These juicy Grape Jelly Meatballs are the best appetizer recipe. Tender and juicy meatballs smothered in a sweet and spicy sauce and slow-cooked to perfection. The sauce has just three ingredients and you’ll love how easy it is.
Grape Jelly Meatballs are perfect for New Year’s parties or any gathering. If you are looking for a crowd-pleasing appetizer, these are always a hit, along with our Jalapeno Poppers or the Easy Cheese Ball.
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Grape Jelly Meatballs
These delicious grape jelly meatballs are loved by everyone. Meatballs tossed together with grape jelly, bbq sauce, and garlic chili sauce then slow cooked until tender, saucy and flavorful.
We love serving these during the holidays, game nights, or even for a simple dinner over fluffy white rice.
Ingredients for Grape Jelly Meatballs
With just 4 basic ingredients you can have this amazing appetizer thrown together and allow the crockpot to do the rest of the work.
- Meatballs – For this recipe we use frozen meatballs made of pork, beef, and chicken from the local grocery store. You can use any of your favorite frozen meatballs for this recipe.
- Grape Jelly – Any grape jelly will work, we prefer using Smucker’s grape jelly.
- Chili Sauce – You can also adjust the amount for the level of heat you prefer. Any chili sauce will work for this recipe, we love Huey Fong Chili Sauce (the same sauce we use in Shrimp Cocktail Sauce and Springroll Dipping Sauce).
- Barbecue Sauce – We love Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce for this recipe.
How to Make Grape Jelly Meatballs
This recipe is so easy to make. With just 5 minutes of prep time, you can have this appetizer ready to go in your crockpot.
- Into the slow cooker, add: frozen meatballs, jelly, bbq, and chili sauce to the slow cooker. Toss until combined. TIP: You can also mix the bbq, jelly and chili sauce in a separate bowl then pour over the meatballs.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring halfway through cooking. Once the meatballs are cooked, turn the slow cooker to warm and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Garnish with parsley or chives if desired.
Other Cooking Methods
If you do not have a slow cooker, don’t worry, here are two other methods that you can use to make these meatballs.
- Stovetop Grape Jelly Meatballs – Add the meatballs, barbecue, grape jelly, and chili sauce in a Dutch oven or large pot and combine. Simmer over medium/low heat for 25-30 minutes or until the meatballs are warmed through, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from burning.
- Oven-Baked Grape Jelly Meatballs – Add all the ingredients into a casserole dish or Dutch oven and mix to combine. Cover with lid or foil and bake at 325°F for 20-25 minutes or until the meatballs have cooked through. Note: Adjust the cooking time based on the size of your meatballs.
To Serve
There are several different ways to enjoy these meatballs! Here are some of our favorite ways:
- Appetizer – They make for the ultimate appetizer, serve with toothpicks at your next gathering, or game day tailgating party!
- Side Dish– Serve these as a side dish for the holidays. The flavors in these meatballs really stand out and this recipe always gets compliments.
- Entree – Serve over cooked rice or with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or pasta as a main entree.
Common Questions
You can store the grape jelly meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can use Homemade Meatballs or even our Turkey Meatballs. You’ll want to be sure to cook the meatballs first.
You can use any type of frozen meatballs that you like, Italian, Angus, and turkey meatballs work great for this recipe. The frozen Italian-style meatballs from Costco work great.
Yes, if you do not like spicy foods then you can leave out the chili sauce completely.
While the grape jelly is classic to this recipe, you can switch up the flavor of jelly you use for different flavors! You can also use strawberry, apple, apricot, mixed berry jam, or preserves.
Make-Ahead
Here’s a great food storage guide from the FDA – print this and tape it inside one of your kitchen cabinets to reference.
- To Freeze – Once cooled, add to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- To Reheat – Grape Jelly Meatballs reheat well. Just add them back to the slow cooker to reheat or you can also reheat in the oven, stovetop, or microwave until steamy hot and fully heated through.
More Party Appetizers
- Cowboy Caviar (Bean Salsa)
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Best Guacamole Recipe
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken
Grape Jelly Meatballs are a real treat. Everyone is always surprised when they find out what is in the sauce. It’s a keeper of a recipe.
