Slow cooker sweet and sour meatballs: the hero of lazy dinners and potlucks where you still want people to think you have your life together.

Toss some meatballs in a crockpot, drown them in a tangy pineapple sauce, and let the magic happen while you go do literally anything else. It’s sweet, it’s sour, it’s ridiculously easy. And yes, you’re totally taking credit for all of it.

Sweet and sour meatballs on a pile of rice.

Here is Why This Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatball Recipe Works

No babysitting required: Your crockpot does all the heavy lifting while you do… anything else. Dinner with minimal effort!

Big flavor, simple ingredients: Sweet pineapple, tangy peppers, and a sauce that’s better than takeout…. all from stuff you probably already have in your pantry.

Perfect for every occasion: Whether it’s a busy weeknight, a potluck, or game day, this slow cooker meatball always a hit.

Make it your way: Use homemade or store-bought meatballs, tweak the veggies, or adjust the sweetness. It’s forgiving enough to handle whatever you throw at it.

Ingredients for slow cooker sweet and sour meatballs.

The Ingredients

Meat: Frozen meatballs (homemade or store-bought)
Produce: Red bell pepper, green bell pepper
Pantry: Brown sugar, rice vinegar, canned pineapple chunks
Condiments: Ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce
Pantry seasonings: Five spice powder, cornstarch

We used our homemade frozen meatballs for this recipe.

Adding pineapple chunks to a slow cooker. — add the pineapple along with the juice

Tossing bell pepper chunks into the slow cooker. — add the pineapple along with the juice

Recipe Variations

Hawaiian Sweet n Sour Meatballs: Add a diced mango and a half cup of coconut milk to the sauce.

Spicy Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sriracha or sweet chili sauce to the crockpot meatballs for a spicy kick.

Veggie Packed Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs: Toss in 1 cup of diced zucchini and 1 cup of chopped carrots, and a diced onion along with the bell peppers.

Placing the frozen meatballs on the sweet and sour mixture in the crock pot. — add the frozen meatballs

Placing the lid on the crockpot to cook the meatballs. — add the frozen meatballs

Tips for Success

If your slow cooker runs cooler and the sauce doesn’t thicken, just crank it up to high during the last hour of cooking.
Don’t drain the pineapple juice, it’s key to the flavor of the sauce.
You can use homemade or store-bought meatballs. Either works! If making your own, bake them first to avoid mushy meatballs.
Stir the cornstarch into the liquids thoroughly before adding the meatballs to avoid any clumps in the sauce.
Customize the veggies. Bell peppers are classic, but you can swap in zucchini, carrots, or even snap peas for variety.

Scooping scooping a serving of Slow cooker sweet and sour meatballs from the crockpot.

Storage

Refrigerator: Transfer the meatballs and sauce to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezer: For longer storage, let the meatballs and sauce cool completely, then place them in a freezer safe container or bag. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheat the meatballs in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. You can also zap them in the microwave until heated through.

Meatballs in a slow cooker with sweet and sour sauce.

Pineapple Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Slow cooker sweet and sour meatballs are your secret weapon for effortless dinners or potluck wins. Tangy sauce, tender meatballs, and a crockpot doing all the work—it’s like cheating, but no one has to know.

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A bowl of sweet and sour meatballs on a bed of white rice.

Slow Cooker Sweet n Sour Meatballs with Pineapple

Sweet and sour meatballs made easy in the slow cooker! Juicy meatballs simmer in a tangy pineapple sauce with bell peppers and a hint of Chinese five spice for bold flavor.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 4

Servings: servings

Calories: 541kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

1 (20 ounce) can can pineapple chunks, with juice
1 red bell pepper diced
1 green bell pepper diced
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon five spice powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
28 ounces frozen meatballs homemade or store-bought about 3 cups

Instructions

Pour the can of pineapple chunks into the crockpot, along with all the juices in the can.
Add the red and green bell peppers, then toss in the brown sugar, vinegar, water, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire, five spice powder, and cornstarch. Give the mixture a stir until the cornstarch is blended in well.
Place the frozen meatballs in the crockpot and give it a stir.
Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or low for 4 to 5 hours. Stir the sauce during the last hour.
If you use low heat, some slow cookers may not get hot enough to thicken the sauce. If that happens, increase the heat to high for 1 hour.

Notes

If the sauce doesn’t thicken on low, switch to high for the last hour of cooking.
Be sure to include the pineapple juice—it’s key to the sauce’s flavor.
Use homemade or store-bought meatballs; both work great.
Mix the cornstarch into the liquids thoroughly to avoid lumps.
Swap the bell peppers for other veggies like zucchini or snap peas if desired.