Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
These easy crockpot grape jelly meatballs combine just three ingredients for a sweet and tangy party appetizer. Add everything to the slow cooker and let it do the work!
Ingredients
- 26 –32 ounces fully cooked frozen homestyle meatballs
- 18 ounces grape jelly
- 12 ounces chili sauce such as Heinz
Instructions
- Add the frozen meatballs directly to the crockpot. Do not thaw.
- Spoon the grape jelly over the meatballs, then pour the chili sauce over the top.
- Stir everything together. The jelly won't completely coat the meatballs until it begins to melt.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for about 2 hours or LOW for 3–4 hours, stirring once or twice during cooking.
- Stir well and check the consistency of the sauce. If it's still thin, remove the lid and continue cooking until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy enough to coat the meatballs. Mine needed about 45 additional minutes uncovered.
- Once the sauce has thickened, turn the crockpot to WARM. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve with toothpicks or cocktail picks.
Notes
- Use fully cooked frozen meatballs: This recipe is written for fully cooked frozen meatballs, not fresh or raw meatballs.
- For a thicker sauce: Frozen meatballs release moisture as they cook. If the sauce is thinner than you'd like after the meatballs are heated through, cook uncovered until it reduces and thickens.
- Using a smaller bag: I used a 26-ounce bag of meatballs with the full amounts of grape jelly and chili sauce, so my sauce needed about 45 extra minutes uncovered to thicken. A larger bag may not need as much additional time.
- For serving: Plan on about 3–4 meatballs per person when serving these with several other appetizers.
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