweet and sour sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk until combined.
Step 2: Add the meatballs. Next, add the frozen meatballs into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Step 3: Stir. Pour in the sauce and stir to coat all of the meatballs.
Step 4: Cook. Cover and cook for about 4 hours on low heat. Garnish with parsley and serve over a scoop of spinach basmati rice.
Expert Tips
- Thicken the sauce if needed: If the sauce is thinner than you prefer, let the meatballs cook uncovered on high for 20-30 minutes. You may also stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken it in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
- Only stir once or twice: I recommend only opening the lid and stirring once, or twice if absolutely needed. Every time the slow cooker is opened, heat and steam are released. This can extend cooking time!
- Switch to warm after 4 hours: After the initial 4 hours, your crockpot can sit on the warm setting. This is ideal for a party because it keeps your appetizer hot without overcooking.
- Storage directions: Place leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
These pineapple BBQ meatballs are similar in flavor to this recipe, except with pineapple as the main ingredient.
Serving Suggestions
- Side suggestions: Some of my favorite pairings include Asian-style mushrooms and hot honey roasted carrots. They both go well with the sauce!
- Easy appetizers: If you're looking for more apps to serve at your party, these mini hot dog sliders are super simple to make.
- Meal prep: Portion your meatballs with veggies of your choice and slow cooker rice to create balanced lunches for the week.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe FAQs
Not at all! Add them straight to your slow cooker from the freezer.
You can, but I prefer everything to cook gently. If you want to cook them on high, only do so for about 2 hours. Then, switch the heat to warm for serving.
You can assemble them in advance, but I recommend cooking them the day you plan to serve them. Combine the ingredients for the sauce (since that's the only work required) and keep it refrigerated for up to 3 days. Then, you can dump it in the crockpot with the meatballs when you're ready.
It depends. It will not take more than 4 hours for them to cook, so it's not ideal to leave them cooking for 8 hours or more. Go ahead and set it up if you have errands to run or a short workday, or if you have a programmable slow cooker, set the time so it starts cooking so it's ready when you get home.
Allow 3-4 per person when serving it as an appetizer with other food, and 5-6 if the meatballs are the main thing or you're serving them over rice as dinner. Two and a half pounds gives you about 40 frozen meatballs.
Video
More Delicious Meatball Recipes
Do you like meatball recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 to 5 dashes hot sauce
- 2 tblsp Dijon mustard
- 2 ½ pounds meatballs
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped, if desired
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and Dijon mustard until well combined. Taste and adjust the hot sauce as desired.
- If using homemade meatballs, prepare and bake them at 350°F for 20 minutes before adding them to the slow cooker. You can also use prepared or frozen meatballs.
- Place the meatballs in the slow cooker and pour the sauce over them. Stir gently until all the meatballs are evenly coated.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Larger frozen meatballs may need additional cooking time. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve as an appetizer or snack, or over rice for a meal.
Video
Notes
- If the sauce is thinner than you'd like, cook the meatballs uncovered on high for 20-30 minutes to let some of the liquid evaporate. For a quicker fix, stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
- Try to open the slow cooker only once, or twice if absolutely necessary. Each time you lift the lid, heat and steam escape, which can increase the cooking time.
- You can cook the meatballs on high, but I prefer the gentler cooking of the low setting. If using high, cook for about 2 hours, then switch the slow cooker to warm for serving.
Marsha says
These meatballs are delicious. These are now my goto. Only made the recipe twice but I cant wait to make them again to store in my freezer. Thank you for this great recipe
Karin and Ken says
As always you're most welcome. We use this recipe all the time and just love it. Glad you do too. All the best. Karin
Anonymous says
Thank u! Been looking for meatball recipe...a delicious one..and came across your site. I also took down recipe for sweet n sour...making for New Year's Eve. You are very through...I like it. Thank u so much and Happy New Year to you fellas.
Karin and Ken says
So glad to hear! You really made my day! We love this recipe! Please let us know what you think of the sweet and sour sauce. It is one of our favorites! Take care and all the best. Karin