These Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs are super easy to make and packed with so much delicious flavor, all cooked in the Crock Pot, so you can get on with your day. Whether it’s dinner or a party snack, they deliver that perfect sweet and tangy taste everyone loves.
I’ve always appreciated meals that practically make themselves, and these meatballs in sweet and sour sauce do exactly that! Toss frozen meatballs with juicy pineapple, crisp bell peppers, and a tangy homemade sauce in the crock pot, then let it do all the work. The result is a delicious dish with a unique sweet and sour flavor that’s perfect over rice, noodles, or served as a fun party appetizer.
If you love the flavors in this sweet and sour Crock Pot meatballs recipe, check out my sweet and sour pork and sweet and sour chicken recipes next.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to Make: Just toss the frozen meatballs and other ingredients into your crockpot and let it do all the work, without the fuss or stress.
- Delicious Flavor: These sweet and sour meatballs with pineapple have the perfect balance of tangy and sweet that everyone will love.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Perfect for busy days, you can prep ahead and just heat when ready.
- Versatile Serving: Whether you serve these meatballs over slow cooker rice, noodles, or as a fun party appetizer, they’re always a hit.
Ingredients
- Frozen Meatballs: Use pre-cooked, plain frozen meatballs for best results. You can choose larger or cocktail-sized meatballs depending on how you plan to serve them.
- Pineapple Chunks: Use canned pineapple chunks with juice included. The juice adds natural sweetness and tang to the sauce. If you're a fan of pineapple, you will love this Crock Pot pineapple BBQ chicken.
- Vegetables: Use firm, brightly colored red and green bell peppers along with a medium yellow onion, all cut into roughly 1-inch pieces. These add fresh crunch, vibrant color, and natural sweetness that deepen the flavor of the sauce.
- Brown Sugar & Apple Cider Vinegar: These two balance each other to create the classic sweet and sour flavor. Brown sugar adds sweetness, while apple cider vinegar brings tanginess.
- Ketchup: Adds a rich tomato flavor and natural sweetness while helping to thicken the sauce.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Ground Turkey or Chicken Meatballs: Swap frozen beef meatballs for turkey or chicken meatballs for a lighter, leaner option that still works well with the sweet and sour sauce.
- Extra Veggies: Stir in chopped snap peas, shredded carrots, or sliced water chestnuts during the last 30 minutes of cooking for added crunch and nutrition.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free meatballs and substitute tamari for soy sauce, and arrowroot starch for cornstarch, to keep this dish safe for gluten-sensitive diets. Make sure to check the labels on other ingredients. For a naturally gluten-free recipe, try my homemade chicken stew.
- Asian-Inspired Garnishes: Top with chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, and toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor and presentation.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Making these sweet and sour meatballs with frozen meatballs is easy and hands-off, thanks to the Crock Pot. Just a few simple steps, and you’ll have a tasty meal or party appetizer ready to enjoy!
- Step 1: Coat the Meatballs. Put the frozen meatballs and cornstarch in a large freezer bag, then shake it up until the meatballs are evenly coated. This helps the sauce stick and gives the meatballs a nice glaze.
- Step 2: Add Veggies and Meatballs to the Crock Pot. Place the coated meatballs along with the chopped red and green bell peppers and onion into the crock pot.
- Step 3: Mix and Pour the Sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and veggies in the crock pot.
- Step 4: Cook and Finish with Pineapple. Cover and cook on high for about 2½ hours, or low for 4½ to 5½ hours. About 30 minutes before it’s done, add the pineapple chunks, cover again, and finish cooking. Serve as a party appetizer with bacon-wrapped smokies.
Expert Tips
- Use Frozen Meatballs Straight from the Bag: No need to thaw beforehand, adding frozen meatballs saves time and helps keep them tender during cooking. Also, avoid using Italian meatballs, which can throw off the flavor of the dish.
- Coat Meatballs with Cornstarch: Tossing meatballs in cornstarch before cooking helps thicken the sauce and gives the meatballs a nice, glossy finish.
- Add Pineapple at the End: Add pineapple chunks during the last 30 minutes of cooking to prevent them from becoming too soft or mushy.
- Stir Sauce Gently Before Serving: Gently stir the sauce to blend flavors without breaking up the meatballs or vegetables.
- Storage: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. For longer storage, freeze completely cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Serving Suggestions
- This sweet and sour meatball Crock Pot recipe makes an easy, flavorful main dish that works great for busy weeknights. Serve them with some noodles and a side of green beans in the crockpot for a well-balanced meal.
- Serve at parties, potlucks, or on game day with some other tasty appetizers like slow cooker artichoke dip and crock pot chicken wings.
Recipe FAQs
You can replace the pineapple chunks and juice with orange juice or diced mango for a different fruity flavor. Keep in mind, this will slightly change the sweet-tangy balance.
For best results, reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of pineapple juice or broth if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also warm them in the crock pot on the low setting until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Once cooked, you can keep the meatballs on the “warm” setting in your crock pot for up to 3 hours. Keep the lid on as much as possible to maintain the temperature and prevent the sauce from drying out. Stir occasionally to ensure even heat.
More Delicious Meatball Recipes
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Crock Pot Sweet And Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 (32 oz) bag frozen meatballs
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup pineapple chunks (Do not drain. The juice will be used in sauce.)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (cut into 1" pieces)
- 1 medium green bell pepper (cut into 1" pieces)
- 1 cup yellow onion (cut into 1" pieces)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Add meatballs and cornstarch to a 1 gallon freezer bag. Shake until completely coated.
- Place coated meatballs, green pepper, red pepper, and onion to the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl add juice from pineapple chunks, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and garlic. Stir together and pour over meatballs and vegetables.
- Cover and cook on high for 2½ hours (or low for 4½ to 5½ hours). 30 minutes before the cooking time is complete, add in the pineapple chunks and recover, and finish cooking.
- Serve over rice and garnish with fresh green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
- Coating the frozen meatballs in cornstarch before cooking helps the sauce stick and creates a glossy finish.
- Add pineapple chunks during the last 30 minutes of cooking so they keep their texture and don’t turn mushy.
- Avoid stirring too often while cooking to keep the meatballs from breaking apart.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate. It may vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact ingredient numbers, I recommend calculating them with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Jackie Torreyson says
Very simple recipe but super flavorful. I stirred mine halfway through cooking. Wasn't overly sweet. Defiantly want to make sure you use regular meatballs not Italian ones. Turned out great will be adding to my weeknight meal rotation.
Jackie says
Quick and easy to make. Loaded with flavor. I stirred mine about halfway to make sure everything was coated. I would recommend turning on high towards the end to help thicken the sauce. You will want to make sure you use regular meatballs and not the Italian kind. Super yummy will be adding to my weeknight rotation.
Ryan Allen says
I am so glad you thought is was good enough to add to your weeknight rotation. Happy eating!!