3 Ingredient Grape Jelly Meatballs

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3 Ingredient Grape Jelly Meatballs crockpot is the easiest party food I’ve ever made. You can also make chili sauce meatballs in addition to grape jelly bbq meatballs.

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Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs Recipe

Do you love those amazing, meatballs they serve at Italian restaurants? Of course, you do!

And now you can make them right at home in your slow cooker with this easy grape jelly meatballs recipe.

Made with just three ingredients – frozen meatballs, grape jelly, and barbecue sauce – these mouth-watering morsels are sure to be a hit with your guests.

Simply combine the grape jelly and barbecue sauce in the slow cooker, add the frozen meatballs, and let the machine do the work.

In just a few hours, you’ll have a hot and tasty dish that’s perfect for serving at game day parties, holiday gatherings, or any other type of celebration.

The best part is that these babies are cooked low and slow so they come out perfectly every time.

Plus, the sweet and savory grape jelly sauce is absolutely delicious.

So next time you’re planning an event, don’t forget to include these on your menu!

Give this recipe a try today – your family will love it!

Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs Ingredients

• Frozen Meatballs – My original plan was to use the Angus beef meatballs. However, I used Italian-style meatballs because I used the other ones for the meatball subs. You can also make your own meatballs if you prefer.
• BBQ Sauce – Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce gives the meatballs spiciness. You can use original, or honey BBQ as I did or any one of the other flavors that they have.
• Grape Jelly – I used Welch’s because that is a staple in our house. My husband loves Peanut butter and jelly and he has to have Welch’s Grape Jelly. It adds sweetness to the meatballs.

Why Is Grape Jelly Used in Meatballs

Grape Jelly meatballs is like pineapple on pizza. I know…people say pineapple has no business on pizza.

But really, grape jelly combined with a meat like meatballs is a savory-sweet taste that everyone loves.

Believe it or not, BBQ meatballs have been around since 1967 when they were called “Chafing Dish Meatballs.”

As long as you are a fan of meat balls, then you will love the grape jelly meatballs.

Can You Substitute Grape Jam for Grape Jelly

Why yes, yes you can. I honestly don’t see a big difference between jam, jelly, and preserves.

They all have the same flavor. The difference is that jelly uses only the juice from the fruit. If you didn’t notice, there are no chunks of fruit in the jelly which in turn makes it easier to spread.

Jam mashes the fruit into a pulp which gives it the fruity chunk, whereas, in preserves, the fruit is more whole.

What Goes Good With BBQ Meatballs for Dinner

BBQ Meatballs are great served as an appetizer but can also be served for dinner with a side to complement them.

• Rice
• Mashed Potatoes
• Baked Beans
• Meatball Stuffed Baked Potato
• Egg Noodles
• Garlic Bread
• Sweet Potato
• Asparagus
• Garden Salad

Variations

There are many different ways to make Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs. Below is a list of other options.

• Chili Sauce – Use Chili Sauce instead of BBQ sauce. If I were to make chili sauce meatballs, I would use Heinz Chili Sauce. It’s normally found near the ketchup in the condiment aisle. If you want extra spicy hot meatballs, go with the sriracha chili sauce or Thai chili sauce.
• Strawberry Jelly with a Loganberry BBQ sauce – The strawberry jelly would give it a sweeter taste as would the Loganberry BBQ sauce.

Apple Jelly with Apple BBQ sauce – This would be great for a fall get-together or football party.

Peach Jam with Peach Bourbon BBQ sauce – I’m addicted to anything peach. I’m surprised I didn’t think of this before making grape jelly bbq meatballs.

Cranberry Sauce – Make cranberry meatballs for the holidays by substituting a can of cranberry sauce instead.

Can I Use Turkey Meatballs

You can use any kind of frozen meatballs you would like.

• Turkey meatballs
• Angus meatballs
• Veggie meatballs for a healthier version
• Homemade meatballs
• Little smokies

How to Make Grape Jelly Meatballs Crockpot

Pour your BBQ sauce and Grape Jelly into the bottom of the slow cooker. If you have crockpot liners, it’s a good idea to use one. It’ll make cleanup so much easier.

Stir together until mixed up.

Dump in your bag of frozen meatballs and mix until covered.

Set the crockpot for low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours.

Serve as an appetizer or a dinner with one of the side dishes above.

Enjoy!

Printable Recipe Card and Nutritional Values

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