Description
Looking for an effortless yet crowd-pleasing party snack or dinner idea? These Grape Jelly Meatballs deliver the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and smoky flavors. Whether you’re throwing together a quick appetizer for game day or want an easy dinner recipe that everyone will devour, this dish checks all the boxes. With just a handful of ingredients like frozen meatballs, barbecue sauce, and grape jelly, you’ll have a flavorful, sticky glaze coating every juicy bite. It’s one of the best food ideas when you’re short on time but want a big flavor payoff. Perfect as a healthy snack alternative (just watch your portions), or for anyone needing easy dinner inspiration or new breakfast ideas for next-day leftovers!
Ingredients
32 oz frozen fully cooked meatballs
1 cup grape jelly
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1/4 tsp red chili flakes (optional)
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Take the meatballs directly from the freezer—no need to thaw.
2. In a large saucepan or slow cooker, mix grape jelly and barbecue sauce.
3. Heat the sauce over medium heat, stirring until smooth and combined.
4. Add meatballs and stir to coat evenly in the sauce.
5. Simmer on low for 20–25 minutes (or 3–4 hours on low in slow cooker), stirring occasionally.
6. Once hot and coated, garnish with parsley if desired.
7. Serve warm as an appetizer or over rice, potatoes, or noodles.
Notes
For a spicy kick, add extra chili flakes or use spicy barbecue sauce.
You can easily double the recipe for larger crowds—just use a bigger pot or cooker.
Leftovers reheat well and make great meatball sliders or rice bowl toppings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer / Main
- Method: Stovetop or Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: easy recipe, party food, sweet and savory, grape jelly meatballs, quick appetizer, easy dinner