Searching for the perfect appetizer for game day or the holiday season? Look no further than my delicious Cranberry Sauce Meatballs recipe! This crowd-pleaser is easy to make in a
The sweet, tangy, meaty combination is the kind of party food people remember long after a gathering has ended.
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat cranberry sauce meatballs
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose cranberry sauce meatballs
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- This recipe takes just a few minutes of prep time and is packed with mouthwatering, savory-sweet flavor.
- From casual family gatherings to festive holiday parties, cranberry meatballs are an easy appetizer fit for any occasion!
- Crockpot meatballs stay warm all night long, but you can also speed up cooking time by using the stove—the choice is yours.
Tangy cranberries pair perfectly with juicy meatballs and a sweet, almost sticky sauce that tops it all off.
Plus, I add jalapeno to this recipe to round out all the flavors—after trying it once, you'll look for any reason to make this dish again!
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Cranberry sauce gives this holiday appetizer a festive flavor, but many people like to use grape jelly instead to switch things up.
- Y'all know I love a little heat. To adjust the spice level of your cranberry jalapeno meatballs, simply use more or less jalapeno.
- Try using these candied jalapenos instead of fresh!
- If you can't find chili sauce, your favorite type of barbeque sauce will work in a pinch. For a spicy sauce, choose a hotter kind or use a little sriracha.
- Feel free to use any pre-cooked meatballs you like. Homemade or store-bought meatballs, beef or turkey meatballs—anything will do!
- Have some homemade cranberry sauce left over from the holidays? This party appetizer is a great way to use it up.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Mix orange juice, cranberry and chili sauces, sugar, and (if using) jalapenos.
Heat the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan until the sugar dissolves.
Add thawed meatballs to the sauce. (Optional: transfer to
Cook on the stove for 20-25 minutes or in the
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Try to use jellied cranberry sauce instead of a regular can of cranberry sauce. The flavor is similar, but the jellied cranberry sauce has been strained to have a silky, smooth texture.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
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🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat cranberry sauce meatballs
Cranberry sauce meatballs keep great in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy 'em within three or four days.
Reheat leftover meatballs in the microwave or on the stove until hot again. I like to add a splash of orange juice (or a little water) to loosen the sauce.
Like most frozen meatball recipes, I don't recommend freezing leftovers. The quality of the meat isn't as good when it's frozen and thawed twice.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Rather than a platter, keep the meatballs in a bowl or the
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Try to look for old-fashioned chili sauce or Heinz chili sauce—it's different from the Asian versions that are commonly sold today.
- If the sauce is too thin, take the lid off the
slow cooker and let it heat a little longer. - On the other hand, if your sauce starts thickening too much as it sits on the warm setting, add a splash of liquid and put the lid back on.
- This is one of my favorite appetizers, but you could turn it into a main dish by serving it over white rice with broccoli or spinach on the side.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Yep. I like jellied cranberry sauce because it's smooth and ready to go, but I also like using up leftovers. So, go for it!
Sure thing, but the meatballs have to be fully cooked before you put them in the cranberry sauce. If you're making homemade, I recommend shaping them a little smaller than usual.
For gluten-free party meatballs, you'll have to make sure that the jellied cranberry sauce is gluten-free. (Many are, but double-check to be sure.) Meatballs also usually have bread crumbs, so be sure to buy or make gluten-free meatballs.
The Crockpot manual warns against keeping food on the warm setting for any longer than four hours.
If you don't have time to thaw the bag in the fridge overnight, fill up a large container with cool water (or plug up your sink). Submerge the bag of meatballs in the water. This method usually only takes about a half hour.
No, my cranberry jalapeno meatballs have a good balance between sweet, savory, and just a little spicy. If you're nervous about the heat, use less jalapeno. Of course, you can always add more if you're worried it won't be spicy enough!
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
This is one of my easy recipes that doesn't take much time as it is. Having said that, you can speed up prep more by mixing the sauce ahead of time. Keep it in the fridge for a day or so 'til you're ready for it.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- Tangy, sweet, and just a touch spicy, Honey Garlic Meatballs with jalapenos are a versatile appetizer or dinner idea!
- My Cream Cheese Sausage Balls recipe is a classic Southern appetizer that combines juicy meat with lots of cheese and a kick of chiles.
- Sweet and spicy lovers rejoice—this Creamy Cranberry Jalapeno Dip is so quick to make and irresistible for the Super Bowl or New Year's Eve.
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose cranberry sauce meatballs
Cranberry sauce jalapeno meatballs taste great...
- on Hawaiian slider buns
- on sub sandwiches with white cheddar cheese
- over rice
- with biscuits
- over a halved, baked sweet potato
...and more! I'd love to hear your creative ideas.
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
Y'all, I love these tangy little meatballs for those last-minute parties and get-togethers! They are quick, easy, and taste SO good.
Plus the cranberry gives them a festive look - what's not to love?
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Sauce Meatballs
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 14 ounces jellied cranberry sauce
- 12 ounces Heinz chili sauce, or your favorite bbq sauce
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 32 ounces frozen fully cooked home-style meatballs, thawed
- 1 jalapeno pepper, more to taste; seeded and chopped - optional
- sliced green onions to garnish
Instructions
Top of the stove
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the first 6 ingredients; stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Add meatballs; cook until heated through, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Slow cooker
- Heat sauce ingredients as directed. Add sauce and meatballs to slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low until heated through, 2-3 hours.
- If there's too much liquid remove cover and allow to cook and extra 30 minutes or so.
Notes
If you can't find chili sauce you can use bbq sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Comments
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