Grape Jelly and Chili Sauce Meatballs (Printable Version)

Sweet and tangy meatballs in grape jelly and chili sauce, perfect for parties or easy weeknight appetizers.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 2 lbs frozen cocktail meatballs (beef, turkey, or plant-based)

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup grape jelly
03 - 1 cup chili sauce
04 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
05 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - In slow cooker, whisk together grape jelly, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth.
02 - Add frozen meatballs to sauce, stirring to coat evenly.
03 - Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, or on high for 2 hours, until meatballs are heated through and sauce is bubbling.
04 - Stir well before serving. Serve hot as an appetizer with toothpicks or over rice as a main dish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses just a handful of pantry staples and comes together in under ten minutes of actual work.
  • The sauce creates this sticky, sweet-tangy glaze that clings to every meatball and tastes way more complicated than it is.
  • You can leave it in the slow cooker on warm and it stays perfect for hours, which is a lifesaver at gatherings.
02 -
  • Don't try to make this on the stovetop in a hurry, the slow cooking is what thickens the sauce and makes the glaze cling properly.
  • If the sauce looks too thick after a few hours, stir in a tablespoon or two of water, mine got a little sticky once when I left it on warm too long.
03 -
  • Use a liner in your slow cooker if you have one, it makes cleanup almost instant and keeps the sticky glaze from baking onto the sides.
  • Taste the sauce halfway through cooking and adjust the sweetness or tang with a little more vinegar or jelly, every brand is slightly different and you want the balance to feel right to you.
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