Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe — Tender, flavorful meatballs simmered in a tangy, slightly sweet sauce. After making this many times, I discovered the trick to keeping them from falling apart. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy No Bake S’mores Pudding Cups Recipe and Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Tortellini Dinner Recipe.

What You'll Need for Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 1 lb frozen meatballs
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes (optional)
• Optional: Green onions
• Optional: Sesame seeds

How to Make Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

1. Combine sauce ingredients: In a bowl, mix ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder.
2. Cook meatballs: Place meatballs in slow cooker. Pour sauce over meatballs. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
3. Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles.

Storing & Reheating Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare the night before and refrigerate the meatballs and sauce separately. Cook in the morning.

Freezing Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier version, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
• Best substitution: Substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the night before and refrigerate the meatballs and sauce separately. Cook in the morning.
• Scaling: Double the ingredients to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thin, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and stir into the slow cooker in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe

⏱

Prep

10 minutes

🍳

Cook

3-8 hours

⏳

Total

3-8 hours 10 minutes

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free, Low-carb

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen meatballs
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder

Seasonings

• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Optional Toppings

• Green onions
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Combine sauce ingredients: In a bowl, mix ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder.
2. Cook meatballs: Place meatballs in slow cooker. Pour sauce over meatballs. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
3. Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier version, add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
• Best substitution: Substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef.
• Make-ahead: Prepare the night before and refrigerate the meatballs and sauce separately. Cook in the morning.
• Scaling: Double the ingredients to serve a crowd.
• Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thin, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water and stir into the slow cooker in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Make ahead: Prepare the night before and refrigerate the meatballs and sauce separately. Cook in the morning.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 280
• Protein: 22g
• Fat: 10g
• Carbs: 22g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 18g
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Cholesterol: 75mg
• Sat. Fat: 3.5g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!