Slow Cooker Kielbasa Bites — 🎉🍍Juicy chunks of kielbasa sausage are coated in a SWEET and SAVORY sauce made with pineapple, bbq sauce, and cranberries and it’s so EASY because your slow cooker does all the work! Perfect for holiday parties, New Year’s Eve, game days, or anytime you need a goof-proof appetizer that everyone LOVES!
Easiest Kielbasa Appetizer Recipe
These slow cooker kielbasa bites are a huge crowd pleaser and remind me of an elevated variation of the Grape Jelly Meatballs that people love to serve around the holidays and on game days.
The salty kielbasa pairs perfectly with the savory-sweet sauce that’s made with bbq sauce, pineapple preserves and tidbits, cranberry sauce, and fresh cranberries. Best of all, this recipe is so fast and easy to throw together!
Here’s why you should make this slow cooker kielbasa appetizer:
- It takes 5 minutes to toss all the ingredients into your slow cooker and then it does the work for you. I love “set it and forget it” recipes like this one, especially around the holidays or before big gatherings.
- Keep entertaining easier. Keep this easy appetizer recipe on hand for any upcoming gatherings you have planned including Christmas parties, New Year’s Eve parties, game day events, or Super Bowl parties. People love a good protein-packed warm appetizer!
- It’s a no-fuss recipe. The ingredients are already pre-cooked, so really you’re just warming everything up and allowing the sauce ingredients to marry and meld together.
- You can use what you have on hand. Don’t have kielbasa? Use another precooked smoked sausage. Likewise, you can use pretty much any bbq sauce or cranberry sauce you like.
- Leftovers double as a main dish. This recipe feeds at least a dozen people as an appetizer. If you wind up with leftovers, serve them with rice or mashed potatoes to make this an entree.
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Kielbasa Bites
You need just 6 basic ingredients from the grocery store to make the pineapple kielbasa bites. Gather the following:
- Kielbasa sausage – I used polska kielbasa make with beef, turkey, and pork. Use your favorite sausage that has already been COOKED including smoked sausage, andouille sausage, chorizo, bratwurst, or turkey sausage. Tip – Look for kielbasa or sausage sold in a U-shaped ring in your local supermarket which tends to (for whatever reason) be a tip off that it’s been previously cooked so that you can easily slice it.
- Barbecue sauce – I used Sweet Baby Ray’s but use what you love including honey bbq, smoky bbq, or spicy bbq sauce.
- Cranberry sauce – I prefer whole berry rather than the jellied style, but it’s up to you.
- Pineapple preserves – An alternative that would work here is apricot preserves.
- Pineapple tidbits – These are smaller than pineapple chunks, but either are fine. Use the juice-packed version rather than ‘packed in syrup’ which is sweeter, thicker, and to me not ideal in a savory recipe.
- Cranberries – Fresh or frozen will work. If you cannot find either type of cranberries because you’re making this outside of the holiday season and it can be tricky to get your hands on cranberries, it’s fine to omit them.
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Kielbasa Bites in a Slow Cooker
You really can’t find an easier appetizer than these glazed kielbasa bites! Follow these basic instructions to make the smoky kielbasa bites coated in the sticky sauce:
- Slice the kielbasa into bite-sized pieces and place in the slow cooker.
- In a bowl, stir together the bbq sauce, cranberry sauce, pineapple preserves, and pour into the slow cooker.
- Add the cranberries and pineapple tidbits to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours (high vs. low heat settings on your Crockpot).
- You can serve straight from the slow cooker, so I suggest having toothpicks on hand for serving. Or transfer to a large serving bowl.
Recipe FAQs
You’ll need to use a 6-quart slow cooker to 7-quart slow cooker. Don’t use a smaller slow cooker otherwise you won’t be able to fit all of the ingredients comfortably into the insert and the cook time will increase.
I used polska kielbasa make with beef, turkey, and pork. Use your favorite sausage that has already been COOKED including smoked sausage, andouille sausage, chorizo, bratwurst, or turkey kielbasa.
If it’s not cranberry season and you don’t have any stashed in your freezer, feel free to omit the cranberries. However, DO still add the cranberry sauce. Canned cranberry sauce is sold year-round.
I prefer using whole berry cranberry sauce in this recipe, but jellied cranberry sauce works too. Use your favorite store-bought brand or make a batch of my Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce or Cabernet Cranberry Sauce to use in this recipe.
The sauce is sweet and savory, but it leans slightly on the sweet end of the flavor spectrum. I personally love the balance of flavors between the salty kielbasa, tangy bbq sauce, sour cranberries and cranberry sauce, and the sweet pineapple and pineapple preserves.
However, if you prefer a less sweet flavor, make sure your bbq sauce is not of the sweet or honey bbq sauce varieties. You can add 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the sauce to tone down the sweetness. Or, sprinkle in some dried red pepper flakes to the sauce mixture if you want it a bit spicier.
Store any leftover slow cooker kielbasa bites in an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. I prefer reheating leftovers in the microwave for 30-second intervals.
What to Serve with Kielbasa Bites
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Spray the insert of your slow cooker with cooking spray (if desired, to prevent sticking).
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Slice the kielbasa into thin-rounds, about 1/2-inch thick, and add it to the slow cooker. Set aside momentarily.
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To a medium bowl, add the bbq sauce, cranberry sauce, pineapple preserves, and whisk or stir to combine. Pour this mixture over the kielbasa in the slow cooker and stir to combine and coat evenly.
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Sprinkle the pineapple tidbits and cranberries over the top, stir to combine, and place the lid on the slow cooker.
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Slow cook on HIGH heat setting for 3-4 hours, or on LOW for 5-6 hours. Slow Cooking Tips – It doesn’t matter with this recipe if you cook on high or low heat setting. It’s important to remember that all ingredients in this recipe have already been cooked, so you’re not actually “cooking” anything. Rather, you’re warming the food and allowing the sauce to come together and thicken. You can toss and stir the food a few times during slow cooking, but resist the urge to constantly lift the lid and “check on” the progress since valuable heat will escape. If your sauce is looking a little thin, remove the lid for the last 1 hour of cooking, give or take. Like all slow cooker recipes, the exact cooking time will depend on your slow cooker and its heat output. Some are very fierce, some aren’t. Use your judgment for evaluating doneness.
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I like to serve this directly from the slow cooker with toothpicks. This also has the added benefit of keeping the food warm, even if you shut the heat off. If your slow cooker has a “keep warm” setting, you can try it. Or you can transfer it to a serving bowl and serve it that way if you don’t mind it cooling off and being served at room temp.
Storage: Leftovers will keep airtight for up to 4-5 days in the fridge. I have never frozen them but I am sure you could for up to 2-3 months. Reheat gently in the microwave as necessary. Tip – You can repurpose leftovers as more of an entree, serve it with rice or mashed potatoes, and a simple house salad.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 246kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 1071mg, Potassium: 231mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 27g, Vitamin A: 164IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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