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Grape Jelly Meatballs are the sweet and tangy party appetizer that disappears off the table every single time, with juicy meatballs glazed in a glossy two ingredient sauce. I first made these for a game day spread when Maddie had friends over, and the slow cooker was scraped clean before halftime. If you love our slow cooker Swedish meatballs, this is the easy crowd favorite to add to your rotation.
With homemade meatballs and a simple grape jelly and chili sauce glaze, these come together with almost no effort and feed a crowd.
Grape Jelly Meatballs Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 42 meatballs
- ⚡ Calories: 95kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet, tangy, savory
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our Swedish meatballs
Quick Answer
Mix and roll homemade beef and pork meatballs, then bake them until golden. Add them to a slow cooker with grape jelly and chili sauce, stir to coat, and slow cook 2 to 3 hours on high until the sauce is thick and glossy. Garnish with parsley and serve warm with toothpicks.
Jump to:
- Grape Jelly Meatballs Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Grape Jelly Meatballs FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Appetizer Recipes
- Grape Jelly Meatballs
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Two ingredient sauce. Grape jelly and chili sauce melt into a perfectly sweet and tangy glaze with zero fuss.
- Homemade meatballs taste better. A quick beef and pork mix gives you juicier, more flavorful meatballs than frozen, though frozen work in a pinch.
- Baking first keeps them firm. Baking the meatballs before they hit the slow cooker helps them hold their shape and drains excess grease.
- The slow cooker does the work. Once everything is in the pot, the slow cooker thickens the sauce and keeps the meatballs warm for serving.
- Perfect for a crowd. They hold on warm for hours, making them ideal for parties, potlucks, and game day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are the ultimate easy party appetizer that always disappears first.
- The sweet and tangy sauce is made with just two simple ingredients.
- The slow cooker keeps them warm and ready to serve for hours.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes these grape jelly meatballs so good. Just a few simple ingredients.
- Grape Jelly: The sweet base of the glaze. It melts into a glossy sauce that clings to every meatball.
- Chili Sauce: Adds tang and a little savory depth to balance the sweet jelly.
- Ground Beef and Pork: The combo makes the most tender, flavorful homemade meatballs.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: They keep the meatballs light and help them hold together.
- Garlic and Onion Powder: Simple seasonings that give the meatballs savory flavor.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These grape jelly meatballs are easy to customize for any party.
- Frozen shortcut: Use a bag of frozen homestyle meatballs and skip straight to the sauce.
- BBQ swap: Use barbecue sauce or ketchup in place of the chili sauce.
- Spicy: Add a spoonful of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat.
- Different jelly: Swap grape jelly for currant, apricot, or cranberry sauce.
- Make it a meal: Serve them over rice with a side, like our Swedish meatballs.
How to Make Grape Jelly Meatballs
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs, then stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in the panko breadcrumbs until combined.
- Add the ground beef and pork and mix to combine, using your hands.
- Roll the mixture into 1 and a half tablespoon meatballs and place on a foil lined sheet tray.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
- Add the baked meatballs to the slow cooker, draining off any excess fat.
- Add the grape jelly and chili sauce to the slow cooker.
- Stir everything until the meatballs are coated in the sauce.
- Slow cook 2 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 5 on low until the sauce thickens, then garnish and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use lean ground beef like 85/15 so the meatballs are not greasy.
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized meatballs that cook at the same rate.
- Bake the meatballs first so they hold their shape and you can drain the fat.
- Stir every 30 minutes while slow cooking so the sauce does not scorch on the edges.
- Keep them on warm for up to 3 hours for serving, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with toothpicks for easy grabbing at a party.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These grape jelly meatballs are the ultimate party appetizer. Set the slow cooker right out on the table with a stack of toothpicks and let guests help themselves.
They are perfect for game day, holidays, and potlucks. Serve them alongside other easy bites for a full appetizer spread that feeds a crowd.
Pair them with our stuffed celery sticks and a batch of cream cheese wonton cups for the perfect party table.
Grape Jelly Meatballs FAQs
Yes. To make grape jelly meatballs even easier, use about 2 pounds of frozen homestyle meatballs and add them straight to the slow cooker with the sauce.
The classic sauce for grape jelly meatballs is just grape jelly and chili sauce. They melt together into a sweet and tangy glaze. Barbecue sauce or ketchup can stand in for the chili sauce.
Yes. You can bake the meatballs a day ahead, then add everything to the slow cooker before your event. They also reheat well on low.
Absolutely. Freeze the cooked grape jelly meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.
Store leftover grape jelly meatballs in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the slow cooker until warmed through.
Grape jelly meatballs are great on their own as an appetizer, or serve them over rice or mashed potatoes to turn them into a main dish.
Need more party appetizers? Try our creamy slow cooker Swedish meatballs next.
Round out the party with our slow cooker BBQ chicken wings.
You will also love our glazed mini meatloaf.
Craving meatballs? Try our Italian stuffed mushrooms.
Grape Jelly Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ 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.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl, stir in the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until combined.2 large eggs, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the meat and mix to combine, I like to do this by hand.1 pound lean ground beef, 1 pound ground pork
- 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.20 ounces grape jelly, 12 ounces chili sauce
- 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.chopped parsley for garnish
Notes
- You can use frozen meatballs if you do not wan’t to make homemade. I recommend using homestyle.
- Ketchup or bbq sauce can be substituted for chili sauce.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
- If you don’t want to use 2 meats you can use one of the other.
- Make sure you are using a lean ground beef (we like 85/15) so it doesn’t produce as much grease.
- These can be cooked on low for 2-3 hours or high 4-5.
- This can be doubled, make sure that you use an 8qt crock pot if you are doing that.
Nutrition
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