Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe
A delicious and easy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe featuring tender frozen meatballs simmered with pineapple chunks in a tangy and sweet sauce made from ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cornstarch. Perfect for a family meal or entertaining guests, this set-it-and-forget-it dish delivers a fantastic balance of flavors with minimal effort.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Meatballs and Pineapple
- 30 ounce bag frozen meatballs
- 20 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare Pineapple Juice: Open the can of pineapple chunks and drain the juice into a medium-sized bowl, setting the pineapple chunks aside.
- Combine Meatballs and Pineapple: Place the frozen meatballs and the drained pineapple chunks into the slow cooker, spreading them evenly.
- Make the Sauce: To the bowl with the reserved pineapple juice, add the cornstarch, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Pour Sauce Over Meatballs: Pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs and pineapple in the slow cooker. Gently stir to ensure the meatballs are coated with the sauce and pineapple chunks are distributed.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on low heat for 4 hours, or alternatively, cook on high heat for 2 hours, until the meatballs are thoroughly heated and the sauce has thickened.
- Serve: After cooking, stir the meatballs gently again to coat them with the thickened sauce. Serve warm as an appetizer or main dish.
Notes
- Using frozen meatballs allows you to skip additional preparation and speeds up the cooking process.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can mix an additional teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and stir it in during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- This dish pairs well with steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
- For a lower sugar alternative, you can reduce the brown sugar slightly or substitute with a natural sweetener.
- Ensure not to lift the slow cooker lid often during cooking to retain heat and moisture.
