Christmas Meatballs

Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight meal or an appetizer for a holiday party, these cranberry meatballs work for any occasion. These cranberry sauce meatballs are served in a zesty, tangy, sweet sauce that will please any crowd. Serve them in a bowl with toothpicks for guests to easily snack on and feel free to have an extra bowl of sauce on the side for dipping. The best part? These meatballs with cranberry sauce are made in less than 15 minutes with simple microwave cooking. They make the perfect easy appetizer to throw together for a party. You’re welcome!

Ingredients for Cranberry Meatballs

• Eggs: Eggs bind the meatballs together with the seasonings and breading.
• Onion soup mix: Season these meatballs with cranberry sauce, which is easy to make with a packet of onion soup mix. Can’t find a packet? You can easily make an onion soup mix right at home.
• Bread crumbs: Breading, such as breadcrumbs, gives meatballs a softer texture. This recipe uses seasoned breadcrumbs to elevate the taste, but you could also use plain breadcrumbs and make an Italian meatball mix seasoning on your own.
• Dried cranberries: Along with the tangy cranberry sauce, dried cranberries are chopped and added to the meatball mixture to give these meatballs even more sweet cranberry flavor.
• Parsley: These cranberry sauce meatballs are made with fresh parsley, but you can use dried parsley as well if that’s what you have on hand. One tablespoon of fresh parsley is the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of dried.
• Ground beef: Lean ground beef is used as the base of these meatballs. For a different kind of taste, you could also use a meatball mix, which contains beef, pork, and veal.
• Cranberry sauce: The base of this sweet and tangy sauce is made with a can of whole-berry cranberries.
• Ketchup: Ketchup adds sweetness and tanginess to this sauce.
• Beef broth: Beef broth helps to loosen the sauce and pairs well with the ground beef in the meatballs.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar elevates the sweetness of this sauce, cutting into the tanginess of the ketchup and vinegar.
• Onion: Small diced onion, preferably yellow or white, is used in the sauce as an aromatic.
• Cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar provides acid to this sweet sauce, giving it a tangy finish.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the meatball ingredients

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In a large bowl, mix the eggs, onion soup mix, bread crumbs, dried cranberries and fresh parsley. Add in the lean ground beef, and mix lightly until everything is just combined. Shape the meat into 1 inch meatballs.

Step 2: Cook the meatballs

Joe Crimmings for Taste of Home

Place a third of the meatballs on a microwave-safe plate. Cover the meatballs with waxed paper and microwave on high until the meatballs are cooked through, about two to three minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat this process twice until all of the remaining meatballs are cooked.

Step 3: Make the sauce

Joe Crimmings for Taste of Home

In a 2-quart microwave-safe dish mix together the cranberry sauce, ketchup, beef broth, brown sugar, finely chopped onion and cider vinegar. Cover the dish and microwave on high until heated, about three to four minutes, stirring it halfway. Gently stir in the meatballs and microwave covered for another one to two minutes until everything is heated.

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Recipe Variations

• Cook them in an air fryer: Not a fan of microwave cooking? You can also cook these meatballs in an air fryer instead. Place them in the air fryer and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. This could also work in an oven as well.
• Swap with barbecue sauce: Want to make your sauce even easier? Use a can of whole cranberry sauce with your favorite bottled barbecue sauce to switch up the taste and to save yourself some time!
• Make them spicy: Want to give these sweet meatballs an extra kick? Chop a jalapeño pepper into tiny pieces and mix it into the sauce. Keep the seeds in for that extra kick!

How to Store Cranberry Meatballs

These meatballs can be easily prepared and cooked. They can then be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days.

Can you make cranberry meatballs ahead of time?

Yes! Meatballs are great for preparing and then freezing for whenever you’re ready to eat them. Follow the recipes to cook them, then freeze them in a sealed plastic bag or an airtight container for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw them in the refrigerator, then make the sauce and prepare the rest of the recipe as usual.

Cranberry Meatballs Tips

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Can you use jellied cranberry sauce?

Unlike whole-berry cranberry sauce, jellied sauce contains more pectin and isn’t as fluid as a sauce for this recipe. If this is all you have on hand, you’ll need to add more liquid (such as the beef broth) to the sauce to help loosen it up. You could also attempt to make a quick cranberry sauce instead.

Can you make cranberry meatballs in a slow cooker?

Want to cook everything at once? Simply mix the sauce in the slow cooker, then brown the outside of the meatballs (a quick sear will do) before placing them int he crockpot and cooking on low for four  to six hours, or high for two to three.

What do you serve with cranberry meatballs?

While these mini meatballs are great served on toothpicks as an appetizer, you can also make them a meal by pairing them with creamy mashed potatoes and a roasted vegetable, like Brussels sprouts or these maple-glazed green beans.