Cranberry Meatballs

A large oval platter filled with glazed meatballs garnished with herbs, with some on toothpicks. Cranberries and fresh herbs are scattered around, and a small plate holds extra meatballs. A bundle of toothpicks and a napkin are nearby.

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These cranberry meatballs are the ultimate holiday appetizer—sweet, tangy, and totally irresistible. These simple homemade meatballs are juicy and tender and simmered in the slow cooker with an easy cranberry BBQ sauce. They're great to prep ahead for a party, and they're always a crowd pleaser!

Servings: servings

Calories: 110kcal

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Black pepper to taste

For the sauce:

1 14-ounce can whole cranberry sauce
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Instructions

Mix the meatballs. Preheat oven to 400˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, pork, breadcrumbs, egg, onion powder and salt. Mix until well combined.
Scoop mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet. Transfer the meatballs to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Make the sauce. In the slow cooker, combine the cranberry and barbecue sauce. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt & pepper.
Slow cook the meatballs. When the meatballs come out of the oven, transfer them to the slow cooker along with any juices from baking. Stir to coat with sauce and set the crockpot to low for a least 1 hour.
When ready to serve, switch the slow cooker to the warm setting, or transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Nutrition