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By: Becky Hardin
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Grape Jelly Meatballs are incredibly easy to make and always disappear fast at parties! Make a holiday party or game day so much more delicious when you serve this simple appetizer. Homemade meatballs are slowly cooked to perfection with just 4 inexpensive ingredients to create the best sweet and tangy sauce!
Table of Contents
What’s in this Grape Jelly Meatball Recipe
You only need 4 simple ingredients to make the best grape jelly sauce! The meatballs also come together with just a handful of delicious ingredients that you may already have on hand.
- Grape Jelly: Any brand will get the job done, so just pick your favorite.
- Sweet Red Chili Sauce: This is a sweet and savory condiment that adds a ton of flavor to the sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce: I love the savory flavor this creates in both the sauce and meatballs.
- White Vinegar: Just a splash of vinegar helps balance everything out with a tangy flavor.
- Ground Chuck: You can use ground beef if preferred.
- Breadcrumbs: Use plain breadcrumbs, not Italian. Italian breadcrumbs will not compliment the sauce.
- Milk: Whole milk is what I use! You can substitute it as needed.
- Kosher Salt: A little goes a long way.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper yields the most flavor.
- Garlic Powder: You can use granulated garlic instead if preferred.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Add more or less to control the spice level.
- Eggs: These will act as a binder for all of the meatball ingredients.
PRO TIP: Make the meatballs into similar sized balls so that they cook evenly, you can use a small ice cream scoop to do this if it’s easier.
Are grape jelly meatballs spicy?
Nope! However, you can make them spicy by adding more crushed red pepper flakes in the meatball mixture. Feel free to sprinkle some into the sauce as well to really crank up the heat. If that’s still not enough, consider mixing in some sriracha!
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Why is grape jelly used in meatballs?
This combo may seem odd, but it’s the best! The grape jelly mixes together with sweet red chili sauce, worcestershire sauce and white vinegar to create a smooth sauce that’s both sweet and savory. It pairs perfectly with the meatballs.
Can I use frozen meatballs?
Yes! Just toss them into the slow cooker with the sauce, mix it all together, and cook as instructed until warmed through.
Why are my meatballs gummy?
This can happen when meatballs are too tightly packed. Avoid this by using a cookie scoop to form the meatballs, and try not to really pack the meat in there.
How to Store/Reheat
Once cooled to room temperature, you can store grape jelly meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or Crockpot until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Let the meatballs fully cool before transferring them to a freezer-safe container. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
This is a great appetizer for the holidays and game day! I like to serve these meatballs with grape jelly on a large platter with a few forks and let everyone dig in! You can also serve each one on a co*cktail stick if you prefer.
If you like, you can turn them into a full meal by serving them with rice or on a bed of sautéed vegetables.
5-Star Review
“I make these every NYE. They’re always a hit!” – Jen
More Game Day Appetizers We Love
- Fried Mozzarella Sticks
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- Corn Ribs
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Cheesy Pigs in a Blanket
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
Recipe
Grape Jelly Meatballs Recipe
4.72 from 38 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Total: 3 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
Serves18 people
Print Rate
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Grape Jelly Meatballs are the perfect easy holiday appetizer and a great crowd pleasing recipe. The meatballs are oven baked and then finished in a slow cooker for an easy party food option. Full of flavor and simple to make.
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Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 15 ounces grape jam
- 15 ounces Sweet Red Chili Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
For the Meatballs:
- 2 pounds ground chuck
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
For the Sauce:
Whisk together jam, chili sauce, Worcestershire Sauce and white vinegar.
For the Meatballs:
Heat oven to 400°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with nonstick spray.
Set the slow-cooker to HIGH and spray the interior with nonstick spray.
Place all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Shape into 1½-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet about 1-inch apart.
Roast the meatballs 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Place the meatballs in the now hot slow-cooker and pour the sauce over the meatballs.
Cover and cook on HIGH 3-4 hours or on LOW 4-6 hours or until meatballs are tender.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Nutrition Information
Serving: 2meatballs Calories: 265kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 31g (10%) Protein: 10g (20%) Fat: 11g (17%) Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) Cholesterol: 54mg (18%) Sodium: 515mg (22%) Potassium: 182mg (5%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 23g (26%) Vitamin A: 40IU (1%) Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) Calcium: 27mg (3%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
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Meet Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.
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15 Comments
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Ann
Posted on 4/17/2020
Can this be frozen after cooking?
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 4/26/2020
Reply to Ann
Yes, absolutely!
Reply
Kathi
Posted on 12/22/2019
What chili sauce do you use?
1
Reply
Carletha Johnson
Posted on 12/22/2019
I love your recipes
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 12/23/2019
Reply to Carletha Johnson
Thank you!!
Reply
Suzanne
Posted on 12/6/2019
FABULOUS
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 12/8/2019
Reply to Suzanne
Thank you, Suzanne!
Reply
Rachael Yerkes
Posted on 12/4/2019
These are awesome
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 12/5/2019
Reply to Rachael Yerkes
Thanks, Rachael!!
Reply
Natasha
Posted on 12/4/2019
The perfect appetizer for Christmas parties – looks so good but is so easy! Thanks for the great recipe.
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 12/5/2019
Reply to Natasha
You’re welcome, I’m SO happy to hear you loved it!!
Reply
Jen
Posted on 12/4/2019
I make these every NYE. They’re always a hit!
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 12/5/2019
Reply to Jen
Totally agree, Jen!!
Reply
Stephanie
Posted on 12/4/2019
Absolutely fantastic! So easy and crazy delicious!
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 12/5/2019
Reply to Stephanie
Thanks, Stephanie! I’m glad you loved it!!
Reply