Looking for a delicious and stress-free dish that brings bold flavors and colorful presentation to your table? These slow cooker sweet and sour meatballs are perfect for busy days when you want a satisfying, comforting meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Combining tender meatballs with the irresistible tang of pineapple, red and green bell pepper chunks, and a luscious sweet-sour sauce made from vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce, this dish strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tangy. Slow cooking allows the flavors to meld beautifully, creating a dish that’s as attractive as it is delicious.
You can use a bag of your favorite frozen meatballs or make the dish with homemade meatballs. If you prefer homemade, use our recipe for Italian meatballs or these basic baked meatballs. You can make them a day or two in advance and refrigerate or freeze them for longer storage. It’s always nice to have homemade meatballs in the freezer!
Sweet and sour meatballs make a fantastic appetizer or snack, or they can be served over fluffy cooked rice or alongside a simple noodle dish like these chili garlic noodles. You’ll have a meal that’s sure to become a household favorite.
Recipe Variations
- Add a spicy kick with chili flakes, sambal, or Sriracha.
- Substitute honey for part of the brown sugar for added depth of flavor.
- Swap the beef meatballs for plant-based alternatives.
- Try adding a handful of sliced water chestnuts for extra texture.
- Add sliced onions to the pot with the bell peppers, or garnish the dish with sliced green onions.
- Replace the beef meatballs with turkey or pork meatballs.
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Make mealtime stress-free with slow cooker sweet and sour meatballs. Bold flavors, tender meatballs, and a luscious sweet-sour sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Meatballs
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen meatballs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks (drained, 1/2 cup of juice reserved)
- 1/2 green bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1/2 large red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Put the frozen meatballs in the slow cooker with the pineapple chunks, bell pepper pieces, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. Whisk the cornstarch into the reserved pineapple juice.
Credit: Diana Rattray - Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. Turn to high and cook for 30 minutes longer to thicken the sauce.
Credit: Diana Rattray - Serve with rice or as an appetizer. Enjoy!
Credit: Diana Rattray
