Crockpot Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

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Crockpot Sweet and Spicy Meatballs make a delicious party app for game day, potlucks, holidays and more! Just dump in the ingredients and go!

Let me start by warning you that these sweet and spicy meatballs are addictive.

Addictive as in, you'll probably keep popping them in your mouth long after your stomach reaches its fullest point.

Looking for more appetizers? Check these out:

Crockpot recipes are my jam. Mostly because when life gets busy (aka always), I can just dump my ingredients into the pot and pretty much forget about them.

This is exactly what I did last weekend which allowed me to get more rest and make a couple of extra recipes for the blog on the same day.

Seriously, I woke up on a Sunday morning… dumped my ingredients into my crockpot, turned it on and went back to bed for two hours. Only to wake up to the smell of sweet and spicy goodness.

If you need a reason to get out of bed, this will do the trick! Almost as tempting as the glorious smell of coffee in the morning to lure me out into the kitchen.

Whenever I make these, I am totally guilty of grabbing one or five before I make them available to the family. I don't know what it is but I just can't help myself! The sweet and spicy goodness is about enough to make my eyes roll to the back of my head.

I prepped my meatballs the night before because I knew I wanted to use my Sunday wisely. This was in order to get the best natural light for my photos, of course, so don't feel you have to disrupt your normal sleeping habits just to get a good pot of sweet and spicy meatballs. They really only take about 4 hours.

My favorite part about this recipe is the simplicity (though not as simple as my dad's famous 2-ingredient crock-pot meatball sauce) and diversity.

Like it spicy? Add more sriracha. Like it sweeter? Pour in a bit more barbecue sauce, honey or brown sugar. But don't let premature taste tests fool you – a flavor tasting before they're ready may trick you into thinking they're spicier than they actually are because the liquids tend to separate.

How to make sweet and spicy crockpot meatballs

Step 1: Chop your produce
Step 2: Combine the beef, produce, egg, breadcrumbs, and dry seasonings in a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Roll the meat mixture into 1 to 1.5 inch balls.
Step 4: Create the sauce using sriracha, honey, brown sugar, barbecue sauce and paprika.
Step 5: Place the meatballs in the crockpot and pour the sauce over them.
Step 6: Cook on high for four hours, stirring periodically.
Step 7: Garnish and enjoy!

This recipe is perfect for a busy workweek night, for a yummy pasta topping or even as a party appetizer if you want to serve them on toothpicks!

FOR MORE APPETIZER RECIPES, CHECK OUT:

• Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Crunchy & Gooey Air Fryer Jalapeno Popper Balls
• Easy Party Apps You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less
• Tomato Bruschetta with Garlic and Basil
• Goat Cheese Crostini with Caramelized Onions and Candied Walnuts

FOR MORE CROCKPOT RECIPES, CHECK OUT:

• Easy Crock-Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

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Crock-Pot Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

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Crockpot Sweet and Spicy Meatballs make a delicious party app for game day, potlucks, holidays and more! Just dump the ingredients in and go!

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Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 1.5 lbs Ground Beef
• 1/3 cup White Onion, chopped into small pieces
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the sauce

• 1 cup Sriracha Sauce, (3/4 cup for less spice)
• 1 cup Honey
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup Barbecue Sauce
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Garnish

• cilantro

Instructions

1. Chop onions, garlic and thyme into small pieces.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped onions, garlic, thyme, egg, breadcrumbs, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.
3. Using your hands, mix the meat and seasonings until evenly distributed.
4. Roll 1-1 1/2-inch meatballs. Mixture makes about 2 dozen.
5. In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to combine the sriracha, honey, brown sugar, barbecue sauce and paprika until smooth.
6. Put the meatballs in a crock-pot and turn it on high. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir to ensure even distribution.
7. Cook the meatballs in the crock-pot on high for 4 hours, stirring periodically to avoid burning the bottom layer. Turn the heat to low if you feel your crock-pot is cooking too quickly, as these appliances vary in heat.
8. Garnish with cilantro.