Slow Cooker Peach Glazed Meatballs (Print Version)

Tender meatballs in sweet peach glaze with chili sauce. Perfect for parties or family meals in 3 hours.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1.5 pounds ground beef
02 - 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 0.25 cup finely diced onion
07 - 2 tablespoons milk
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Peach Glaze

10 - 1 cup peach preserves
11 - 0.5 cup chili sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
14 - 0.25 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

# How to Make:

01 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, garlic, onion, milk, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
02 - Roll mixture into 1-inch meatballs and arrange on a baking sheet.
03 - Broil meatballs on high for 5 minutes to brown the tops and enhance texture, if desired.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together peach preserves, chili sauce, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes until well combined.
05 - Transfer meatballs to the slow cooker and pour the peach glaze over them. Gently stir to coat all meatballs evenly.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 3 hours, until meatballs are cooked through and glazed.
07 - Transfer to serving dish and serve warm as an appetizer with toothpicks or as a main dish over rice or mashed potatoes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does all the work while you do absolutely nothing, and guests think you fussed for hours.
  • That sweet peach glaze with a kick of chili sauce hits every flavor note without tasting like dessert.
  • Perfect for feeding a crowd or freezing half for a weeknight when you cannot think straight.
02 -
  • Do not skip the broiling step if you have time, because that light char on the meatballs keeps them from turning mushy in the slow cooker.
  • If your glaze looks too thick after cooking, stir in a tablespoon of water or apple juice to loosen it without losing flavor.
  • Always mix meatballs with a light hand, treating the meat like it might fall apart if you squeeze too hard.
03 -
  • Use a small cookie scoop to portion the meatballs so they are all the same size and cook evenly without any getting overdone.
  • Line your baking sheet with parchment paper before broiling to save yourself from scrubbing stuck on bits later.
  • Taste the glaze before adding it to the meatballs and adjust the sweetness or tang to match your preference.
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