Feast with your eyes first then delight your taste buds with slow cooker sweet and spicy meatballs with bell peppers.
Sweet and Spicy Meatballs
Opposing flavors and seasonings make for some of the best dishes and meals, salty and sweet, sweet and heat, or sweet and spicy they all work. The sweetness and heat of the sauce and the flavors that develop as it cooks for hours in the slow cooker with the meatballs and peppers are just so good.
While I love the taste of bell peppers and what the different combinations bring to a dish. There are times I think I might love the colors on my plate even more.
The sweet and spicy, vivid colors and texture of the just slightly tender peppers with softer meatballs make each bite just right.
My choice for this recipe is miniature or bite-size (approximately 1-inch) frozen meatballs whenever possible. I’ve used “party” meatballs, homestyle meatballs, even Italian meatballs without any issues. I typically use whichever meatballs are in my freezer.
I get completely that heat and spicy in a recipe is totally a personal preference. At the same time super easy to adjust. If you’re leery of the chili paste, use the lesser amount or feel free to skip it entirely. It works both ways.
If you like a little more sweet add a can of pineapple chunks. They are delicious when they soak up the sauce, just drain the pineapple well and don’t add the liquid from the canned pineapple.
Frozen Meat Balls in Crockpot
Slow cookers or crockpots are an appliance of which I have more than one. If you are an avid slow cooker user like I am, you might understand the need for more than one. So, let’s talk about my favorites:
First up is this 6-quart slow cooker that has a locking lid. These crockpots are fantastic for transporting foods. Mine has gone everywhere from church potlucks to barbecues, game nights to Thanksgiving dinner. However, fair warning, these slow cookers run crazy hot. Low is closer to a boil than a simmer, the warm setting actually simmers. So trust me when I say HIGH is high.
My everyday slow cooker is this 8-quart Crockpot. It’s my go-to appliance for cooking large roasts and big batches of chili. Fun fact: did you know that a full 4-quart cooker, actually cooks more slowly than a half-full 8-quart cooker?
For just cooking a few pounds of chicken to shred for enchiladas or other smaller recipes, this 3-quart version is perfect.
Thanksgiving has become a breeze since I have mastered how to hold all of the side dishes using these medium-sized round slow cookers.
If you aren’t a fan of the idea of keeping more than one slow cooker in the house, these CrockPockets are a game-changer when it comes to preparing and holding multiple dishes at the same time. They slide into a standard 6-quart crockpot, dividing it into two sections that are perfect for serving different side dishes or keeping taco fillings warm for parties.
Sweet Spicy Meatballs
Ingredients
- honey
- low-sodium soy sauce
- ketchup
- garlic paste OR garlic cloves, minced
- chili paste is optional but highly recommended
- frozen meatballs
- multi-colored bell peppers
Instructions
- Combine the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and chili paste in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Stir to combine.
- Place the meatballs in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir to coat thoroughly. Cover with lid and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 1½ hours.
- Stir well, taking care to scrape the sides of the crock-pot. Add the bell peppers and stir again to mix throughout. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 1 more hour. Stir and serve warm OR reduce heat to WARM and hold for up to 2 more hours.
Bell Pepper Recipes
Bell peppers add so much to any dish, they are one of my favorite ingredients to use and I use them so often. From stuffed to soups, stir fry, and gravy I use them in quite literally everything I can.
Yes, I said gravy: Creamy bacon gravy with bell peppers and plenty of black pepper makes a terrific addition to any weekend brunch menu.
Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers are a new favorite dinner over here, because some food combinations just make perfect sense and these stuffed and tasty colorful bell peppers are exactly right.
Thinly sliced flank steak in a garlicky ginger sauce makes for a delicious weeknight steak and pepper stir fry.
Sweet bell peppers and juicy tomatoes are tossed with angel hair pasta and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese in this flavorful Bell Pepper Pasta.
Sweet and Spicy Meatballs with Bell Peppers
Ingredients
- ¾ cup honey
- ¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons garlic paste OR 12 garlic cloves, minced
- 2-4 tablespoons chili paste optional but highly recommended the full amount
- 3 pounds frozen meatballs
- 4 multi-colored bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Combine the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and chili paste in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Stir to combine.
- Place the meatballs in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir to coat thoroughly. Cover with lid and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 1½ hours.
- Stir well, taking care to scrape the sides of the crock-pot. Add the bell peppers and stir again to mix throughout. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH for 1 more hour. Stir and serve warm OR reduce heat to WARM and hold for up to 2 more hours.
Notes
Nutrition
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