These sweet & sour cocktail 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 cocktail meatball!
These will be the first thing gone, and nobody will ever believe what is in them!
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Perfect Party Appetizer
- Cocktail 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 cocktail 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 cocktail 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 Cocktail 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
- Cocktail 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.
More Easy Appetizers You'll Love
Did your family love these Sweet and Sour Meatballs? If so, leave a rating and comment below!
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 black 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
- 10 ounces strawberry preserves & ⅔ cup ketchup
- 14 ounces jellied cranberry sauce & 12 ounces chili sauce
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer
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Can I freeze them afterwards
If making the meatballs from scratch you can definitely freeze them afterward Vicki.
I have Italian frozen meatballs. Could I use them?
You can definitely try it with Italian Meatballs and just pour the sauce on top! That would be delicious Greta!
This is what I always use when making sweet and sour meatballs… love them Italian meatballs … with Chili sauce and grape jelly and finely chopped onion…. delicious! I never have any leftover no matter how many I make…. I never make less than a crockpot full… enjoy your meatballs!!
Love your recipes so easy and so so tasty.
Thanks Jiniya! Glad to hear you enjoyed them!
I have used the grape jelly/ketchup for cocktail weiners many times, but the ratio is equal parts of both. People rave over the ‘sauce’ and always ask for the recipe. When I tell them what it is, they are always amazed!
That is such a great flavor combo for cocktail weiners!
This is a great sauce for meatballs, the apricots would indeed give a nice sweet and tangy note. Yummy!
Can I use grape jelly and bbq sauce?
Sure, I think that would work great!
I think I am going to make this with the Apricot and BBQ sauce. I use Sweet Baby Rays, Do you think that will be too sweet?? should I add some hot sauce too?
I think it would be delicious!
I grew up with (and still make) 12 oz bottle of chili sauce mixed with 12 oz jar of grape jelly mixed, heated and meatballs adde. Better if allowed to heat slowly for a number of hours or prepared on one day and refrigerated and reheated to actually serve on the next day. This has always been a hit!
Same recipe I use, wonderful
I have made the grape jelly-ketchup for years but I make meat balls from ground beef alone. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop meat balls into boiling water. When they float they are done. Then let them cook in crockpot. This make the meatballs less fat. Fat is in the water.
I also made the sauce from the grape jelly and ketchup and meatballs from scratch. It was awesome!!! Loved the sauce. I added some honey to the meatball mix which was ground beef. I soaked some bread in milk as I didnt have bread crumbs and put all the wet ingredients together and baked my the meatballs in the oven. Using Grace hot jerk sauce in the sauce really took it up a notch. Use about half teaspoon if you like a bit of heat.
Getting ready to make this recipe, but was wondering if you could use the Lil Smokies as well as the meatballs?
Absolutely, I’ve done it before and it’s great!
I was looking for something to make for the family for Thanksgiving to snack on. For this and made it, for my hubby’s picky family. And everyone loved them! I did the apricot and barbque sauce soo good!
My mother always used grape jam and Bennett’s Chili Sauce and a touch of brown sugar. The chunky pieces in the chili sauce give it a little more substance. Always a favorite!
Yummy!
I like my ooie gooie but how’ve do I get them that way?? My sister-in-law knows the recipe or ratio for that but I haven’t spoken to her in a couple of years, I know it’s cranberry sauce and chili or bbq?? Can someone please help me
I tried the crock-pot corn chowder. It was absolutely fabulous. My family loved it.
Honestly, a bottle of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce is the best ever!!!
i HAVE DONE THE CRANBERRY MEAT BALLS AND THERE GREAT BUT DO YOU HAVE THE RECIPE FOR THE LITTLE COCKTAIL WIENERS AND MUSTARD AND JELLY. It was with current jelly but I can not find any of that anymore and do not know how much for the mustard do you or any one have the recipe.
Thank you and enjoy this club so much I love the weekly recipes we have a variety to pick from and you always have something I will try..
Yvonne
The recipe that I have tried is
1 cup currant jelly
1 cup prepared Dijon mustard
¼ cup ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
1 lb mini smokies
Simmer on low 1 hour.
I make mine with salsa and honey bbq sauce in the crockpot. Big hit with all my coworkers and family.
That sounds delicious!!
looks really good
Question: Can you use GRAPE JUICE instead? I have a couple of bottles
Grape juice doesn’t have the same sweetness and consistency as grape jelly so I don’t think it would work in this recipe.
I am doing this for the first time. I need to make enough for 60 people for a baby shower.
Need suggestions.
You can make the meatballs ahead of time and keep everything warm in the slow cooker. :)
Thank you Holly, any idea how many this makes
This makes about 24 1″ meatballs.
Which one do you recommend if using frozen meatballs home style or Italian?
I would suggest the homestyle (depending on brand) as it may have a more neutral seasoning.
FIGURE 5 MEATBALLS PER PERSON..