Easy Sweet and Sour Meatballs (Printable Version)

Tender meatballs in a tangy peach-apricot glaze, perfect for effortless entertaining or simple family dinners.

# Components:

→ Meatballs

01 - 2 pounds frozen fully cooked meatballs

→ Sauce

02 - 1 cup peach or apricot preserves
03 - 1/2 cup ketchup
04 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

10 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# Method Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together peach or apricot preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper until smooth.
02 - Place frozen meatballs in a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker.
03 - Pour prepared sauce over meatballs and gently toss to coat evenly.
04 - Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1.5 to 2 hours, until meatballs are heated through and sauce is bubbly.
05 - Stir gently before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve warm as an appetizer with toothpicks or over rice as a main dish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Your slow cooker does all the work while you ignore it for three blissful hours, making this a lifesaver when you forgot you were hosting people.
  • The sauce tastes like it simmered all day, but honestly comes together in less time than it takes to preheat an oven.
  • Frozen meatballs are the secret weapon nobody talks about—they're already cooked, so there's zero guesswork and maximum convenience.
02 -
  • Don't skip the gentle toss after dumping everything in—uneven coating means some meatballs end up watery while others are bare, so take ten seconds to distribute the sauce properly.
  • The sauce thickens as it cooks, so if it seems thin when you first add it, trust the process; it becomes glossy and cling-worthy after a couple hours.
03 -
  • Don't bother thawing the meatballs first—the slow cooker handles it beautifully, and you save the step of dirtying an extra bowl.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check around the two and a half hour mark; some models finish earlier than others, and there's nothing sadder than overcooked meatballs.
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