Cranberry Sauce Meatballs: Easy 5-Ingredient Festive Recipe
These cranberry sauce meatballs are a quick, crowd-pleasing appetizer featuring tender meatballs coated in a sweet-tangy cranberry glaze. Perfect for holiday gatherings, potlucks, or easy weeknight dinners, this recipe comes together in under 30 minutes with just five simple ingredients.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 32 oz (about 2 lbs) frozen pre-cooked meatballs (beef, turkey, chicken, or plant-based)
- 14 oz can jellied cranberry sauce
- 12 oz bottle chili sauce (ketchup-based, such as Heinz)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, add the cranberry sauce and chili sauce. Break up the cranberry sauce with a spoon over medium heat until smooth (about 2 minutes).
- Stir in Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce until fully combined. Taste and adjust mustard if desired.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until melted together.
- Add frozen meatballs to the pan and stir to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until meatballs are heated through (165°F internal temperature) and sauce is thick and sticky. Add a splash of water if sauce gets too thick.
- Transfer to a serving dish or slow cooker set to ‘warm.’ Garnish with chopped parsley or orange zest if desired. Serve hot with toothpicks or tongs.
Notes
For gluten-free, use GF meatballs and check sauce labels. Plant-based meatballs work for vegetarian/vegan adaptation. Adjust sauce sweetness or tang to taste with brown sugar or extra mustard. Can be made ahead and reheated; flavors deepen overnight. Garnish with parsley or orange zest for a festive touch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 4–5 meatballs
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 13
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 13
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 14
Keywords: cranberry sauce meatballs, holiday appetizer, party meatballs, easy meatball recipe, festive meatballs, Thanksgiving, Christmas, potluck, slow cooker meatballs