These sweet & sour co*cktail meatballs are easy to make and so delicious!
Tender juicy meatballs are simmered in a quick two ingredient sauce for the perfect sweet and sour co*cktail meatball!
These will be the first thing gone, and nobody will ever believe what is in them!
Perfect Party Appetizer
- co*cktail meatballs are a party recipe! Serve them at every party or gathering, and watch them disappear!
- They’re so easy to make with just three ingredients!
- Serve these sweet and sour meatballs as an appetizer or even served over rice for a weeknight meal that your family will love!
Ingredients for Sweet & Sour Meatballs
I often make grape jelly meatballs, but did you know that you can basically choose any sweet ingredient and any tangy ingredient for a great co*cktail meatball sauce?
Meatballs – You can use the recipe below for homemade meatballs, or use a bag of frozen fully cooked meatballs for an easy appetizer with almost no prep needed! You can also use the same sauce for co*cktail smokies.
Sauce – The easy sauce for these sweet and sour meatballs needs just two ingredients: one sweet and one tangy.
- Choose one sweet – apricot preserves, strawberry jam, grape jelly, or cranberry sauce.
- Choose one tangy – ketchup, chilli sauce, bbq sauce.
How to Make co*cktail Meatballs
What could be easier than this three-ingredient recipe?
- Make the meatballs (as per the recipe below) or use frozen meatballs.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together and heat on low in a saucepan.
- Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce, bring to a boil, then simmer until thickened.
Crockpot Version
These work perfectly in the Crockpot too!
- Just bake the meatballs as directed (or just add them frozen if you’re not making homemade)
- Place the sauce ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Add meatballs to the sauce and let heat through on high for at least 1-2 hours before serving (a bit longer if using frozen).
Once heated through meatballs can be left on low for serving.
Storing Meatballs
- co*cktail meatballs can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen for future use.
- They will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and will retain their flavor in the freezer for 2-3 months.
- Be sure to cook and reheat to a temperature of 165ºF.
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Sweet and Sour co*cktail Meatballs
Sweet and sour meatballs are a delicious appetizer that can be cooked on the stove top or in the slow cooker.
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes minutes
Total Time 33 minutes minutes
Servings 48 meatballs
Author Holly Nilsson
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 pounds frozen meatballs
OR
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- ½ small onion very finely diced
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Sauce (see notes)
- 10 ounces apricot preserves
- ⅔ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
If making homemade meatballs, combine ground beef, diced onion, bread crumbs, eggs, and pepper in a medium bowl. Divide the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
Bake homemade meatballs for 18-20 minutes or bake frozen meatballs according to package directions.
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine apricot preserves and barbecue sauce. Stir until the preserves start to melt.
Add in meatballs and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Notes
Other sauce options for meatballs:
- 10 ounces strawberry preserves & ⅔ cup ketchup
- 14 ounces jellied cranberry sauce & 12 ounces chili sauce
If using fully cooked meatballs, they do not need to be baked first. Simmering time may need to be increased slightly.
Store leftover meatballs in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze meatballs, store them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for 2-3 months.
4.99 from 264 votes
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 56 | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 99mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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About the author
Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
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