Dr. Pepper Meatballs
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Sweet and tangy thanks to the combination of ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and Dr. Pepper, with a smell that sets stomachs growling, these Dr. Pepper meatballs are the perfect game-day treat.
To make Dr. Pepper meatballs, you’re going to need some store-bought or homemade meatballs, granulated garlic, Dr. Pepper soda, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and ketchup. It sounds like an eclectic mix of ingredients, but the end result is an irresistibly sweet, savory, and tangy glaze. Trust me, after that first bite you’ll be as addicted as I am.
The instructions couldn’t be easier either. Just combine all the sauce ingredients, bring them to a boil, add the meatballs, and cook until the sauce thickens (about 20 minutes). They’ll be ready to eat in just 30 minutes. That’s my kind of quick meal! These bite-sized appetizers are perfect for your next holiday party, tailgating event, or potluck. But you better make double because I bet they’ll disappear in seconds.
What You’ll Need to Make Dr. Pepper Meatballs
Ingredients
- ketchup
- apple cider vinegar
- Dr. Pepper
- garlic powder
- brown sugar
- meatballs
How to Make Dr. Pepper Meatballs
Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a dutch oven and season with and to taste. Cook sauce over medium heat and stir constantly until everything is all blended together (about five minutes or so).
Add in meatballs, you can use fresh or frozen (no thawing necessary), and stir to coat.
Continue to cook over medium heat and bring sauce to a light boil. Stir the meatballs gently every so often, being careful not to break up the meatballs. Simmer for about 20 minutes (or so) until the sauce is reduced and coats the meatballs well.
Serve Dr. Pepper Meatballs over rice, riced cauliflower and nestle some meatballs along with the sauce on top. If you are serving these for a party or, put them on a platter with toothpicks!
Enjoy the sweet tangy goodness!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave.
Tips for making Dr. Pepper Meatballs
- You can use regular Dr. Pepper, Generic Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper or even Dr. Pepper Zero. You could also use Coke. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could try another soda flavor!
- In this recipe both fresh or frozen meatball options are already cooked. But you could make this with uncooked meatballs because the heat and time are plenty long enough to get them done. Just be a little more careful in stirring because they are gonna break apart easier and they will be tempted to stick to the bottom of the pot.
- For a different flavor, substitute the ketchup for your favorite BBQ sauce. You can’t go wrong with Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce.
- If you like, add a garnish of chopped fresh parsley or green onion.
- For , add a pinch of . For a more savory , add a teaspoon of .
Dr. Pepper Meatball Recipe FAQs
Can I make Dr. Pepper meatballs in the crockpot?
Yes, you can make these meatballs in the crockpot. Combine all ingredients and cook in the slow cooker on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours. Give them a stir every hour or so. You can also conveniently leave your slow cooker on the warm setting afterward so they stay warm during your gathering.
How do you serve Dr. Pepper meatballs?
You can serve your meatballs as an appetizer or main meal. If going for the main dish option, serve them with cooked rice or mashed potatoes and your favorite veggie side dish. This might be fresh green beans, zucchini and squash, or roasted veggies.
Other Meatball Recipes You’ll Love
- Salisbury Steak Meatballs in the Crockpot
- Cranberry Orange Meatballs
- Speedy Italian Meatball Soup
- Puff Pastry Meatball Marinara Bites
Ingredients
- 2 lbs frozen meatballs (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 can Dr. Pepper
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Instructions
- Combine everything except the meatballs in a dutch oven or a similar pot on the stovetop. Stirring constantly, bring this just to a boil over medium-high heat.1 can Dr. Pepper, 1 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup dark or light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- Carefully add meatballs and stir to coat. Continue to cook over medium heat until sauce has reduced by at least half and is nice and thick (roughly 20 minutes), stirring every so often to prevent meatballs from burning.2 lbs frozen meatballs (store-bought or homemade)
- Serve on their own as an appetizer or over rice as a meal.
My son-in-law made these and brought them to the campground where we are camping this w/e – everybody loved them ! I’d never seen your web-site before now, and it’s great to have some spiritual feeding along with food for our physical body ! Thank you.
Welcome to Southern Plate Lucy!!! I am so glad you came for a visit and am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the meatballs!! I hope you have a blessed day!
Hi Christy,
I found this website by a link from another site. Dr. Pepper Meatballs sound soooooo good. This is my first visit to your website and it looks great, so if you see a lot of website activity in the next couple of days, it is probably me 🙂 I started munching on my laptop screen, but it did not do the meatballs justice.
Dr. Pepper was a favorite of mine (10 – 2 – 4, if you remember that) along with Ginger Ale and Root Beer (A&W) some 5 decades ago.
Thank you for your verse from Isaiah, powerful and of course one of my favorite Sir Winston Churchill.
God Bless you and your family, southern cooking “rocks”!
– Dave (Men can cook too!)
Welcome to Southern Plate Dave!!!! You are going to find out that I am a big Diet Dr. Pepper drinker 🙂 I am so glad you came by and I look forward to getting to know you!!
Could these be made in the crockpot?
I gave this recipe to my husband because he is always game to cook something that is not complicated. That plus he is always looking for a good meatball recipe. Well he just made them and absolutely loved them. They are exactly what he is looking for in a meatball. Thank you so much for posting recipes that are so easy to make but so delicious. I see these meatballs becoming part of football parties, New Years Eve and anytime we want a great snack. Thanks for the post.
I made these meatballs for supper tonight. They are out of this world delicious! My daughter that they were fabulous. Thank You Christy Jordan!
Now I have to find a can of Dr Pepper, in Canada that can be hard unless you buy a whole case, which I don’t do. They only have largeish bottles, and 2 litre bottles in the coolers. Annoying but life!
I think these will be interesting, to try out. I do know that my son in law will love them as he loves Dr Pepper. So they will go on the to try list!
Your recipes are all delicious. I love meatballs so I know I have to try these. But I just wanted to say Thank You. You are truly an inspiration to me as I know you are to so many others. You brighten my day with your messages about God. I feel blessed every time I read you articles.
So many people today are scared to say they are a Christian and our faith and values have been trampled on by so many. I am so proud that someone can reach so many. You restore my faith every time I read one of your articles. Thanks again!!