Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Make these easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs for your next get-together! Made with only a handful of simple ingredients and barely any prep, these meatballs are the perfect appetizer for your next game day party or holiday get-together!

When I go to a party, I want to bring something that is super easy to throw together but that still tastes great! It’s surprising how easy these party meatballs are to make. I use frozen pre-cooked meatballs to make it even easier, but you can make your own with this recipe if you really want to impress your friends!

Why I Love Bringing Meatballs to a Party

The sweet and sour sauce is delicious and makes these meatballs so addicting!

They are perfect for spearing with toothpicks so you can eat on the go.

Meatballs are easy to make, and this recipe takes only a little bit of time to prep.

Since they warm in the crockpot, all you have to do is throw everything in the pot and go!

They are a huge hit at parties with both kids and adults!

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatball Ingredients

You only need six ingredients to make the irresistible sweet and sour sauce. Gather together the following sauce ingredients:

Light brown sugar

Water

Ketchup

Apple cider vinegar

Soy sauce (I recommend low-sodium)

Corn starch

You’ll also need a bag of frozen meatballs and a can of pineapple chunks.

You can find the detailed ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!

How to make Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This meatball appetizer is super simple! I like to mix the sauce right in the crockpot to cut down on dirty dishes! But you can use a small bowl to mix the sauce if you want.

First, place the brown sugar, water, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in the bowl of the crockpot. Mix well until thoroughly combined.

Drain the can of pineapple, then add the meatballs and the pineapple chunks to the slow cooker and stir until well coated.

Set the slow cooker to high, cover, and cook for 3 hours. Stir occasionally.

Turn the slow cooker to the warm setting and serve the meatballs alone as an appetizer or over white rice as a main dish!

Recipe Notes

If you notice the sauce begins to burn on the sides of the crockpot, turn the heat down during the last ½ hour or so of cooking.

Grab a 26-ounce bag of frozen store-bought meatballs to easily make this dish. I like frozen homestyle meatballs, but Italian meatballs are great too.

You can heat the sauce in a saucepan on the stove top before pouring it over the meatballs in the crockpot to better emulsify the ingredients.

FAQs

How many Sweet and Sour meatballs should I plan per person?

This recipe is calculated for about 5 meatballs per person. It feeds about 6 people if using this as a main dish. The great news is that this recipe is easy to scale up if you need to feed more people!

How do you store leftover meatballs?

Transfer the meatballs and sauce to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat in a saucepan on medium-low heat until warmed throughout or in a crockpot on LOW for 1-2 hours.

Can I make Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatballs ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can make the cocktail meatball recipe in its entirety, refrigerate and simply reheat it on the stove or crockpot (see instructions above).

Can I use ground turkey meatballs?

Of course! You will hardly be able to tell the difference. Turkey meatballs are lower in fat, so they are a great choice if that is important to you.

Looking for More Meatball Recipes?

If you want to try this recipe with homemade meatballs then I highly recommend this Homemade Meatball Recipe. These also taste amazing in pasta, sub sandwiches, or on their own with some veggies.

These 3 Ingredient Grape Jelly Meatballs are another quick and easy appetizer that everyone inhales at parties! Your friends will never believe how easy these are to make!

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs are meatballs made with onion and garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan and Romano cheeses, basil, oregano, onion and filled with a cube of mozzarella cheese to give your family or guests a tasty surprise as they cut into it.

Cranberry Meatballs are a must-try! These delicious, beefy cocktail meatballs are smothered in a tangy sauce, making the perfect bite! 

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs – flavorful meatballs made with ground chicken, buffalo sauce, and Panko bread crumbs. They are the perfect game-day party appetizer or in a roll topped with your choice of blue cheese or ranch dressing.

More Easy Game Day Snacks!

I’ve got all sorts of fun recipes you can prepare for your next party:

Easy Homemade Guacamole– This homemade Guacamole Recipe made with avocados, tomato, lime, cumin, and onion will have you coming back for more. 

Dill Pickle Hummus– love pickles? Love hummus? You’ll die over this combination!

Easy Layered Taco Dip–  Bring on the chips and make sure you have plenty of them because this dip will be gone in a flash!

These Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms make the perfect simple appetizer! Made with herb-seasoned cream cheese, button mushrooms, and parmesan, this easy recipe delivers BIG flavor in every bite. 

Chicken Nachos– You can never go wrong with crisp tortilla chips, shredded BBQ chicken, cheese, and all the delicious toppings! This one’s a hit with the whole family!

Beer Cheese Dip and Homemade Pretzel Bites– A smooth, slightly spicy cheese dip with a touch of your favorite brew that goes perfectly with the easy homemade pretzel bites.

 What’s your favorite appetizer to bring to parties?

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