These Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs are easy to make and tasty to eat, making them a nice choice for gatherings or for an easy supper.
Made with pineapple juice, soy sauce, and ketchup, these meatballs are perfectly slow cooked to perfection in a tangy and sweet sauce.
What you will read about in this recipe.
- What are sweet and sour meatballs?
- Why we love Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Ingredients needed to make homemade sweet and sour meatballs.
- Tips for making the best slow cooker sweet and sour meatballs.
- How to make Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs.
- How to store Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- Print the recipe for Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs
What are sweet and sour meatballs?
Sweet and sour meatballs are a hearty and satisfying recipe for meatballs cooked in a sauce that is both sweet and sour.
I like that this is basically a 'dump and slow cook' recipe making it beyond easy to make a great dish!
Have you tried my recipe for Crockpot Coca Cola Meatballs (3 ingredients)?
Those meatballs are made with three ingredients including soda. Both this recipe for sweet and sour meatballs and that recipe for cola meatballs are easy and tasty meatball recipes that can be made in a slow cooker.
Make clean-up even easier by using liners in your Crock Pot. You can find a selection of slow cooker liners here.
Why we love Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
This recipe is perfect as hassle-free weekday dinner. They are also just as good for serving to a crowd at gatherings such as potlucks or tailgates.
Here is what else we like about this recipe.
- These tender meatballs are coated in a homemade sweet and tangy glaze and cooked low and slow in the crockpot.
- Slow cooking means that you can just set it to cook and go do something else.
- You can make this recipe with about any kind of a meatball.
- Personalizing this recipe is as easy as adding vegetables such as baby corn on the cob or additional red pepper flakes.
- You can serve your meatballs over fluffy rice along with the onions and bell peppers for a well balanced, easy meal that does not lack flavor.
- Leftover meatballs can be served as an appetizer, meal, or used in another recipe such as a sandwich
Ingredients needed to make homemade sweet and sour meatballs.
- Meatballs. Use already cooked and packaged (frozen) meatballs.
- Pineapple Juice. Use actual pineapple juice without added ingredients.
- Ketchup. You can use the ketchup of your choice.
- Soy Sauce. Regular or low sodium soy sauce.
- Brown Sugar. Helps to make a sweet balance to the sour ingredients.
- Rice Vinegar. White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar also work.
- Cornstarch Added as a thickener for your sauce.
- Grated Ginger. Fresh is preferred.
- Garlic Powder A small amount is used.
- Red Pepper Flakes. For a bit of heat.
- Onion. Chopped into large pieces.
- Bell Pepper. Also chopped into large pieces.
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Tips for making the best slow cooker sweet and sour meatballs.
This recipe calls for frozen meatballs. Select standard or cocktail sized meatballs, not jumbo sized meatballs. They are usually about a half ounce to one once each.
More helpful tips for you.
- Possibly the best pineapple juice comes from canned pineapples . You can then add the pineapple pieces to the slow cooker for additional flavor if desired.
- This recipe is not just for beef meatballs. As long as they are pre-cooked, you can use chicken or turkey meatballs. (Note that cooking times can vary with this method.)
- My meatballs were slow cooked in a large crockpot. Depending on the size of your slow cooker, you may need to cut the ingredient amounts in half, make this in batches, or use an additional slow cooker to make this recipe.
- Keep an eye on your meatballs while they slow cook and stir them occasionally. If the sauce seems to get too thick you can can add additional juice or if it is too thin you can take the cover off the slow cooker for a short time.
- After your meatballs are done slow cooking, let them rest for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Simply set your slow cooker on warm when serving these meatballs. I would stir them occasionally.
How to make Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs.
Prep Time : 5 minutes .
Slow Cook Time: 1-3 hours .
Servings: 12 .
- Glaze. Make the glaze by whisking together your pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, cornstarch, grated ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a saucepan on medium heat. Bring the ingredients to a simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened (three to five minutes) and then remove from the heat.
- Combine. Place the frozen meatballs into your slow cooker and then carefully pour your glaze over the meatballs, stirring to coat the meatballs. Then stir in your onion and bell pepper pieces.
- Slow Cook. Cover your slow cooker and cook on low for two to three hours or on high for one to two hours, or until the meatballs are heated through.
- Enjoy. Serve warm over rice, with toothpicks, or as desired.
Expert Tip 👉 Have plenty of cocktail toothpicks or cocktail forks on hand to make it easy to enjoy these meatballs!
How to store Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Once your Sweet and Sour Meatballs have fully cooled, you can store your leftovers in an airtight container or covered slow cooker. When properly stored, these meatballs should keep refrigerated for about four days or frozen for up to three months.
You may also be interested in these slow cooker recipes.
- Crockpot Barbecue Chicken Recipe
- Crock Pot Jalapeno Popper Dip Recipe (slow cooker)
- Slow Cooker Chorizo Queso Dip (Crockpot Recipe)
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Crockpot Apple Butter Bourbon Meatballs
- Slow Cooker (Crockpot) Mississippi Chicken
- Crockpot Bourbon Chicken (Slow Cooker) Recipe
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken (Crockpot)
Print the recipe for Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Meatballs -frozen
- 1 cup Pineapple Juice
- ¼ cup Ketchup
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 4 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Ginger -- grated
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 Onion --Chopped
- 2 Bell Pepper --Chopped
Instructions
- Glaze. Make the glaze by whisking together your pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, cornstarch, grated ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a saucepan on medium heat. Bring the ingredients to a simmer, whisking constantly, until the sauce has thickened (three to five minutes) and then remove from the heat.
- Combine. Place the frozen meatballs into your slow cooker and then carefully pour your glaze over the meatballs, stirring to coat the meatballs. Then stir in your onion and bell pepper pieces.
- Slow Cook. Cover your slow cooker and cook on low for two to three hours or on high for one to two hours, or until the meatballs are heated through.
- Enjoy. Serve warm over rice, with toothpicks, or as desired.
Recipe Notes
Also, please see the actual recipe post for further details on this recipe. Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that are used. See theairfryingdiva.com for details on this recipe.
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Nutrition
Please note: Nutritional data has been calculated using a tool that comes with this recipe card and not by me. This means that Nutritional Information is only an estimate and can vary especially with ingredients that you use. The accuracy of this tool may differ from other tools as expected. Also note that there is no instructional value to the video that may be attached to this recipe. It is only there for visual pleasure. For more information about the images in this recipe, please refer the the recipe instructions. Thank you!
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Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs, a simple and delicious appetizer or meal recipe slow cooked in a savory, tangy, and sweet sauce.
Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.
Solly
Really turned out good. I didn’t have brown sugar so I used molasses instead.
TheAirFryingDiva
That does sound like a good idea!