Sweet and Sour Crockpot Meatballs

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These Sweet and Sour Crockpot Meatballs are made easily with frozen meatballs and cooked low and slow in a mouthwatering sweet and savory sauce!

Prep Time10

Cook Time3

Total Time3 10

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crockpot meatball recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 562kcal

Place a strainer or mesh sieve over a mixing bowl, and add the contents of the 20 oz can pineapple chunks in 100% juice to drain, reserving the juice.

To the mixing bowl with the pineapple juice, add 1/4 cup cornstarch and whisk to combine so there are no lumps. Set pineapple aside.
Add 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey, 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce, 2 Tbsp ketchup, and 2 Tbsp bbq sauce. Whisk to combine.

To the insert of a slow cooker, add 28 oz bag frozen meatballs, 1 medium green bell pepper, 1 medium red bell pepper, and drained pineapple chunks.
Pour sauce over the top and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on LOW for 2 - 3 hours, then take the lid off, increase the heat to HIGH and cook uncovered for an additional 30 - 60 minutes, so the sauce can thicken a bit.
If the sauce isn't thickening to your liking in the slow cooker, you can transfer the meatballs and sauce to a saucepan, dutch oven, or stockpot and simmer on the stovetop while stirring occasionally. This won't take as long as it would in the slow cooker.

I've estimated this recipe will serve approximately 6 people, with each person getting between 4 and 5 oz of meatballs. However, please feel free to divide this recipe up into as many servings as you'd like.
If you're using fresh pineapple, you'll want to buy pineapple juice, and you'll need about 1 cup.
This recipe wasn't tested cooked on HIGH the entire time, so I can't say if the sauce would get too thick cooking it this way. Use your best judgement if altering the cooking method.
For larger gatherings, I definitely recommend doubling this recipe.
Frozen meatballs come in a variety of sizes, but as long as your bag is close to 28 oz, there should be enough sauce.
Please note that all slow cookers cook a little differently, with some running hotter than others, so all cook times are approximate.
This recipe was cooked and tested in a standard 6 quart slow cooker, and has not been tested in an electric pressure cooker.