You’d be hard-pressed to find an easier, or tastier, recipe for crockpot meatballs than the one I’m sharing today. Sweet and tangy, this simple “recipe” starts with a bag of frozen meatballs, making it about the most stress-free recipe I’ve ever shared!
The first time I ever tasted these gems was at a neighborhood summer potluck! I thought they were delicious and asked my friend Joann what the recipe was. She got this “guilty” look on her face and said, “Would you believe a jar of chili sauce, a jar of grape jelly, and a bag of frozen meatballs?” I laughed and said “If you say so! Regardless, they are DELICIOUS!” And I think I ate about a dozen!
I have wanted to make this “recipe” ever since, and it wasn’t until I saw this recipe from Six Sisters’ Stuff that my memory was jogged about how good they are! These tasty meatballs are definitely on the menu for our New Year’s Eve noshing!
Related: 13 Extra Simple 3-Ingredient Recipes That Will Save Your Sanity
Sweet & Tangy Crockpot Meatballs
- 12 oz jar chili sauce
- 16-18 oz jar grape jelly
- 2 lb. package frozen meatballs
Add all ingredients to a crockpot and mix. Cook for 2-5 hours on low. Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvres, or serve over rice to make it a meal.
These meatballs couldn’t be easier to make, and they’re a real crowd-pleaser. If you’re hosting a New Year’s Eve party or get-together this year, adding these meatballs to your menu is a no-brainer! (You may also want to print out copies of this post to hand out to everyone who’s going to be asking you for the recipe!) ;-)
3-Ingredient Crockpot Meatballs
Ingredients
- 12 oz jar chili sauce
- 16-18 oz jar grape jelly
- 2 lb. package frozen meatballs
Instructions
- Add ingredients to a crockpot and mix.
- Cook for 2-5 hours on low.
Is there actually any brand of commercial meatballs in which onion ISN’T the dominant flavor? If anyone else has an onion-averse family and knows of a brand that’s sold nationally, I’d appreciate knowing.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have made it for years with chilli sauce and cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce with berries or jelly. Both taste great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Do the meatballs need to be pre-cooked? I have some frozen uncooked meatballs I’d love to use if possible!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have never used raw meatballs before! I would cook them first, just to be safe. I’d worry that the sauce would thicken too much by the time the meatballs were cooked through. Sorry for the bad news!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been making this recipe for 39 years and added beef gravy to give it a different taste. Everyone loves them and during the holidays it is hard to find the ingredients sometimes. My grandson told me to stop giving my recipies out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love this recipe. Very tasty.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cranberry sauce with the chilli sauce with keilbasa and if you let it rest overnight it gets even better. I also skim the fat off .
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I make these with a jar of orange marmalade instead of the grape jelly. It’s always a big hit!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yum! I love orange marmalade :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have made this recipe for years and years and have taken it to potlucks and made it for parties at my own home, and it is ALWAYS a huge hit. I use Trader Joe’s frozen cocktail meatballs.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Add a jar of BBQ sauce. It adds zing and it helps cut back on the sweetness.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Interesting! Thanks Patricia!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We also do this with cocktail weiners. 1 jar of grape jelly and a bottle of ketchup or chili sauce. Either will work and it’s a huge hit.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just a question have u ever tried making them with sweet and sour sauce and using can pineapple .That is good as well.My friend from Ottawa told me about it and we tried it so yummy as well.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds delicious!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is the recipe I have been looking for! Thanks for the post.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Heinz makes the Chili Sauce (has a big white label) and they have for just years. I usually cannot make this although I know it is excellent because I’m Gluten Free and all factory produced meatballs have wheat (gluten) in them. Have made it with jellied cranberry sauce but I think I won’t anymore as jellied cranberry sauce has high fructose corn syrup in it (and lots of it since the stuff is so sweet) and I see that Welch’s Grape Jelly does as well. Be aware of what they put in food (HFCS is a industrial chemical modified sugar).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This recipe was the big thing in the 70’s.
Some things never go out of style!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hello – I have a suggestion. During the Christmas holidays, the meatballs are fabulous if you substitute the whole berry canned cranberrys! They taste awesome!!
For the person who wrote in above chili sauce is called that chili sauce you can find it in most any grocery store!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You substitute whole berry cranberries in a CAN for what? For the grape jelly or the chili sauce?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cranberries and grape jelly would make it awfully sweet….would it not? So I am guessing you mean cranberries and chili and omit the grape jelly??
Please clarify. I am anxious to try this.
Do you by chance have a recipe for chilli sauce? It’s not something I usually have on hand, so I’m not sure which would be that best :)
Thanks for sharing! I’m hoping to try this very soon!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here are a couple of recipes!
This one is a copycat recipe for Heinz chili sauce: http://www.food.com/recipe/heinz-chili-sauce-copycat-457947
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This one looks easier to make: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/58499/chili-sauce/