Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Meatballs (Print version)

Frozen meatballs in tangy peach preserves sauce—effortless appetizer or main dish ready in your crock pot.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 2 pounds frozen fully cooked meatballs

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup peach or apricot preserves
03 - 1/2 cup ketchup
04 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

10 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together peach or apricot preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
02 - Place frozen meatballs in a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker.
03 - Pour prepared sauce over meatballs and gently toss to ensure even coating.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on HIGH setting for 1.5 to 2 hours, until meatballs are heated through and sauce reaches a gentle boil.
05 - Stir gently before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve warm as an appetizer with toothpicks, or ladle over cooked rice for a main course.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • Five minutes of prep means you can literally dump everything in the slow cooker and forget about it while you live your life.
  • The sweet and sour sauce tastes like it took hours to perfect, but it's actually just a handful of pantry staples whisked together.
  • Works as both a party appetizer that impresses people and a weeknight dinner that actually gets on the table without stress.
02 -
  • Don't thaw the meatballs before adding them—they cook more evenly straight from frozen and the slow cooker heat distributes perfectly.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after cooking, you can uncover the slow cooker for the last 20 minutes to let some liquid evaporate and the sauce will cling better.
03 -
  • Whisk the sauce ingredients in a small bowl first before adding to the slow cooker so everything emulsifies evenly instead of the preserves clumping.
  • If you want a glossier, more restaurant-style sauce, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water and stir it in during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
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