Easy Grape Jelly Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 oz frozen fully cooked meatballs
- 1 cup grape jelly, we like Smuckers brand
- 1 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, we like Sweet Baby Ray's brand
- 2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce
Instructions
- Add the frozen meatballs, grape jelly, barbecue sauce, and chili sauce into the base of the slow cooker. Mix until well combined.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours (larger meatballs may take 4-5 hours on low), stirring halfway through cooking. Keep covered and on the warm setting until ready to serve. Garnish with parsley or chives if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
Oops! I forgot to rate the recipe! I am so sorry I could not go back and fix it—at least I did not see a way to do so.
Thank you, Debbie! I appreciate it. 🙂
I have made these without the BBQ sauce, but will add it the next time. I usually use apricot preserves, 1 packet of Lipton onion soup, and Russian dressing for meatballs and Little Smokies, which could also be used with chicken. Love your videos and your recipes!
These turned out great. I have to stir them around a few times to make sure they stay covered in sauce and don’t burn on the bottom.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Keegan!
Hi Natasha! Love your recipes!! Would you adjust this at all if using pre-cooked meatballs?
Hi Kelley, the recipe does call for pre-cooked frozen meatballs. Do you mean if they are freshly cooked meatballs? That will still work but will probably finish an hour or so sooner since you aren’t starting with frozen meatballs.
if i cook on the stovetop – do i still use frozen meatballs & cook for 20-25 min please?
Hi Heidi, please see this section in the recipe for the stovetop or oven method recipe: “Other Cooking Methods”! We mention it may take up to 30 minutes on the stove top. I hope you love this recipe!
In the stovetop method, is 25-30 minutes for *frozen meatballs — or do they have to be thawed first?
Hi Cate, yes you can add them frozen. 🙂
Try using Old Kingsley & Sons Meat Paint BBQ Sauce next time. They make a regular, smoky mesquite and a chitople.
Thank u for that one I use marmalade jelly for my meatballs but I will try the great one too
This is always a winning appetizer at family gatherings. Although I use chili sauce instead of bbq sauce.
That sounds delicious!
I used to make these years and years ago except my recipe called for current jelly. However, since I could never find current jelly in our town I used grape. Also, take them to potlucks and everyone will be asking for recipe. Love them.
So glad you loved the recipe, Kathy! 🙂
Hi Natasha, this sounds like a similar recipe someone gave me 45 (!) years ago using currant jelly and dijon mustard. Are you familiar with this one? It‘s delicious and super easy.
Hi Rosemarie! I haven’t tried that specific recipe, but it sounds delicious.
Hi Natasha
Love this recipe but also like the meatballs with Stonewall Kitchen’s Apple Jalapeño Jelly. Fantastic but a little more spicy. Everyone devours them!!
That sounds amazing!
Can I use frozen Italian meatballs? That’s all I can find.
Hi Cheryl, yes, that will work. We used frozen meatballs for this recipe. I hope you love it!
Natasha, I made my own grape jelly but one of the batch did not set well (a little runny). Can I use it for this recipe?
Hi Mel, I think that would be fine.
We don’t do pork (did beef & lamb) or frozen (fresh pan fried) but these were FABULOUS following the recipe otherwise. Thank you for sharing!
So glad it was enjoyed! Thank you for sharing, Melissa!
I’ve been making these for years with the addition of a shot of soya sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice. No measurements, sorry.
We mix a can of jellied cranberry with a bottle of chili sauce, over meatballs or cocktail weiners. Simple and delicious!
Sounds delicious!
Dear Natasha,
I do not like store bought frozen meatballs! Do you have a recipe for homemade meatballs that will work for this recipe?
Thank you,
PC
I have the Juicy Pork Meatballs recipe.
I prefer to make my own meatballs. The store bought ones just seem tough and do not taste as good as homemade.
That’s good, homemade is always better.
I use Hickory Farms “Hot Pepper Bacon Jam” instead of grape jelly. It is fantastic!
That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Hey there!
I am wondering if using reduced sugar jelly affects the outcome? I have a diabetic husband.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Jill, I think that will be okay although I have not experimented on that yet. If you happen to try that, please share with us how it goes.