Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Meatballs (Print Version)

Frozen meatballs in tangy-sweet peach preserve sauce, slow-cooked to perfection for any occasion.

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

# How to Make:

01 - Place frozen meatballs into the crock pot bowl
02 - 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 ensure all pieces are evenly coated
04 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 3 to 4 hours until meatballs are heated through and sauce is bubbling, stirring once or twice during cooking if possible
05 - Serve hot as an appetizer with toothpicks or over steamed rice as a main dish

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can prep this in pajamas before your coffee kicks in and still impress a crowd by dinner.
  • The sauce thickens into a glossy glaze that clings to every meatball without any stirring or babysitting.
  • It works as a weeknight dinner over rice or a party snack with toothpicks, so you get two recipes in one.
02 -
  • Don't skip the vinegar, it's what keeps the sauce from tasting like straight candy and gives it that addictive sweet-sour balance.
  • If your sauce looks thin after an hour, don't panic, it thickens as it cooks and the preserves break down into a glaze.
  • Stir gently or you'll break the meatballs apart, especially if they're the softer homestyle kind.
03 -
  • Use apricot preserves instead of peach for a slightly sharper, more floral sweetness that pairs beautifully with the ginger.
  • Line your crockpot with a slow cooker liner for the easiest cleanup you've ever experienced.
  • Double the sauce recipe and freeze half for next time, it saves you five minutes and tastes just as fresh.
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