Trader Joe's Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe
So excited to share this awesome Trader Joe’s meatballs recipe! I have been making this easy meal for YEARS - I cannot believe it has taken me so long to share it here with you!
All items on the ingredient list can be purchased at Trader Joe’s. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand because its a great option for the random weeknight when things do not go as planned.
When it comes to quick meals - this is a favorite with the whole family!
What meatballs are best?
When it comes to making. this recipe you could certainly use homemade meatballs, beef meatballs, turkey meatballs or even meatless meatballs. But the important thing is to not use the Trader Joe’s Italian meatballs or any meatballs with Italian seasoning.
In my opinion the best meatballs at Trader Joe’s are the mini-size party meatballs. They are versatile, cook quickly and are the best frozen meatballs to keep in your freezer. They just might be my favorite Trader Joe’s product!
These meatballs are also a good option for if you do want Italian meatball subs or pasta. You can quickly simmer with marinara sauce, then top with some Parmesan cheese on sub rolls for a quick and easy dinner. If you do not have the party size meatballs, I highly recommending grabbing a bag of meatballs on your next Trader Joe’s run!
Using your slow cooker
Cooking these sweet and sour meatballs in your slow cooker could not be easier! In fact, it’s my preferred way of cooking this recipe when I serve it as an appetizer. You just dump all the ingredients in and let the slow cooker do the work!
I simply bring my slow cooker with me and keep it on the warm setting while serving.
What to serve with your sweet and sour meatballs
These meatballs have so much flavor, you don’t need any fancy side dishes! I like to keep it simple with the Trader Joe’s fried rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice. Additionally, find more ideas in my round-up of What to Serve with Meatballs {13 Low-Carb Side Dishes}.
More Trader Joe’s recipes you may like:
Trader Joe's Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 20 ounce bag of Trader Joe's mini meatballs (or similar)
- 1 bell pepper cut into bite size chunks
- 1 medium onion cut into bite size chunks
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup reduced sugar apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 3/4 teaspoon powdered garlic)
- 1 teaspoon minded ginger (or 3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger)
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Mix ketchup, vinegar, apricot preserves, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and water in medium bowl.
- Heat oil in large deep sided skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add meatballs, peppers, and onion to skillet.
- Pour sauce over meatballs and heat until sauce starts to bubble.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered 12-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until meatballs are cooked through, the veggies are tender and sauce has thickened.
- Omit the oil and place all remaining ingredients in slow cooker.
- Stir well to cover all meatballs in sauce.
- Slow cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or low heat 6-8 hours until meatballs are cooked through, veggies are tender, and sauce has thickened.
- Can also be served as an appetizer with toothpicks.
I hope you love this recipe just as much as my family does! Nothing beats an (almost) homemade recipe that you can whip up in under 20 minutes.
