Grape Jelly Meatballs (Easy 3-Ingredient Recipe)

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Slow cooker meatballs with grape jelly are a sweet and tangy slow cooker recipe made with just three ingredients frozen meatballs, ketchup, and grape jelly. This is one of my favorite easy dinner recipes for busy days, and the meatballs are also a perfect easy appetizer for game day or your holiday party.

Unlike more involved crockpot meatball recipes with a long list of ingredients, this one comes together with pantry staples and almost no effort.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Slow Cooker Meatballs With Grape Jelly
Cook Time: 3-4 hours
Servings: 16 (as an appetizer) or 8 (as a main dish)
Main Ingredients: Frozen meatballs, ketchup, grape jelly
Dietary Info: Gluten-free with gluten-free meatballs and sauce
Difficulty Level: Easy

Slow cooker meatballs with grape jelly and ketchup inside a black crockpot.

This simple recipe is one of my favorites to make in my slow cooker. On busy days, I can dump three ingredients in before I start the rest of my afternoon and come back to a full pot of saucy, tender meatballs with almost no cleanup.

It’s just as at home as a quick family dinner served over rice or mashed potatoes as it is set out at a party. If you’re looking for more easy dinner recipes like this one, or you need another crowd-pleasing appetizer, my Brie and Apple Butter Crostini and Pulled Pork Potato Skins are two more go-tos around here.

Why You’ll Love This Meatballs With Grape Jelly Recipe

Only 3 ingredients: Frozen meatballs, ketchup, and grape jelly are all you need for this easy dinner recipe.
Practically hands-off: This is one of the easiest crockpot meatballs recipes you’ll make. Just dump everything in and let the slow cooker do the work.
Sweet and tangy flavor: The grape jelly and ketchup melt together into a sticky, sweet-savory BBQ sauce that coats every meatball.
Perfect for a crowd: These party meatballs are just as good as a quick weeknight dinner as they are set out for game day appetizers or a holiday potluck.

Ingredients

2 pounds frozen precooked meatballs
2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 cups grape jelly

If I’m using premade meatballs, my favorite is the sirloin beef meatballs from M&M Food Market because they’re gluten-free and taste so good. I also like making homemade meatballs when I have the time, and you can use either freshly cooked homemade meatballs or frozen ones in this recipe.

How To Make Slow Cooker Meatballs With Grape Jelly

Add The Meatballs To The Slow Cooker

Precooked frozen meatballs arranged in a black slow cooker.

Add the frozen meatballs to your slow cooker. There’s no need to thaw them first, which is part of what makes this such an easy dinner recipe for busy days.

Add The Sauce

Precooked frozen meatballs in a black slow cooker topped with ketchup and grape jelly before cooking.

Pour the ketchup and grape jelly over top of the meatballs, then stir everything together so the meatballs are evenly coated.

Cook

Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, stirring once or twice partway through if you think of it, until the meatballs are hot all the way through and the sauce is smooth and glossy. If you want the sauce to get thicker, you can cook it for a while with the lid off.

Serve

Slow cooker meatballs with grape jelly and ketchup, with one meatball lifted on a toothpick above the crockpot.

These meatballs make an easy appetizer for your holiday party or a simple dinner. If you’re using them for a party appetizer, keep your slow cooker on the warm setting and set a bowl of toothpicks nearby for easy serving.

For dinner, you can pile the meatballs on hoagie rolls or slider rolls, or serve them over mashed potatoes or rice.

Recipe Notes & Tips

No need to thaw the meatballs first. Frozen meatballs go straight into the slow cooker, which keeps this recipe quick to throw together.
Stir occasionally if you can. Giving the sauce a stir partway through cooking helps it coat the meatballs evenly and keeps it from separating.
Keep it warm for parties. This recipe holds beautifully on the “warm” setting, which makes it an easy appetizer for game day or a holiday spread since you can set it out and let guests help themselves for hours.
Double it for a crowd. This recipe scales up easily in a large slow cooker if you’re feeding a bigger group.

Substitutions

Meatballs: You can use premade meatballs or homemade meatballs. Homemade meatballs can be used freshly cooked or frozen, just note that freshly cooked ones may need a little less cook time since they will heat through faster.
Ketchup: BBQ sauce or chili sauce both make good substitutes for the ketchup in this recipe.
Grape jelly: Raspberry jam, strawberry jam, or marmalade all make good substitutes for the grape jelly in this recipe.

Variations

Spicy grape jelly meatballs: Stir in a spoonful of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Turkey meatballs: Swap in frozen turkey meatballs for a lighter option.
Oven or stovetop: You can also simmer this on the stovetop over low heat or bake it in the oven if you don’t want to use a slow cooker.

More Easy Appetizers:

FAQ’s

Yes, homemade meatballs work well in this recipe. Just keep an eye on the cook time since they’ll heat through faster than frozen ones.

No, you can add the precooked meatballs to the slow cooker frozen. That’s part of what makes this such an easy dinner recipe for busy days.

Yes, combine the meatballs, ketchup, and grape jelly in a large pot or skillet and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce is smooth.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat them in the slow cooker on low for about 2 hours, or in a saucepan on the stove with a little water added to the bottom, simmering on low heat until they’re heated through.

Yes, leftover meatballs and sauce can be frozen for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Slow Cooker Meatballs With Grape Jelly

This grape jelly meatballs recipe is sweet, tangy, and so easy to make. Just three ingredients go in the slow cooker for an easy dinner or party appetizer everyone loves!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 5

Serving Size appetizer or 8 dinner

Ingredients

2 pounds frozen precooked meatballs
2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 cups grape jelly

Instructions

Add the meatballs to the slow cooker.
Pour the ketchup and grape jelly over the top, and stir.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Nutrition

These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.

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Kim

Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.