With only 3 ingredients, Grape Jelly Meatballs are one of the easiest appetizers you can make and they will always be devoured! The combination of grape jelly and meatballs might sound like an odd one, but trust me on this one! My family has been making these since I was a little kid and they're still served at almost every family gathering!
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How to make grape jelly meatballs
The first step is to get your favorite grape jelly, bbq sauce, and frozen meatballs. This isn't a fancy recipe so you don't need anything out of the ordinary. I use regular Welch's grape jelly, Sweet Baby rays Sauce, and frozen beef meatballs. I would stay away from Italian style meatballs because they have seasonings better fit for marinara meatballs but if it's all you have, go for it.
Next you'll want to get your slow cooker out. And, if you have them, these slow cooker liners are worth their weight in gold! They make clean up so stinkin' easy! I clearly forgot to use them for this post...oops!
When you're ready to make the meatballs, add the jelly and bbq sauce to the slow cooker and stir together. There will be some chunks of jelly but don't worry about those. They will melt down as the slow cooker warms up.
Once you've stirred the sauce together, add in the meatballs and toss in the sauce to coat them. Cook them on low for about 4 hours (stirring half way through to make sure they warm evenly)
Want to make grape jelly meatballs even faster?
If you don't have time to let these warm for 4 hours, you can combine the sauces in a pot on the stove over medium heat. When the sauce is hot and bubbly, add in the meatballs simmer on medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Once the meatballs are warmed throughout, you can add them to the slow cooker and keep them on warm for serving.
What to serve with grape jelly meatballs
Grape jelly meatballs are perfect on their own as an appetizer or you can also serve them over a bed of rice for a main meal. You could also serve these with broccoli as a side with some of the sauce drizzled on top!
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Grape Jelly Meatballs
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds beef meatballs
- 1 and ½ cups plain bbq sauce of your choice
- 1 cup grape jelly
Instructions
- Add the grape jelly and the bbq sauce to the slow cooker and whisk together to combine.
- Add in the meatballs and toss in the sauce.
- Cook on low for 4 hours.
- Note: If you are in a hurry and would like to speed this up. Add all of the ingredients to a large saucepan on the stove and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes while stirring. Once the meatballs are warmed throughout, you can add everything to the slow cooker and keep on warm to serve.
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