Here’s a sweet-and-savory party favorite — Cranberry Meatballs. Perfect for holidays, potlucks, or easy appetizers.
🍒 Cranberry Meatballs
Ingredients (Serves 6–8 as appetizer)
Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef (or beef/pork mix)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Sauce:
- 1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
(Shortcut: Use 1 bag frozen fully cooked meatballs instead of homemade.)
Instructions
1️⃣ Make Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Mix all meatball ingredients until just combined.
- Roll into 1-inch balls and place on lined baking sheet.
- Bake 15–18 minutes until cooked through (160°F internal temp).
2️⃣ Make Sauce
- In a saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire.
- Heat over medium, stirring until smooth and bubbly.
3️⃣ Combine
- Add cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer 10–15 minutes.
- Stir occasionally to coat evenly.
Slow Cooker Method
- Add cooked or frozen meatballs to slow cooker.
- Pour sauce over top.
- Cook on low 3–4 hours or high 2 hours.
Flavor Variations
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
- Tangier: Add a splash of apple cider vinegar.
- BBQ twist: Replace chili sauce with barbecue sauce.
Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer or over rice for a quick dinner.
If you’d like, I can also give you a grape jelly & chili sauce cocktail meatball version, which is another classic party style.
