Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Meatballs (Printable version)

Tender meatballs in a tangy peach-apricot sweet and sour sauce, perfect for parties or weeknight dinners.

# 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

→ Garnish

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

# Directions:

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.
02 - Place frozen meatballs in a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
03 - Pour sauce over meatballs and gently toss to coat evenly.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5-2 hours, until meatballs are heated through and sauce is bubbly.
05 - Stir gently before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve warm as an appetizer with toothpicks, or over rice as a main dish.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce strikes that perfect balance between sweet and tangy, never cloying or overwhelming
  • Using frozen meatballs means zero prep work and maximum convenience
  • Your slow cooker does absolutely everything while you go about your day
02 -
  • The sauce thickens considerably as it cools, so don't worry if it seems thin while cooking
  • Stirring too vigorously can break apart softer meatballs, so use a light touch
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day
03 -
  • Lightly grease your slow cooker insert if you're worried about stuck-on sauce later
  • Let the meatballs sit in the sauce for at least 15 minutes after cooking for maximum flavor absorption
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