These Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly and chili sauce make the perfect appetizer or main dish! It’s such an easy recipe that only requires 3 ingredients, but is full of great flavor, and hardly any work is needed!
Talk about the easiest appetizer recipe in the world! I love when a crock pot recipe says to dump everything in and go! It makes dinner time and parties a breeze to host. Often, I will make a double batch of my classic oven meatballs to freeze so I can use them for our next party without having to run to the store for frozen meatballs.
If we serve these for the main course, we always have a comfort side dish like mashed potatoes or roasted veggies. When it’s party time we go all out with fan favorites such as mini pigs in a blanket, bacon cheeseburger sliders, buffalo chicken fries and buffalo chicken meatballs, southwest roll-ups, or jalapeno poppers! Talk about a spread!
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Why You’ll Love Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Easy appetizer with simple ingredients.
- A classic recipe that can also be used for a no-fuss main course weeknight meal.
- Perfect for game-day parties and large crowds.
🧆 Ingredients:
- Pre-cooked Oven Baked Meatballs or 32 oz. bag of frozen meatballs
- Heinz chili sauce – adds a bit of spice to the meatballs, you can also use a barbecue sauce
- Grape jelly – sweetness
- Chopped parsley – for garnish
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Equipment Needed: Crockpot or Dutch Oven
Substitutions and Variations
- Spicy meatballs – For a little kick, add some sriracha, Thai sweet chili sauce, or cayenne pepper. Be careful, because too much will make these really hot!
- Barbecue sauce – if you don’t have chili sauce, you can add ketchup with a little seasoning along with your favorite bbq sauce. If it needs to be a little sweeter, brown sugar can be added.
- Other meatballs – we like using ground beef, but turkey or chicken meatballs can be substituted. The best meatballs for those who want to be a little healthier would be the kind from Trader Joe’s or making your own meatballs since you know exactly what is going in them.
🔪 Instructions:
Step 1: Place the meatballs into the slow cooker and pour the grape jelly and chili sauce on top.
Step 2: Place the lid on and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. Stir at the one-hour mark.
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Put finished meatballs on a platter and garnish with parsley for a main meal, or serve with toothpicks as an appetizer.
Recipe Tips for Crockpot Meatballs with Chili Sauce
- We like using homemade meatballs which makes 24 large meatballs or 48 smaller, cocktail meatballs. If you are making these for a holiday party or Super Bowl party, the smaller ones are great appetizer sizes.
- Serve these straight from the crockpot by placing a few toothpicks in them and leaving some beside the pot. Turn the crockpot to warm once they have finished cooking.
- This recipe is not meant for raw meatballs. You can place frozen or thawed meatballs directly in the pot. Be sure to pre-cook the homemade ones if you are using those. Par-cooked meatballs will work fine. You can double check that the internal temperature reaches 165° before consuming for proper food safety.
- For a thicker sauce, vent the lid on the crockpot after the initial cook time for another 15-30 minutes to allow some of the liquid to evaporate. You can also make a cornstarch slurry to mix in.
Fun Fact
Every culture has its own version of what a meatball should taste like!
Recipe FAQs
We recommend storing leftover grape jelly meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze, place the cooled cooked meatballs in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months.
If you used frozen meatballs to start with, it is not recommended to refreeze those. Only freeze if you made homemade meatballs.
There’s just something about that sweet and savory combo that goes together. The sugar in the jelly adds just enough flavor to balance out the tangy flavor of the chili sauce.
More Delicious Party Food
If you tried this Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Crockpot Meatballs with Grape Jelly
Ingredients
- 32 oz. recipe pre-cooked Oven Baked Meatballs or 32 oz. bag of frozen meatballs
- 12 oz. jar Heinz chili sauce
- 18 oz. jar grape jelly
- Chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Place the meatballs into the crock of the slow cooker.
- Pour chili sauce and grape jelly over the meatballs – you can swirl them together over the meatballs or simply dump them in and stir after they have been cooking for awhile.
- Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours. Stir the meatballs and sauce together after the first hour.
- For thicker sauce, vent the lid of the crockpot and continue cooking for 15-30 minutes until some of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.
- Serve with toothpicks straight out of the crockpot, or plate and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
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