Grape Jelly Meatballs – These easy to make, traditional, grape jelly and chili sauce meatballs are perfect for parties and game day gatherings! Â They make a great family friendly dinner served over rice too!
Ok, you guys. Â Is it wrong that I’m already excited for comfort food season AND football season to be upon us?
Love summer, but, the kids are headed back to school, and Autumn is on my mind!
Well, mostly family football gatherings and the fact that I need even more quick and easy weeknight meals is what’s on my mind.
These three ingredient crockpot meatballs are perfect for either occasion.
I still always wonder where exactly this recipe came from.
Who came up with the idea to mix chili sauce and grape jelly together and then toss it over some meatballs?
Also, they’re obviously a genius, so let’s just get that out of the way.
I remember these being served at any and every single party I attended growing up.
Church gatherings, family potlucks, baby showers…..they’re everywhere!
But, if you haven’t had them or made them, and you’re like “what in the heck is chili sauce?” Â I’ll tell you.
It’s like ketchup, but better. Â You can find it in a glass bottle on the same aisle of the store as the ketchup.
Like I said, we have this for dinner pretty often. Â My kids go nuts for that tangy sauce. Â Really, really good over a bowl of rice!
My daughter, the grape jelly hater even loves these. Â Even after she figured out there was grape jelly in them. Â She said “I don’t even care because they’re so good!”
We have to keep her away from the crockpot when these are cooking so she doesn’t try to sneak them out!
It doesn’t get any simpler than this. Â I use frozen, beef meatballs to keep it even shorter and sweeter.
Whisk together the grape jelly and chili sauce, toss in the meatballs. Â Let them cook for a few hours.
And done!
If you’re looking for any other awesome crockpot dinner recipes, give my popular Crockpot Frito Chili Pie a try!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Grape Jelly Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 32 Ounce Bag Fully Cooked Frozen Meatballs
- 2 12 Ounce Bottles Chili Sauce, I use Heinz
- 1 32 Ounce Jar Grape Jelly
Instructions
- Place the frozen meatballs in the bottom of your slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chili sauce and grape jelly (the mixture will not be completely smooth at this point, that's fine it will melt down in the slow cooker.)
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and cook on low heat for 3 hours. Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer, or over rice as a main dish.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love the flavor!! I wanted the jelly/chili sauce to be thicker, like a sticky bbq sauce. Should I cook the meatballs longer? Or boiled the mixture, then add to crock pot?
My sons Christmas food ask
Are these italian or swedish meatballs?
I use homestyle meatballs
Can I cook sauce in a pot and then pour sauce over meat balls in a bake pan in put into oven? If yes. How long to cook?
I haven’t tried baking them before. You could just do the meatballs and sauce in a pot on the stove….simmer on low for probably 20 minutes or so until they’re cooked through
There are two different jellies…both purple grape jelly and white grape jelly…which do you use? or which is best? Thank you.
I use purple grape jelly
Yes, you can. I’ve done this before, and not even cooked the sauce in a pot first. I prefer to let the meatballs thaw (leave them in the fridge for a couple days before they’re needed) and place them in the baking dish. Mix together the grape jelly and cocktail sauce and spread it over the top of the meatballs. Bake on 350 for an 1 to 1.5 hours. It’ll be nice and bubbly when done. As my mom used to say, “You’ll know.”
Can you thaw the meatballs?
Can the leftovers be put in the freezer for later?
I thought you used BBQ sauce. I am not familiar with Chili sauce. Will the meatballs be very spicey?
No, they aren’t spicy at all
Can I use turkey meatballs instead of beef??
Yes
This recipe has neen in my family for 50 years. Cook on low for WAY more than 3 hours though. We do 8 or more. The longer the better!
I serve this at every SuperBowl / UFC party night! Works great with Lil’ Smokies mini hot dogs as well!