These sweet and tangy meatballs are a go-to favorite in our house because they only require three ingredients. You can serve them as a main dish over rice, or as an incredible appetizer. We put toothpicks in them and serve them as a delicious bite-sized appetizer. This recipe is also a kid-favorite. My kids love this recipe, which is a win in my book.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Whether making these sweet and tangy meatballs in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, you will need the following ingredients:
- Chili sauce (found near the ketchup at the grocery store)
- Grape Jelly
- Frozen meatballs
Equipment Needed
For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:
How to Make Sweet and Tangy Meatballs
Instant Pot Instructions
- Combine chili sauce, jelly, and water in the Instant Pot and stir or whisk until smooth.
- Add meatballs and mix well.
- Push manual or pressure cook and set the timer for 7 minutes.
- Once it is done, quick release and let cool a little bit.
- Serve over rice or with toothpicks.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine jelly and chili sauce in a crock pot and stir until smooth. Heat the mixture if needed to combine.
- Add meatballs and set temperature to low. Cook for 2-5 hours on low.
- Serve over rice for a main dish or with toothpicks for an appetizer.
Freezer Meal Modification
Freezer meals are one of our favorite dinners, because you can prep ahead of time and eat them at a later time, perfect for busy weeknights.
To make this a quick and easy freezer meal in the Instant Pot, follow these steps:
- In a bowl, combine chili sauce and grape jelly until smooth.
- Place the meatballs in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag.
- Then, pour in the chili sauce mixture and mix it all together in the bag until thoroughly combined.
- Close the Ziploc bag and place it in the freezer for up to 60 days.
- When you’re ready to eat the meatballs, remove them from the freezer and thaw them in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Add the ingredients of the Ziploc bag to Instant Pot and follow the cooking instructions in the recipe.
To make this recipe into a freezer meal for the slow cooker, follow these steps:
- In a bowl, combine chili sauce and grape jelly until smooth.
- Place meatballs in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag.
- Pour in the chili sauce mixture and mix together in the bag until thoroughly combined. Zip bag closed.
- When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours.
- Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and place contents of bag inside slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 1-2 hours or LOW for 3-4 hours.
Enjoy More Delicious Hot Appetizers
Whether meatballs, chicken wings, nachos, or quesadillas, there’s nothing to start out a party better than an appetizer. Browse our comprehensive list of hot appetizer recipes.
Sweet and Tangy Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces chili sauce
- 16 ounces grape jelly
- 2 pound frozen meatballs
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Combine chili sauce, jelly, and water in the Instant Pot and stir or whisk until smooth.
- Add meatballs and mix well.
- Push manual or pressure cook and set the timer for 7 minutes.
- Once it is done, quick release and let cool a little bit.
- Serve over rice or with toothpicks.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine jelly and chili sauce in a crock pot and stir until smooth. Heat the mixture if needed to combine.
- Add meatballs and set temperature to low. Cook for 2-5 hours on low.
- Serve over rice for a main dish or with toothpicks for an appetizer.
Notes
- In a bowl, combine chili sauce and grape jelly until smooth.
- Place the meatballs in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag.
- Pour in the chili sauce mixture and mix it all together in the bag until thoroughly combined.
- Close the Ziploc bag and place it in the freezer for up to 60 days.
- When you’re ready to eat the meatballs, remove them from the freezer and thaw them in the fridge for 24 hours.
- Add the ingredients of the Ziploc bag to Instant Pot and follow the cooking instructions in the recipe.
- In a bowl, combine chili sauce and grape jelly until smooth.
- Place meatballs in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag.
- Pour in the chili sauce mixture and mix together in the bag until thoroughly combined.
- Zip bag closed.
- When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and place contents of bag inside slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 1-2 hours or LOW for 3-4 hours.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
This might be the easiest, most delicious-looking recipe I’ve ever seen! Thanks for the tidbit – following you now!
If I can’t have chili sauce, what is a different sauce I could try? BBQ?
Since I am diabetic, we used 1/2 the sugar grape jelly instead, and it worked well. Everyone loved it – I may try it with sugar free jelly to see how it goes. Great recipes, can’t wait to try some of these!!
We’ve been making these for years, always a hit! I use 2 jars of chili sauce and then had 2-3 tablespoons of honey as well.
These are the best meatballs- I have served them so many times for parties! So easy and inexpensive. I use a can of cranberry sauce, and a few dashes of cumin in mine. Delicious!
I’ve made these for a long time! love them!! we like to put them on hoagie rolls (usually 3-4 meatballs per roll) and have meatball sandwiches!
anyone know the calore content?
Instead of the Grape Jelly We use a can of Cranberry Jelly! SO GOOD!!! I bring it to every party.
These were awesome! I’d only add: use 24 ounces of meatballs. My meatball bag came in 12 oz servings, which threw off the sauce/meat ratio.
I do think they are fabulous for appetizers or potlucks.
