These Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs are easy to make in the crock pot. This recipe only takes 3 ingredients and 5 minutes to prep! Doesn’t get better than that.
These meatballs are a tried and true appetizer recipe of mine. They literally couldn’t be easier to make and everyone always loves them. Other easy go-to’s are little smokies, meatball sliders and pigs in a blanket.
Table of Contents
The Perfect Appetizer
These crockpot BBQ grape jelly meatballs are one of my family’s favorite meatball recipes. They are seriously so good and the perfect appetizer for game day! They almost remind me of sweet and sour meatballs but taste better.
My Grandpa has been making these crockpot meatballs for years and we always loved them growing up. My sister even talked him into making them as an appetizer at her wedding. Everyone loved them! Now of course my family has their actual “homemade meatballs recipe,” which are just as amazing.
The best part about BBQ meatballs is that no one would ever know how simple they are to make. Turn them into a main dish and serve them over sticky rice like I do with honey garlic meatballs. YUM!
3 simple ingredients!
These slow cooker grape jelly meatballs are so easy to make. You just need the 3 ingredients below to get started:
- Meatballs: I love getting the frozen meatballs from Costco or Kroger. They taste the best in my opinion. Homemade meatballs taste great as well if you have the time.
- Grape jelly: I keep it simple and use Smucker’s grape jelly.
- BBQ Sauce: Sweet baby ray’s BBQ sauce is my personal favorite. :) You can also make a homemade BBQ sauce if preferred.
How to Make Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
- Add ingredients to crockpot. Pour grape jelly and BBQ sauce in the bottom of your crockpot. Add in the meatballs and stir until fully coated.
- Cook meatballs in crockpot. Cook frozen meatballs in crockpot for 2 to 3 hours on high, or until warm. Make sure to stir a few times throughout.
- Serve and enjoy! Garnish with sliced green onions if desired and serve as an appetizer or main dish.
Variations
There are plenty of ways to easily mix up the flavors in this recipe. Check out some other yummy variations below:
- Sub Heinz chili sauce for BBQ sauce for an extra kick, like I did with these chili sauce meatballs.
- Replace grape jelly with 16 ounces sliced or diced pineapple for Hawaiian meatballs.
- Use 1/4 cup honey instead of jelly for a a little healthier alternative (add more or less to to taste).
- Make cranberry meatballs with leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. Sub an equal amount of cranberry sauce for grape jelly.
- Use 2 packages of little smokies instead of meatballs.
FAQ
We love to serve them with coconut rice, green beans and fresh cut pineapple.
If you’d like to thicken your sauce, you can mix together a cornstarch slurry (about 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon of water) and stir it into the sauce and allow it to simmer.
This is the base of the sauce (which helps thicken it) and brings the best flavor. I promise you won’t taste the grape flavor.
More Easy Appetizers:
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- 4-Ingredient Cheese Ball
- Easy 7-Layer Dip
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
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Crockpot Bbq Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (18-ounce) jar jar grape jelly
- 1 (18-ounce) jar BBQ sauce
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen fully cooked meatballs (about 50)
Optional: Cooked rice, Sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a medium bowl or the base of a slow cooker, combine the grape jelly and BBQ sauce. Add meatballs and stir until coated in sauce.
- Cook on high 2 to 3 hours or low 3 to 4 hours. Turn the slow cooker to warm until ready to serve.
- Enjoy as an appetizer or serve over rice and top with green onions for a main dish.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Crockpot, Crockpot, Dairy-Free, Mini appetizers, Reader Favorites, Super Bowl
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This looks YUMMY!!! I’m drooling, I just can’t wait to try this at home.
Thank you so much for sharing this awestruck recipe.
Keep sharing:)
Hope you enjoy! :)
Sauce was great and now love Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce! Next time I will either sauté or bake meatballs (or make them myself?) as the texture was a little bland. Used for work pot luck – thank you!
Homemade meatballs would be delicious in this recipe! :)
These are out of this world!!!
If cook on stove ,how long?
Or if in oven ,at what temp and how long
Yes definitely. If using frozen meatballs, I just cook them in the microwave according to the package directions. I mix the sauce on the stove until simmering. Then add the meatballs and simmer for a few minutes. :)
Can you freeze the extra sauce?
I haven’t frozen it before, but think that it would freeze great! :)
Does this recipe double easily?
Definitely! :)
Made this recipe as is, I’ve also doubled and halved it. It came out great all ways!
Thanks for your comment! I’m glad you enjoyed it! :)
Could this be made with jam instead of jelly? Just trying to use what I have on hand.
Definitely! I’ve heard of people using strawberry jam with good success!
This sounds perfect and I needed something easy for an upcoming party. I could only find Italian meatballs at Costco. Will they work?
Yes! I use the Italian meatballs from Costco all the time for this recipe! My favorite. :)
Can this be done on top of the stove as well?
Yes definitely! :) We do that when we are short on time and need dinner on the table fast.
What size crock pot do you use?
A 7 quart crock pot.
For a spicier version, I made this with sriracha and grape jelly instead of bbq sauce. It was a huge hit
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
So AMAZING!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this drooling recipe.
Keep sharing:)
Thank you Alicia! :)
Made this for a work baby shower. I made a very small batch just to test the recipe and they were the first thing gone. Got compliments from everyone who tried it. Going to make these again for a birthday party next weekend. Definitely a keeper.
I’m so glad they were a hit! We love serving them at parties!
No not yet ,but will be very soon . I’m having a baby shower for my daughter and I will be using some of your easy recipes. Thank you ! I know they will be the talk of the party.
Hope you enjoy! :)
How many meatballs is one serving?
About 5 meatballs!
Should I defrost (cooked) meatballs first.
Nope, I always place them in frozen :)
This is probably the best value meal per time invested to prepare it :-)! Love it!
If I double this recipe how long should I cook them??
I would add an extra hour and just watch them the last hour. :)
What style of meatballs do you prefer for this recipe? Kroger has Swedish, Italian and one with Romano cheese. Thanks so much for your help.
I usually use Homestyle or Italian. :)
Do you think this would be good with baked mac n cheese
Definitely!! It would be great on the side!