Costco Meatballs Crockpot Recipe
Costco meatballs in the crockpot are the easiest party food there is: a big bag of fully cooked frozen meatballs, a sweet and tangy sauce and a slow cooker that holds them hot for hours. Dump, stir and walk away.
16
servings5
minutes4
hoursFrozen warehouse-club meatballs simmer in a sweet, tangy sauce of grape jelly, chili sauce and a little mustard. They stay hot and glossy for hours.
Ingredients
3 lb fully cooked frozen Italian-style meatballs
1 jar (12 oz) grape jelly
1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce (the ketchup-style kind)
1/4 cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Directions
- Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour in the frozen meatballs.
- Whisk the grape jelly, chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika and pepper in a large bowl until mostly smooth. A few jelly lumps will melt later.
- Add the water to the sauce bowl and whisk once more.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir gently so they are coated.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meatballs are hot all the way through at 165°F.
- Stir once halfway through so the sauce on the top does not stay thin.
- Take the lid off for the last 20 minutes on HIGH if the sauce looks thin, and let it reduce until glossy.
- Switch to WARM and sprinkle with parsley.
- Serve with toothpicks and keep the lid on between servings.
Notes
- Any fully cooked frozen meatball works if you do not shop at the warehouse club. For a spicy version, add a tablespoon of sriracha or a diced jalapeno. Keep on WARM for up to 3 hours. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Serve on toothpicks, in sub rolls or over rice or egg noodles.
Why a bag of frozen meatballs is a party planner's best friend
Fully cooked meatballs only need to get hot, and the slow cooker does that without drying them out. They go in frozen, the sauce thaws and coats them, and you do not have to watch a pot. For a potluck, you can carry the whole thing in the insert and plug it in at the party.
The sauce is the old standby for a reason. Grape jelly melts into the chili sauce and gives a sweet, sticky glaze, and the vinegar and mustard keep it tangy, so it does not taste like candy. Everyone asks for the recipe, and it takes five minutes.
Warehouse-club meatballs are seasoned with garlic and herbs, which suits the sweet sauce. The leftovers also freeze well, so a big bag stretches across two parties.
Ingredient notes for the sweet and tangy sauce
Meatballs: the big bag from the warehouse club has about 100 Italian-style meatballs, so it fills a large cooker. Any fully cooked frozen meatball works. Check the package for the safe internal temperature.
Grape jelly: use plain jelly, not jam with seeds or chunks. It melts smooth and gives the glaze its shine. Apricot preserves make a lighter, fruitier sauce.
Chili sauce: this is the tomato-based bottled sauce in the ketchup aisle, not hot Asian chili sauce. Ketchup can stand in if needed, but the flavor is flatter.
Mustard and vinegar: both cut the sugar. Without them the sauce tastes one-note and cloying.
Worcestershire sauce: it adds a deep, rich background. Just two tablespoons is enough.
Smoked paprika: a small amount gives a hint of barbecue flavor, so the sauce tastes like it took more effort.
Tips for glossy, not gloopy, meatballs
Whisk the sauce first: Jelly stirred straight into the pot stays in lumps for hours. Whisking it with the other ingredients first helps it blend. This is the most common mistake with this dish.
Do not add much water: Frozen meatballs release liquid as they thaw. One quarter cup is enough to loosen the sauce at the start.
Reduce at the end: If the sauce looks thin, leave the lid off on HIGH for 20 minutes. It will thicken and cling to the meatballs.
Swaps and variations
Swap the grape jelly for cranberry sauce for a holiday version, or for apricot preserves for a milder sauce. Add a tablespoon of sriracha or a diced jalapeno for heat. For a barbecue version, use two cups of barbecue sauce and skip the jelly and chili sauce. Turkey or chicken meatballs work for a lighter plate. If you are feeding kids, leave out the pepper and the paprika and they will taste like the sweet-and-sour meatballs from a school potluck.
Do not use raw meatballs without searing or baking them first. They crumble in a slow cooker and leave grease in the sauce.
What to serve with these meatballs
Put a box of toothpicks next to the cooker for a party. For dinner, serve over buttered egg noodles or rice with a green vegetable. Pile into toasted sub rolls with provolone for meatball sandwiches. Add celery sticks and a ranch dip for fresh crunch. A tray of baby carrots, cheese cubes and crackers next to the cooker makes a full snack table.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Cool leftovers and refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 days. The sauce thickens when cold.
Freeze the meatballs in sauce in zip bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a saucepan or on LOW in a slow cooker with a splash of water, stirring until the meatballs reach 165°F.
For a potluck, wrap the cooker cord and carry the sealed insert in a towel-lined box. Plug it in on LOW as soon as you arrive and the meatballs will be hot in about an hour.
Costco Meatballs Crockpot Recipe at a glance
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours
- Servings: 16 servings
- Ingredients: 12, led by fully cooked frozen Italian-style meatballs, jar (12 oz) grape jelly, bottle (12 oz) chili sauce (the ketchup-style kind), yellow mustard
Tips for Costco Meatballs Crockpot Recipe
Any fully cooked frozen meatball works if you do not shop at the warehouse club. For a spicy version, add a tablespoon of sriracha or a diced jalapeno. Keep on WARM for up to 3 hours. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days. Serve on toothpicks, in sub rolls or over rice or egg noodles.
Costco Meatballs Crockpot Recipe FAQ
How long does Costco Meatballs Crockpot Recipe take?
Costco Meatballs Crockpot Recipe takes 4 hours of cooking after 5 minutes of prep.
How many people does Costco Meatballs Crockpot Recipe serve?
This recipe makes 16 servings.
What do I need to make Costco Meatballs Crockpot Recipe?
12 ingredients, led by fully cooked frozen Italian-style meatballs, jar (12 oz) grape jelly, bottle (12 oz) chili sauce (the ketchup-style kind), yellow mustard. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
