Description
A cheap, easy, and delicious slow cooker meal that costs less than takeout. Perfect for tight budgets, this recipe requires zero active cooking time and uses simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz frozen meatballs (beef or pork blend)
- 1.5 cups BBQ sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a small bowl or directly in the slow cooker, mix BBQ sauce, honey, garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes until the honey is mostly dissolved.
- Pour frozen meatballs into the slow cooker. Do not thaw them. Gently toss to coat them in the sauce.
- Cover and cook on High for 3-4 hours, or on Low for 6-8 hours.
- Once meatballs are hot and sauce is thickened, give them a good stir. Serve hot over rice or with crusty bread.
Notes
Do not over-stir during cooking to maintain heat. If the sauce is too thin, add 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water. Leftovers taste better the next day. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 18
Keywords: budget meals, crockpot recipes, cheap dinner, honey BBQ meatballs, slow cooker, easy dinner, meal prep