Instant Pot Cocktail Meatballs

These Instant Pot cocktail meatballs start with a bag of frozen meatballs and a sticky honey garlic sauce, and they’re ready in about 30 minutes.

Just think about it. When was the last time you went to a party where warm cocktail meatballs were served and people didn’t hover around them until the platter was empty? Never. That’s when.

Confession: I almost never buy frozen meatballs. But when it’s a potluck or a party where everybody brings a dish, you’d better believe I grab a bag. Group events are not when I make things from scratch, and with this sauce, nobody has to know.

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Why You’ll Love These Meatballs

• Pantry sauce. Ketchup, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic. I’m willing to bet you already have every one. Go ahead, take a look. I’m totally right, aren’t I?
• No grape jelly. Most Instant Pot meatballs are grape jelly and chili sauce. These are sweet, salty and full of garlic.
• Hardly any work. No browning, no chopping beyond a little garlic and green onion, and the pot does the rest.

What You’ll Need

• Frozen fully cooked meatballs: a 2-pound bag of small homestyle meatballs (about 64). Any brand of small, fully cooked meatballs works.
• Ketchup: the base of the sauce and what makes it glossy.
• Honey and brown sugar: both, for a sticky glaze. Light or dark brown sugar works.
• Soy sauce: regular or low-sodium.
• Garlic: 1 tablespoon minced, about 3 cloves. Jarred is fine.
• Water: 1/2 cup. I added it after a reader got the BURN warning (more on that below).
• Green onions: sliced thin, for the top.

Full amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Instant Pot Cocktail Meatballs Step-by-Step

Step 1: Make the Sauce

Whisk the ketchup, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and water in the Instant Pot. Set it to Sauté and stir until it just bubbles, scraping the bottom of the pot, then press Cancel.

Step 2: Add the Frozen Meatballs

Pour the frozen meatballs on top of the sauce and spread them out. Don’t stir them down to the bottom.

Step 3: Pressure Cook

Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest.

Step 4: Thicken and Serve

Stir, then set it to Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is thick and coats the meatballs. Keep stirring the whole time, because the sugar in the sauce scorches fast on Sauté. The meatballs should be 165°F in the center. Top with green onions.

Common Instant Pot Meatball Problems To Avoid

• The BURN warning. A thick, sugary sauce sitting on the bottom of the pot with too little thin liquid scorches, and the Instant Pot stops heating. That’s why this recipe has water in the sauce and why the meatballs sit on top. If it still shows up, press Cancel, release the pressure, scrape the bottom, add 1/4 cup more water and start again.
• Runny sauce. Frozen meatballs let off water as they heat, so the sauce looks thin when you open the lid. That’s what the few minutes on Sauté in Step 4 are for, and the sauce thickens more as it cools.
• Cold in the middle. Usually a frozen clump of meatballs or bigger meatballs than the recipe calls for. Break up any clumps before they go in the pot.

★★★★★

“These are amazing! Perfect recipe as is.”

Sue, reader review

Ways to Serve Cocktail Meatballs

• At a party: can somebody tell me why appetizers taste so good when they have cute little sticks as utensils? Presentation makes all the difference, friends. Round out the spread with wrapped kielbasa bites, cranberry brie bites or holiday bacon wrapped dates.
• For dinner: spoon them over white rice or homemade chicken fried rice with a salad on the side, and you have a complete dinner.
• More meatballs: make my slow cooker cranberry meatballs if you’d rather use the slow cooker, or try easy teriyaki meatballs and green chile meatballs. Want homemade? Bake a batch of meatloaf meatballs or basil meatballs to use instead.

Storing, Freezing and Making Ahead

• Fridge: keep leftovers in a covered container for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezer: freeze the meatballs in their sauce for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: warm them covered, with a splash of water, until they reach 165°F.
• For a party: leave them in the Instant Pot on Keep Warm so they stay at 140°F or hotter, and don’t leave them sitting out for more than 2 hours.

Do I Need to Thaw the Meatballs?

No. They go in straight from the freezer, and the cook time accounts for it.

Can I Use Raw Homemade Meatballs?

Not with this timing. It’s written for fully cooked meatballs that only need to heat through. Raw ground beef has to reach 160°F, so use a recipe written for raw meatballs. Homemade meatballs that are already baked and frozen work fine here.

Can I Double the Recipe?

Yes, in a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot. Double everything, keep the pressure time at 5 minutes and don’t fill the pot past the max line. It will take longer to come to pressure.

How Many Meatballs per Person for a Party?

About 4 to 6 each when there’s other food on the table, so one batch serves 12 to 16.

More Party Meatballs and Appetizers

Need more for the party table? Try one of these.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs

Easy Teriyaki Meatballs

Green Chile Meatballs

Two Ingredient Wrapped Kielbasa Bites