Sweet Savory Meatballs
I always enjoyed the popular sweet and savory meatballs at parties but never made them myself because it took so long in a crock pot. When I learned how easy it was to make this recipe in the Instant Pot, I was hooked!
Recipe Steps
These sweet and savory meatballs are so quick to make that they have become one of my go-to party appetizers.
I use Bremer Original Meatballs from Aldi for this dish. While you can make meatballs from scratch, these are super quick and tasty. Start by adding water to the bottom of the Instant Pot liner and placing a trivet inside. Use a steamer basket to keep the meatballs out of the liquid during cooking. If your Instant Pot didn’t come with a steamer basket, you can easily find one on Amazon.
Cook the meatballs on High Pressure for just 5 minutes. When the time is up, perform a quick pressure release. Remove the meatballs and keep them warm, then discard the liquid from the pot.
Return the liner to the pot and switch to the sauté function. Heat equal parts BBQ sauce and grape jelly, whisking often to prevent burning. Once the jelly is fully combined with the BBQ sauce, mix it with the meatballs until they are well coated. Enjoy!
One batch of this appetizer recipe fits perfectly in a 2 Qt. mini crock pot or Dutch oven.
PRO TIP: If you don’t have a mini crock pot, preheat a 2 Qt. Dutch oven while making the recipe. Transfer the finished meatballs to the Dutch oven to keep them warm longer.
Below are examples of the quiche mad in a premade frozen pie crust and as a vegetarian quiche.
Sweet Savory Meatballs
Equipment
- 6 Qt. Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
- 1 Trivet for Pressure Cooker
- 1 Steamer Basket for Pressure Cooker
- 3 Green Onions Optional for garnish
Ingredients
- 1 32 oz. Package of Frozen Meatballs
- 1 C Grape Jelly
- 1 C Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
- 1 C Water
Instructions
- Place one cup of water in the bottom of the Instant Pot liner.
- Place a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot liner. This will be used to keep the steamer basket out of the water.
- Place the frozen meatballs in a steamer basket and then set in the Instant Pot liner on top of the trivet.
- Close and seal the Instant Pot and cook on High pressure for 5 minutes.
- When the cooking is complete, perform a quick pressure release, open the lid, and remove the steamer basket. Set the cooked meatballs in a separate bowl and cover to keep warm. Press the Cancel button on the Instant Pot. and remove the trivet.
- Discard the water from the bottom of the Instant Pot liner. Return the liner to the IP and press the Sauté' button. Add the jelly and BBQ sauce to the liner and whisk together. Stir often until the jelly is liquified and incorporated.
- Add the meatballs back into the Instant Pot and gently stir to coat in the sauce. When the meatballs are coated, pour them into a small bowl or 2 Qt. Dutch oven. Garnish with chopped green onion then serve.
Victoria Cook
Victoria is a passionate home cook who became the host and chef of over 100 episodes of a private cooking show tailored for wellness practitioners and their patients. With a love for ethnic cuisines, she enjoys using a variety of spices and fresh ingredients to create flavorful, healthy meals for her husband and son. Always up for a culinary challenge, Victoria finds joy in experimenting with new recipes—and if she can whip them up in an electric pressure cooker, she’s even happier.