Description
Sticky, sweet, and savory meatballs slow-cooked in a honey BBQ glaze—this easy crockpot appetizer is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for parties, potlucks, or family gatherings. Just toss everything in the slow cooker and let the flavors meld for tender, juicy bites everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 32 oz frozen meatballs (homestyle or Italian, turkey or chicken also work)
- 2 cups BBQ sauce
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together BBQ sauce, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) until smooth.
- Place frozen meatballs in the bottom of your slow cooker (no need to thaw).
- Pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs, using a spatula to coat as many as possible.
- Gently stir to coat all meatballs with sauce.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2-3 hours (or HIGH for 1-1.5 hours) until meatballs are heated through and sauce is thick and sticky. Stir once halfway through if desired.
- Check for doneness: meatballs should be hot (internal temp 165°F) and sauce bubbling. If sauce is thin, uncover for last 20 minutes.
- Switch crockpot to WARM for serving. Serve with toothpicks or slider buns.
Notes
For gluten-free, use certified gluten-free meatballs and BBQ sauce. Vegetarian versions work well with plant-based meatballs and vegan BBQ sauce. Sauce can be prepped ahead for convenience. Avoid overcrowding the crockpot for even heating. If sauce is too thin, uncover for 20 minutes; if too thick, add a splash of water or BBQ sauce. Leftovers keep well and taste even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 6 meatballs per serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 18
Keywords: crockpot meatballs, honey BBQ meatballs, party appetizer, slow cooker, easy meatball recipe, game day snacks, potluck, finger food