Sauce And Meatballs In Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs Image Pin

Crockpot BBQ Meatballs are made with just a few simple ingredients, but they're so good! The barbecue sauce turns into a thick, sticky glaze – perfect for a party appetizer.

close up of white slow cooker with bbq meatballs

This recipe for Sticky BBQ Slow Cooker Meatballs is one of my favorites for whenever I need a quick and easy appetizer. I use barbecue sauce to make a delicious glaze on my homemade meatballs, but feel free to use storebought meatballs if you prefer.

I fully appreciate how easy these are easy to make thanks to the slow cooker doing most of the work. I serve them on their own or as mini subs (or over mashed potatoes for dinner!) – they are going to be a big hit either way!

Ingredients you'll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

ingredients for crockpot BBQ meatballs with text labels — Ingredients for Crockpot BBQ Meatballs: Ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, mustard, egg, garlic powder, dried parsley, salt & pepper, BBQ sauce, ground paprika and Worcestershire sauce.

Ingredient notes

Ground beef: I prefer lean ground beef here. If you use a fattier ground beef, please note that a lot of the grease may drain out into your glaze as the meatballs cook. For a leaner version, feel free to use ground turkey!
Barbecue sauce: I prefer a smooth barbecue sauce here (over one with large pieces of things like onion etc.). Pick one you like the flavor of – it's a pretty big part of the dish 😉
Worcestershire sauce: feel free to leave this one out if you don't have it on hand. You can also use 1 tablespoon soy sauce as a replacement.
Meatballs: Feel free to use frozen meatballs (I recommend using 1 pound for saucier meatballs, 1.5 pounds for more of a glaze) instead of making your own. See my tips below for buying frozen meatballs for this recipe!

How to choose frozen meatballs:

Read the ingredients: I don't know about you, but I want my meatballs to actually contain meat. Read the ingredients on the back of the bag and look for a brand that uses mainly ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg and seasoning. Too many additives and fillers aren't necessary.
Buy a large bag:If you have the freezer space, it's more economical to buy a large bag – even if you don't need all of the meatballs right now. They will keep for some time in your freezer and might just save you on a busy day.
Make sure they're fully cooked: You'll want fully cooked meatballs for this recipe, or you'll have to defrost and cook them first. Otherwise they could fall apart in the sauce and you'll end up with BBQ spaghetti sauce.
Looking for a healthier option? You can also make this recipe with turkey meatballs, or choose a lower sodium brand.

How to make BBQ Meatballs in the slow cooker

First, you have to make the meatballs (if you're using homemade; you'll skip this if you're using frozen ones).

Add all ingredients for the meatballs to a bowl and combine very well (1). I use a hand mixer with the hook attachments for this, easy and mess-free.

photo collage to show how to make meatballs from scratch

Next, shape the meatball mixture into 1 teaspoon sized balls and cook them until browned (2).

Once the meatballs are ready, combine the BBQ sauce with spices and Worcestershire in a small crockpot (3).

photo collage to show how to assemble BBQ meatballs in the slow cooker

Carefully stir in the meatballs – don't smash them as you add them to the sauce! Then, slow cook the meatballs on low for 3-4 hours.

Recipe tips

Defrosting:If you're using fully cooked, frozen meatballs (either homemade or store-bought), it's easier to use them frozen. THAT BEING SAID, do so at your own risk because using frozen foods in crockpots isn't generally recommended. Since the frozen meatballs are fully cooked, I myself do it. I check the internal temperature of the meatballs before serving with a thermometer to make sure it has reached 160°F (see more about safe meat temperatures here).
There's no need to stir! You should actually never open your crockpot while it's on (unless the recipe says so), because the heat in there decreases super fast. And stirring the meatballs too much will make them scraggly and will eventually break them up too much – not a nice result!
Use the appropriate crockpot size:If you want to make a larger batch, use a larger crockpot, too. You don't want to stuff your crockpot to the brim with meatballs and sauce. They will have a harder time heating through and the sauce won't get as nice and sticky.

Serving ideas

While these meatballs are a wonderful party appetizer by themselves, they are also great for dinner!

You can serve them with rice or mashed potatoes and add peas, a coleslaw, sautéed green beans or sautéed zucchini on the side.

plate with mashed potatoes, peas and bbq meatballs

Or try any of the ideas I have listed in my post about BBQ meatball side dishes.

More easy holiday appetizers

Crockpot BBQ Little Smokies
Baked Honey Wings
Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip (in a Bread Bowl!)
Bacon Wrapped Dates with Pecans and Goat Cheese

PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list, too!

Sticky BBQ Slow Cooker Meatballs

Crockpot BBQ Meatballs are made with just a few simple ingredients, but they're so good! The barbecue sauce turns into a thick, sticky glaze – perfect for a party appetizer.

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Recipe details

Prep 15 mins

Cook 4 hrs

Total 4 hrs 15 mins

Servings 10 servings

Difficulty Easy

To make the meatballs

▢ 1 pound lean ground beef
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 1 teaspoon mustard
▢ ⅓ cup finely chopped onion OR shallot
▢ ⅓ cup bread crumbs
▢ ¼ teaspoon dried parsley optional for more flavor
▢ ¼ teaspoon dried garlic powder optional for more flavor
▢ salt & pepper to taste

To make the sauce

▢ 1 cup barbecue sauce
▢ 1 teaspoon ground paprika smoked or regular both work
▢ 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
▢ ½ teaspoon salt or less to taste

Make meatballs: To make the meatballs, mix all ingredients in a large bowl (I use a hand mixer with the dough hook attachements for easy and mess-free work) and shape into small meatballs. I use 1 teaspoon meat mix per meatball for a good appetizer size; make sure to firmly shape the meatballs or they disintegrate in the sauce.
Cook meatballs: Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat and add some oil. Cook the meatballs until browned on the outside and entirely cooked through. OR bake the meatballs at 425°F for 10-12 minutes.
Slow cook with sauce: Once the meatballs are cooked, mix all sauce ingredients together in a 3-4 quart slow cooker. Add the meatballs and cook on low for 3-4 hours. The meatballs keep in the slow cooker for another 1-2 hours.

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