Grape Jelly Meatballs

These Grape Jelly Meatballs are so easy! Tender meatballs are cooked in the slow cooker with a sweet and spicy sauce. With only 3 ingredients, you’ll love how quickly this simple recipe comes together.

Easy Meatballs with Grape Jelly

These meatballs rock! It would be hard to think of an easier appetizer for a party, but we also love to make these meatballs for a super easy grab-and-go meal. Just add slider buns and your family can scoop meatballs out of the slow cooker onto the buns to make their own little BBQ meatballs sandwiches. So good!

If you like this recipe, you’ll also want to see Firecracker Chicken Meatballs, 7 Layer Dip Cups, Pepperoni Pizza Stuffed Crescent Rolls, Slow Cooker Cheese Hamburger Dip, and Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups.

Why You’ll Love This Grape Jelly Meatballs Recipe

• Easy. Just mix everything together in your crockpot, turn it on, then walk away. That’s it!
• Simple ingredients. You’ll only need 3 ingredients to make this recipe. All of them are pre-made so it literally could not be any simpler.
• So flavorful! Despite being ridiculously easy, this recipe is always a huge hit! The meatballs come out so tender and flavorful. Everyone is always coming back for seconds when I make this dish.

Ingredients for Grape Jelly Meatballs

Here’s what you’ll need to make this meatball appetizer recipe (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the printable recipe card):

• Grape jelly – We like Welch’s grape jelly for the delicious concord grape flavor, but you can use any grape jelly for this recipe.
• Heinz Chili Sauce – Be sure you’re using Heinz Chili Sauce and not a hot pepper sauce. Chili sauce is a spiced ketchup.
• Frozen meatballs – Be sure to use a homestyle flavor and not Italian flavor.

How to Make Grape Jelly Meatballs

Are you ready to make the best grape jelly meatballs ever? Here’s how to do it:

• Make the sauce. To start, just dump all of the Heinz Chili Sauce and the grape jelly into a medium sauce pan. Heat this over medium heat, stirring often, until it begins to simmer.
• Add the meatballs. Place all of the frozen meatballs into a large slow cooker, then pour the sauce over top.

• Cook. Place the lid on the slow cooker and heat on low for 3 hours until the meatballs are hot.
• Stir. You may need to stir the meatballs a couple of times while they cook to be sure the sauce completely coats them.
• Serve the meatballs hot. You can serve them in a serving dish, or right out of the slow cooker.

How to Serve the Meatballs

Here are some ideas for serving your meatballs:

• Toothpicks – Provide toothpicks for people to serve themselves meatballs.
• Buns – Meatballs on slider buns are a great way to eat this appetizer and turn it into a casual meal.
• Hot sauce – Add some hot sauce to their meatballs for a spicy kick

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use fresh meatballs?

Yes, you could use homemade meatballs instead if you prefer. Make sure you have fully cooked the meatballs first.

Can I use a different kind of jelly?

Of course! But then it won’t be grape jelly meatballs. 🙂 You could also use apple, apricot or even strawberry jelly.

Can I leave the chili out?

Yes, if you are not a fan of spicy foods then you can use regular ketchup instead of spicy ketchup.

How to Store and Reheat Extras

• Storage: Transfer leftover meatballs to a food storage container with a lid or a zip top bag. Refrigerate the meatballs for up to three days.
• To reheat: Pour the meatballs into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat, or microwave individual portions in 20-second increments until hot.