I see you use a 12 oz. jar of chili sauce for this recipe,does it matter what brand? And…how large a jar of grape jelly is needed; and what size bag of frozen meatballs?? Dawn
@ Dawn,
I have tried different brands and they all taste the same, so I just go with whatever is cheapest! The grape jelly is 18 oz. The bag of meatballs is 24 oz.
I either use a grape jelly/bbq combo and recently Wal-Mart had meatball samples using jellied cranberry sauce and chili sauce…my new fav combo! Can’t go wrong with meatballs!
I’m making these for the Superbowl today with cranberry jelly and a can of drained pineapple chunks. always a hit!
I had to throw the jelly/sauce in the blender for it to mix properly. I tried the little smokies version. The pork smokies need to be cooked first otherwise they have the “boiled” consistency after sitting in the crock pot. Definitely a hit, though!
I have a little different version I use. It is one to two cans of Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce and one to two bottles of Sweet Baby Rae’s Honey Barbaque Sauce. One to two of each depending on how many meatballs you use. I use two of each for the large bag of meatballs from Costco. We like to serve it over rice. It’s delish!
I make something similar. I use a can of jellied cranberry sauce and some brown sugar and LOTS of garlic. Sometimes an onion or shallot chopped fine too.
These look delicious! I am putting them on the menu for Tuesday night. Question, do I have to use pre-made meatballs? I have about 8lbs of ground turkey in the freezer and would hate to have to buy more! Please let me know! Thanks! lwangnoo@gmail.com
Can I use homeade meatballs instead of frozen.If so do they have to be cooked beforehand?
This is a great recipe however, there is another one I use that is even better! You make (or use frozen) meatballs and then cook them with a stick of butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and a (small) bottle of Heinz 57 sauce. They are beyond amazing!!! This recipe is especially good for those that can’t use the chili sauce, as I saw one person post about.
I made these for a potluck I went to tonight and everyone loved them. Apparently 24 was not enough! Double batch next time. 🙂
Wish I would have read the size of the Jelly in a comment, I got a big jar and the sauce is really thin, not thick. I may try to thicken it up with some corn starch though.
Hi Lindsey!
Hope they turned out okay! I think they would work fine using homemade meatballs. Thanks!
can anyone tell me how spicy this is? i am planning on making it for a kid’s buffet table for my son’s birthday party…thanks!
I’d like to know what the spicy-ness of this is as well. My husband isn’t a fan of spicy. Thanks.
Hi Cherrie!
Our family doesn’t seem to think they are spicy at all. Even my 2 year old will eat them! Hope that helps!
Hi Laura!
Our family doesn’t seem to think they are spicy at all (We aren’t big fans of spicy foods). Even my 2 year old will eat them!
We’ve made these before and everyone has loved them! Recently I tried Sweet Baby Ray’s Chipolte BBQ sauce, 1-2 Tbsp dry chipolte seasoning and Apricot (or mango) preserves. It was absolutely delish, and depending on how much dry seasoning you add, can be made a little spicier for adults =)
We’ve made these before and everyone has loved them! Recently I tried Sweet Baby Ray’s Chipolte BBQ sauce, 1-2 Tbsp dry chipolte seasoning and Apricot (or mango) preserves. It was absolutely delish, and depending on how much dry seasoning you add, can be made a little spicier for adults =)
I have a friend who uses mustard
My family does this same recipe except we use Kielbasa 2-3 of them. Or how many will fit in your crockpot. We cut them at a slant.
I make these too! They are delicious and a crowd pleaser especially for kids, men and teenagers!
I use frozen sirloin meatballs, 1 jar chilli sauce, 1 jar grape jelly, 1 tbsp of garlic and 1 cup of Asian style sweet and sour chili sauce.
And I get requests to bring this to potlucks all the time.
Yes sometimes – depending on the crowd – I make a double batch!
My mom made these as well, the same way too! I have changed it a bit though….now I use red pepper jelly instead of the grape because our family adores a little spice! I have also used the jalapeno jelly as well (its green) and it was amazing too! Honestly, neither are too spicy. It really just gives it a little bit of a kick. Plus the sweet/spicy mix works really well with these!
I have used ketchup and grape jelly then added some dry chili seasoning. Worked as well.
I have used ketchup and grape jelly then added some dry chili seasoning. Worked as well.
OK, so WHAT is Chili Sauce?!?! We have chili seasonings, but I’ve never seen a bottle of chili sauce. Is it with the BBQ sauces and/or marinades? Is it a regional item? We live in CA.
I live in Illinois and we have it here. Yes I find it in the same isle as the barbeque sauces.
If u use fresh made meat balls should u brown then 1st?
Yes, you would need to brown the meatballs first. The frozen ones you can buy are pre-cooked.
Usually by the ketchup.
