Sweet and Sour Crock Pot Meatballs (Print Version)

Frozen meatballs simmered in tangy peach-preserve sauce—perfect for parties or easy weeknight meals in your crock pot.

# What You 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

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the peach or apricot preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper until smooth.
02 - Place the frozen meatballs in a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
03 - Pour the sauce over the 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 the meatballs are heated through and the sauce is bubbly.
05 - Stir gently before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
06 - Serve warm as an appetizer with toothpicks, or over rice for a main dish.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Five minutes of actual work, then you can forget about it while the slow cooker does everything.
  • That balance of sweet, tangy, and savory hits differently when it comes together in one pot.
  • Works equally well as a passed appetizer or spooned over rice for dinner, making it ridiculously versatile.
02 -
  • Don't skip the soy sauce thinking you'll compensate elsewhere—it's the savory anchor that prevents this from tasting like fruity ketchup.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check around the 2.5-hour mark; some models can turn a beautiful sauce bitter if it reduces too much.
03 -
  • Quality matters here—a brand of meatballs that you actually like eating straight will make the final dish noticeably better since they're the main component.
  • If you're serving these as appetizers, use small toothpicks and serve them in a slow cooker on WARM so they stay perfect through the whole gathering.
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