These homemade BBQ meatballs deliver the perfect blend of sweet, tangy flavors after just 2 hours of simmering to succulent perfection. With only 5 minutes of prep time, you’ll create a crowd-pleasing dish that’s ideal for potlucks, game days, or cozy family dinners. At just 262 calories per serving, these tender, sauce-coated meatballs offer a satisfying protein boost while keeping things reasonably light. The magic happens as they slowly cook, allowing all those delicious BBQ flavors to fully develop.
Ingredients Section
- Meatballs: 50-60 frozen meatballs (pre-made or homemade works great)
- Sauce Base: 14 oz whole cranberry sauce, 12 oz cocktail sauce
- Sweeteners: 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- Liquids: 1 cup water, 1 cup BBQ sauce
- Garnish: Fresh green onions, finely chopped
Instructions Section
- Prep Your Cooker: Give your slow cooker a light coating of cooking spray – this will make cleanup a breeze!
- Layer Meatballs: Add your frozen meatballs to the bottom of the slow cooker
- Create Sauce Mix: In a large mixing bowl, combine cranberry sauce, cocktail sauce, brown sugar, water, and BBQ sauce until well blended
- Combine: Pour your delicious sauce mixture evenly over the meatballs
- Cook: Set your slow cooker to LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours
- Serve: Top with fresh chopped green onions and serve while warm and saucy!
Serving Suggestions
These sweet and tangy BBQ meatballs make a fantastic appetizer for parties! Place them in a serving bowl with toothpicks nearby, or set them up in a chafing dish to keep warm during your gathering. They’re perfect for game day spreads, holiday parties, or potlucks. Try serving them alongside slider buns for mini meatball sandwiches, or place them over rice for a simple main dish.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
You can keep these meatballs warm in your slow cooker for up to 2 hours on the “warm” setting – just give them a gentle stir now and then. If you have leftovers, let them cool down and pop them in an airtight container. They’ll stay good in your fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, just warm them up in the microwave or back in your slow cooker. You can even freeze them! The sauce and meatballs freeze really well for up to 3 months.
Quick Variations
Want to switch things up? Try using grape jelly instead of cranberry sauce for a classic party meatball flavor. If you like things spicy, add a splash of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce. You can also use turkey meatballs for a lighter option, or mini meatballs if you’re serving them as appetizers. The sauce works great with any kind of BBQ sauce you like – sweet, spicy, or smoky!
BBQ Meatballs
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 50-60 frozen meatballs store bought or homemade
- 14 ounce whole cranberry sauce
- 12 ounces cocktail sauce or homemade
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup bbq sauce
- green onion finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Spray the bottom of your slow cooker lightly with cooking spray.
- Add frozen meatballs to the bottom of pot.
- In a large bowl stir together cranberry sauce, cocktail sauce, brown sugar, water, and barbecue sauce and pour over meatballs.
- Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- Serve warm garnished with chopped green onions, if desired.