Should I use bbq sauce or Chili sauce. I dont want to sweet or spicy. Txs
Chili sauce is so yummy on the meatballs. I’ll think you’ll like the chili sauce. But if you are a huge bbq sauce person, you may want to try that. We prefer the chili sauce for this recipe! 🙂
My mom makes these and they are great! Going to make them this week for an appetizer Paperly party that I am hosting.
Can I put the meatballs in the crock pot while still frozen or do I need to thaw first?
Just throw them in frozen!
These sound delish! I also make one that is similar . . .
1 can of whole cranberry sauce
1 bottle of Sweet Baby Rae’s Honey Barbeque sauce
Mix the two together well
20 oz of meatballs (frozen)
Put in crock pot and cook on low for about 5 hours
(I layer sauce and meatballs)
This is always a hit wherever I bring it!
Excellent over rice or all alone!
Just made these with a 13oz jar of Pepper Jelly and a 14oz can of Cranberry sauce, turned out really well. My wife usually makes it with the chili sauce from the original post and a jar of sweet and sour. I used the pepper jelly since the guys at work like spicier stuff. They evaporated, lol, going to have to make a double batch next time.
We usually use Chili Sauce and Sweet and sour, and we have served it at childrens parties on multiple occaisions, Chili sauce is actually quite mild. (We usually use heinz, the recipe is on the bottle ;))
can I use ketchup and chili powder in place of chili sauce? how much of each
Here is a recipe for homemade chili sauce. There is more to it than ketchup and chili powder. Hope this helps!
Ingredients
8 ounce can of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
Juice of 1/2 of a fresh lemon
2 tablespoons of light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of chili powder
Couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Whisk ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.
Can you double this?
You can easily double this but you will need to be sure your slow cooker is big enough!
Are u suppose to use this whole jar of chilli sauce and grape jelly??
Use the amount that is included in the ingredients.
I dislike frozen meatballs but would use this on real ones for sure ! I have tried many frozen meatballs including sirloin ones…none have any semblance of real meat when you bite into them!
Can you use strawberry jelly instead of grape jelly??
I don’t think strawberry jelly would work with this. Grape jelly goes well with a lot of dishes.
I severed on sweet Hawaiian rolls along side cut up pineapple- so good!
Hi if I’m using homemade meatballs and saute first is it still 7 mins? Thanks.
Great idea!
Could I make these in a crockpot or on the stove top?
You can make these in the slow cooker.
Do you need to add water when you cook it in the crock pot?
So we don’t like meatballs. Do you think this would work with chicken instead? Like shredded chicken?
I’m sure you could add shredded chicken to this recipe and it would taste amazing.
How do I find nutritional info on this dish?
You don’t need to add water. I cook on low 3-4 hours.
I purchased my Instant Pot because you…I Love it AND the easy recipes you come up with!
You made our whole day with your sweet comment. We love our instant pots and thanks for dropping by and checking out our recipes.
My Husband and I LOVE this recipe because it’s so simple to make yet tastes really good! I cut the recipy in half because it’s only husband and I. I had only one issue. The sauce was too watery. How would I fix this and make the sauce thicker? 🤔
You can always thicken it up with a little cornstarch and water mixture and stir it into the warm sauce and it will thicken right up.
I have a hard time finding gluten free premade meatballs that are NOT Italian flavored…how would Italians one taste? How could I alter it??
We use Italian meatballs with this recipe too. They taste great!
For the nutrition information, are the calories listed for the entire recipe or just one serving?
It’s for one serving, but it will be less calories if you get more than 8 servings.
Do you have a Target nearby? They sell a grass fed beef frozen meatball from the Good and Gather brand that is gluten free. They also sell turkey meatballs by simeks that is gluten free.
Do you have to freeze or can you just cook it? Will it change the time?
You can just make the recipe and cook it. Follow the directions in the recipe card or on the post. Cook time is 7 minutes.
Great recipe!
I served mine with twice baked potatoes and green beans.
That sounds like a wonderful dinner!!
I just discovered you and am loving your recipes and your sweet family! For the meatballs, would you be able to cook them in the Instant Pot for the 7 minutes, then do a slow release and let them sit in the pot on warm for a couple of hours? Thanks so much!
I haven’t tried that, but I don’t see why not? As long as there is enough liquid still left in the pot so they don’t burn, that should work great!
You give the three ingredients meatballs chili sauce and the jelly and water how
much water
The water is only necessary for the Instant Pot version of this recipe so it can come to pressure. Try adding 1/2 cup water to the chili sauce and the jelly
The instant pot version says add water but it doesn’t say how much?!
How much water for the instapot version? I can’t see an amount anywhere!
One cup of water will work with this in the instant pot
the instructions say water but no amount is given
The water is only required if you are cooking this recipe in an instant pot. You’ll need one cup
I make this all the time and its always a hit my kids love it. I spruce mine up to make it more of a meal. I add diced zucchini, diced onion, diced bell pepper (red, yellow, and orange) and fresh pineapple (canned chunks if not in season). My favorite meatballs to use are the chicken teriyaki meatballs from Costco.