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Square image of finished meatballs on plate with parsley and toothpicks
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Homemade Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs

An easy homemade recipe these Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs are the perfect appetizer for any time of the year. Baked then cooked low and slow, you can't resist the flavor on these guys!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 hours
Total Time5 hours 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Crockpot, Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American
Servings: 42 meatballs
Calories: 96kcal
Author: Tornadough Alli

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 20 ounces grape jelly
  • 12 ounces chili sauce
  • chopped parsley for garnish optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet tray with foil, set aside.
  • With a whisk, beat the eggs in a large bowl then stir in the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until combined.
  • Add the meat and mix to combine, I like to do this by hand.
  • Take 1 ½ tablespoons of the meat mixture (I like to use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop for this) and roll it into a ball.
  • Place it on the sheet tray, make sure they are not touching. Repeat with the remaining meat.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they are golden brown.
  • Add the meatballs to the slow cooker, drain off any excess fat.
  • Add the grape jelly and chili sauce to the slow cooker and stir everything until coated. If the grape jelly doesn’t mix in all the way that’s okay.
  • Slow cook for 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low, stirring every 30 minutes or so to make sure the sauce doesn’t burn. They are ready when the sauce is thickened, you can set it on warm for up to three hours, stirring occasionally. Garnish with parsley, optional.

Notes

  1. We like to make homemade meatballs for this, but you can use frozen if you wish.
  2. Easily double this recipe in an 8 quart slow cooker.
  3. This can be cooked on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours on low.
  4. These can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
  5. We like to use leaner ground beef for our meatballs, usually 85/15.

Nutrition

Calories: 96kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 67IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg