17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Kelsey Smith

Bookmark these easy recipes with frozen meatballs to save on cooking time for your next family favorite meal on a busy weeknight.

Cooking with frozen meatballs is very convenient and can be time-saving compared to homemade meatballs. You can find homestyle meatballs, Italian meatballs, chicken meatballs, turkey meatballs, and more at the grocery store in the freezer section.Kroger makes the best frozen meatballs.

Since they are frozen, they are a convenient option for quick meals or last-minute preparations. They eliminate the need for extensive prep work and can be easily stored in the freezer until needed. Save these recipes for easy dinners.

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (1)

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Frozen meatballs are the perfect party food because frozen meatball recipes are easy to throw together, and you can keep co*cktail meatballs warm in the Instant Pot or crockpot. For a large crowd, you can find store-bought meatballs in bulk size packaging at Sam's or Costco.

Frozen meatballs are generally pre-cooked, so they require less cooking time compared to making meatballs from scratch. This is particularly helpful when you're short on time or looking for a quick and easy meal solution.

Frozen meatballs can be used in various dishes and cuisines. Whether you want to make spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs, meatball stir-fry, or even appetizers like Swedish meatballs, having a bag of frozen meatballs allows you to explore different recipes without the hassle of making them from scratch.

Jump to:
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • Air Fryer
  • Stovetop
  • Related
  • Storage
  • Food Safety
  • 💬 Comments

Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker. The best part is it can cook one pot meals fast. For many recipes, the cook time will only be 5 minutes or so, but it will take several minutes to come to pressure.

You can also take advantage of the Keep Warm function to keep your meatballs nice and warm during a party or game day.

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Instant Pot Grape Jelly Meatballs

The perfect appetizer. Discover a fantastic Instant Pot grape jelly meatballs recipe here! Using ingredients like concord grape jelly, Heinz chili sauce, water, and frozen meatballs, this easy pressure cooker recipe is a must-try. Dive into this great recipe and enjoy flavorful meatballs in no time!

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (3)

Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs

Check out this quick and easy Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs recipe! With just three simple ingredients—frozen meatballs, BBQ sauce, and honey—you can whip up a delicious dish in no time. Try this great recipe today!

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (4)

Instant Pot Italian Meatballs

Discover an effortless Instant Pot frozen meatballs recipe that cooks frozen meatballs in flavorful pasta sauce with Italian seasoning, allowing you to serve dinner in just 20 minutes! Try this time-saving recipe today for a delicious meal in no time.

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Meatball Soup

This meatball soup is a hearty soup made with precooked frozen meatballs for an easy budget friendly meal for the whole family. Although authentic Albondigas is made with raw meatballs, made from scratch, if you’re in a hurry, you can quickly use frozen meatballs instead.

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (6)

Creamy Spaghetti and Meatballs

Make creamy spaghetti and meatballs with fewer dishes and less effort. Classic spaghetti and Italian style meatballs in spaghetti sauce just got even easier. A simple recipe you will love.

Slow Cooker

Crockpot meals cook low and slow, so you can set it and forget it. Just like the Instant Pot, you can keep your Crockpot meatballs warm for extended periods of time, making this an excellent option for preparing food ahead of time or keeping food warm for a family gathering.

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (7)

3-Ingredient Hawaiian Meatballs

Prepare mouthwatering Hawaiian meatballs effortlessly with this simple slow cooker recipe! With just three ingredients—frozen meatballs, sloppy joe sauce, and pineapple chunks—you can create a sweet and tangy sauce that's sure to impress. Try this delicious recipe today for a taste of the tropics at home!

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Crock Pot Sweet And Sour Meatballs

These crock-pot sweet and sour meatballs are made with the help of your slow cooker and have a sweet and sour taste that everyone will love. Serve these delicious meatballs over white rice.

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (9)

Slow Cooker Beer Meatballs

If you’re looking for a quick, easy, and flavorful appetizer for game day or a potluck then you’ll love these Slow Cooker Beer Meatballs!

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (10)

Slow Cooker Enchilada Meatballs

Slow cooker enchilada meatballs are delicious, cheesy and fun. This easy recipe is a winning combination of flexible and flavorful.

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (11)

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Meatballs

Perfectly sweet and savory, these crock pot honey garlic meatballs are slow-cooked in a delicious sauce made with garlic and honey.

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (12)

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Meatballs

Slow cooker teriyaki meatballs are incredibly easy to make. Serve them along with white rice. Use your favorite sauce.

Air Fryer

An air fryer is a countertop convection oven that takes up very little space but is very powerful. You can usually air fry food much faster with way less time spent pre-heating. Use an oven-style air fryer or a basket-style air fryer.

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Air Fryer Frozen Meatballs in Marinara

Make frozen meatballs in the air fryer! Cooks from frozen in only 15 minutes and calls for only two ingredients: frozen meatballs and marinara sauce.

Stovetop

Leave the kitchen gadgets behind and try a classic stovetop recipe.

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Creamy Garlic Mushroom Meatballs

Easy creamy garlic and mushroom meatballs make for a simple but jazzed-up comfort food that your whole family will enjoy.

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Honey Sriracha Meatballs

Easy and delicious honey sriracha meatballs are glazed with a spicy, sweet, garlic sauce. Make them on the stovetop or in your slow cooker.

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Creamy Rigatoni Meatball Soup

Nothing say comfort more than a bowl of this creamy, rigatoni meatball soup. This recipe is quick and easy and will be done in 20 minutes.

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Italian Wedding Soup

A classic soup, easy italian wedding soup with frozen meatballs uses simple ingredients and easy cooking method.

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Easy Swedish Meatballs

Perfect Swedish meatballs smothered in a homemade sour cream sauce right from frozen meatballs an easy, simple family-friendly dinner recipe without the work. Serve over egg noodles.

When you're done exploring these easy frozen meatball recipes, try some homemade meatballs. To make your own meatballs, try my buffalo turkey meatballs.

There are many different ways to serve meatballs. Explore these delicious side dishes to serve with meatballs. Easy recipes galore!

  • Instant Pot Grape Jelly Meatballs
  • Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
  • What to Serve with Meatballs: 17 Best Side Dishes
  • Instant Pot BBQ Meatballs

Storage

Leftover meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. To store, place the meatballs in an airtight container or zippered food storage bag.

Food Safety

Not all frozen meatballs are pre-cooked, so be sure to read the product packaging. Additionally, even though some frozen meatballs are pre-cooked, it's still recommended to heat them to a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC).

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About Kelsey Smith

I am a freelance content writer by day, mommy by night, and a blogger in between. I live in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband, Xavier. When I'm not working, you might find me here, sharing comfort food recipes.

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  1. Elizabeth S says

    I cannot wait to make and eat all of these! I love meatballs!

    Reply

  2. Carlee says

    So many tasty recipes to try, thanks!

    Reply

17 Easy and Tasty Recipes with Frozen Meatballs (2024)

FAQs

How do you doctor up frozen meatballs? ›

10 Ways to Turn Frozen Meatballs into an Easy Weeknight Dinner
  1. Turn them into hearty subs. ...
  2. Toss them in the slow cooker. ...
  3. Make a pizza out of them. ...
  4. Grill them on skewers. ...
  5. Skip IKEA and make your own Köttbullar. ...
  6. Get bowled over. ...
  7. Add a little touch of Catalonia. ...
  8. Bake them into a casserole.
Sep 12, 2019

Should you thaw frozen meatballs before cooking? ›

No, you do not have to thaw frozen meatballs before cooking them in sauce. In fact, cooking them frozen can help them hold their shape better. Here are some tips for cooking frozen meatballs in sauce: Heat your sauce of choice in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat.

How should I cook my frozen meatballs? ›

Add a small amount of cooking oil or non-stick cooking spray to the pan to prevent sticking. Place the frozen meatballs in the hot pan, making sure there's enough space between them to allow for even cooking. Cook the meatballs for about 10-12 minutes, turning them occasionally to ensure they cook evenly.

What goes good with meatballs? ›

10 Side Dishes to Pair With Meatballs Besides Spaghetti
  • Jen's Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
  • Tasty Spicy Rice Pilaf.
  • Fried Cabbage and Egg Noodles.
  • Peperonata.
  • Peanut Butter Noodles.
  • Tasty BBQ Corn on the Cob.
  • Disney's Ratatouille.
  • 8. ' Chinese Buffet' Green Beans.
Jul 30, 2019

How to make frozen meatballs tastier? ›

The stale taste is because when food is frozen for too long, it can dry out. You want to add egg to the meat to moisten it. Make sure to blend the whole egg into the meat so that it can be thoroughly absorbed.

What can I eat with meatballs instead of pasta? ›

If you are trying to limit carbs, you can have meatballs with tomato sauce and cheese and Zoodles—made with Zucchini and a spiralizer, or Shirataki noodles, which have zero carbs. Or, any kind of roasted or sautéed low-starch veggies, like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach…

Can I put frozen meatballs in sauce? ›

In general, you can cook raw frozen meatballs in sauce for approximately 20-30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). It's always recommended to check the packaging instructions for specific cooking guidelines.

Are frozen meatballs good after 2 years? ›

According to the USDA, if food is frozen properly (at 0°F or below) it should be safe to eat indefinitely.

Why are my frozen meatballs rubbery? ›

While you can technically use a microwave to cook frozen meatballs, it is not the recommended method. Microwaving can cause the meatballs to become rubbery and unevenly cooked. It is best to use the oven or stovetop for more desirable results.

Is it OK to fry frozen meatballs? ›

If you're shallow-frying them in a pan, that's fine. Just brown the outside and let it cook the rest of the way inside the tomato sauce (or bake them in the oven if you're not having them with tomato sauce). If you mean deep frying, DO NOT put frozen meatballs (or frozen anything) into a deep fryer.

What's the best way to bake meatballs? ›

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Grease a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
  3. Mix all ingredients together by hand and form into 1 1/2 inch round meatballs.
  4. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until no longer pink in the middle.
  5. Enjoy with spaghetti and tomato sauce!

How do you defrost frozen cooked meatballs quickly? ›

Take the meatballs from the freezer and place them in a container that you know is safe for use in the microwave. It usually takes about 10 minutes to thaw one pound of meat, so adjust your timer according to the number of meatballs you're defrosting.

What do Italians eat with meatballs? ›

To complete the meal, meatballs are sometimes served with a greens salad, lightly sautéed vegetables or even French fries, patatine fritte in Italian. The fries are more of a kid thing, but we get it.

Is it best to fry or bake meatballs? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

Do you cook meatballs before putting them in sauce? ›

Adding raw meatballs to the sauce and gently simmering till cooked yields ultra-tender results, and infuses the sauce with meaty flavor—a slow cooker gives great results.

Can you thaw frozen meatballs before putting in crockpot? ›

Well, if you're planning to use the slow cooker to heat frozen meatballs, it's safest to work with fully cooked and frozen meatballs. That's because you want to keep food at adequately hot temperatures to avoid the “danger zone,” or the temperature range of 40°F to 140°F where bacteria grow most rapidly.

How do you keep frozen meatballs from drying out? ›

Cover the dish with aluminum foil to prevent the meatballs from drying out. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until they are cooked through. Remove the foil, and if desired, broil for a few minutes to achieve a caramelized finish.

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