Looking for a quick and easy appetizer or weeknight meal? These melt-in-your-mouth crockpot meatballs are made with simple ingredients in less than 30 minutes.
It’s the time of year when I don’t like getting out of my cozy fleece sweatpants, and I dread going outside because man… it’s COLD! I’d rather stay snuggled up on the couch, watching movies and eating a bowl of these incredible crockpot meatballs.
They are incredible! I mean it. Everything a girl could dream of in one warm, steamy bowl. I find myself making this meal on especially chilly days when I honestly don’t feel like cooking. I always have the elderberry BBQ sauce ready to go in my fridge, so throwing this all together is a cinch.
The elderberry BBQ sauce adds a unique flavor and healthy aspect to these meatballs that I know you’re going to love!
As Elderberry Queen, I pride myself on delivering natural and organic products including the delicious elderberry syrup in this recipe. Which, I’m sure you’re going to love.
Elderberry BBQ Sauce, Say What?
Yup, you read that right! BBQ sauce is something we take very seriously in this house. We use it in almost every dish in our house.
We love using it as a:
- Healthy, delicious sauce on our pizzas instead of tomato sauce
- Dip for our french fries
- Spread on burgers
- Marinade for our meat before grilling in the summer
It’s a loved companion, and I can’t imagine our lives without it. Haha, ok… a bit extreme. But you get what I’m saying, right?
If you’re a BBQ sauce fan… you’re going to LOVE my homemade recipe.
Let’s address the elephant in the room, shall we? Elderberry syrup in BBQ sauce… I know that’s what you’re thinking right now. And you’re right, at first, it sounds a little weird – so let’s get into it.
Elderberry Syrup is absolutely delicious and has completely changed my family’s health and life for the better.
I also love cooking and baking. It’s my true love in life. So, I had to bring the two together. Why not?
Here are a few quick facts about Organic Elderberry Syrup for you:
- It’s bursting with antioxidants
- It’s made with seven organic ingredients: elderberries, aronia berries, honey, ACV, cloves, cinnamon and ginger — that’s it
- It’s a super-food powerhouse
- It can help protect the body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals (aka viruses & bacteria)
- It supports the body’s immune system quickly and effectively with no side effects
- My Organic Elderberry Syrup is free from artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, thickeners and added sugar
So it only makes sense that I’d figure out a way to use my Elderberry Syrup in this sauce! It took a little tweaking, but once I got the measurements down for this recipe, it became necessary to have a bottle in the fridge at all times.
That way, when a party, get-together or lazy day sneaks up on me, I’m ready! (To make meal prepping easier, I suggest making this a day or two before making these meatballs.)
An Easier BBQ Sauce Alternative
I have another alternative for you, just in case you don’t have the time to make my elderberry BBQ sauce from scratch.
Pick your favorite basic BBQ sauce from the store, empty it into a large bowl and add ¼ cup of elderberry sauce per bottle. Whisk until combined and immediately pour it over the meatballs or refrigerate in a container until you’re ready to get cooking.
It’s Party Time
There’s nothing like a last-minute party (or you just forgetting until the last minute) and having no idea what to bring. You can’t just grab a veggie tray on your way because then everyone will know you forgot. Especially since everyone knows me as the “loves to cook way too much” lady.
If this has happened to you — you’re not alone. I had to admit it, but I’ve realized tonight is a pot-luck where I offered to bring a protein, and I’m just realizing it at about 3 pm when we’re supposed to be there by 6 pm. Ugh.
This recipe has SAVED me so many times it’s ridiculous.
It’s so easy to whip up and toss in the crockpot with the elderberry BBQ sauce, and then just let it heat up and simmer. It can’t get much easier than that!
If you want to make the BBQ sauce homemade, use this recipe here. Remember, you can simply whisk in ¼ cup of elderberry syrup into one bottle of BBQ sauce.
Now, let’s get your meatballs going!
Ingredients for Crockpot Meatballs
Here’s everything you’ll need for these simple meatballs.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- ½ cup almond flour (can sub 1:1 wheat flour)
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 4 cups of elderberry BBQ sauce (may substitute with 2-8.5 oz bottle of any BBQ sauce mixed with ¼ cup elderberry syrup)
You can see that I’ve tried to make this recipe as easy as possible without losing any flavor, which is why I’m subbing chopped onions for onion powder. Why dirty up more dishes than you need to, right?
Elderberry BBQ Meatballs Instructions
Here’s how to make this delicious crockpot meal.
For the Sauce:
- Bring the BBQ sauce to a light simmer and allow it to simmer while making the meatballs.
For the Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 350℉. In a large bowl, combine beef, almond flour, garlic and onion powders, salt and pepper — mix well to combine.
- Using a small cookie scoop or large spoon, shape the meat mixture into approximately 16 golf ball-sized pieces and place them on a baking sheet about ½ an inch apart.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked and no longer pink inside.
- When the meatballs are done, add them to your crockpot and pour BBQ sauce overtop. Place the lid on the crockpot and turn your settings to low.
You can start eating immediately or let them simmer and munch throughout your evening.
This is the perfect serving for about 6-8 people. If you’re feeding a larger crowd, consider doubling it.
Just a Few Notes
Here are a few things you should keep in mind.
- You can make these meatballs up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate or freeze until you’re ready to put them in your crockpot with the sauce. Just thaw your meatballs first.
- To reheat, place meatballs and sauce in a slow cooker set to low until heated through. Keep an eye on it, you might need to add a few tablespoons of broth if it starts getting too thick.
- You can freeze meatballs for up to 3 months. Freeze both the meatballs and sauce together or separately.
I hope you love these just as much as my family does!
One Last Thing
I just wanted to say, thank you so much for taking the time to read my recipes and allowing me to share my passion with you!
I genuinely would love to know how you liked this recipe. Please feel free to rate it below on the recipe card, post a comment or email me directly at lindsey@elderberryqueen.net.
Happy cooking! 💜 🌿
