Cranberry Meatballs

Experience the perfect holiday appetizer with my homemade Cranberry Meatballs. Indulge in the savory goodness of perfectly seasoned meatballs, smothered in a delightful blend of sweetened cranberry sauce.

I can always fill up on holiday appetizers, especially when there are Crockpot Little Smokies, Sausage Balls, and Bacon Wrapped Dates. Cranberry appetizers though like Cranberry Brie Pull Apart Bread are some of the best.

What I Love About This Recipe

• Crowd-Pleaser: Loved by all, these meatballs are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, making them the perfect dish for family gatherings, potlucks, or any occasion where good food is a must.
• Great Use of Leftovers: You can easily use leftover Cranberry Sauce to make to make these meatballs.
• Explosion of Flavors: Cranberry Meatballs deliver a perfect fusion of savory and sweet, as the seasoned meatballs mingle with the rich, tangy cranberry sauce.

How to Make Cranberry Meatballs

1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350º F and cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, ketchup, olive oil, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Use your hands to slightly mash the ingredients together without overmixing. If using frozen meatballs skip to step 5.
3. Shape the meatballs. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs, then arrange them neatly on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake. Bake for 25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted inside reads 160℉.
5. Prepare the cranberry sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, blend cranberry sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar until well combined, approximately 5 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and gently toss to coat. If using frozen meatballs they will need to heat for about 20 minutes in the sauce.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Re-Heating Information:

• To Make-Ahead: Prepare Cranberry Meatballs in advance by following the recipe as directed and storing them in the refrigerator. Likewise, you can make the cranberry sauce mixture separately and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, bake the meatballs and heat the sauce, combining them just before enjoying.
• To Store: Allow the meatballs to cool completely before placing them in an air-tight container.
  Cranberry Meatballs can typically last in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.
• To Re-Heat: Reheat them on the stove by gently simmering in the cranberry sauce over low to medium heat. Microwaving is also an option, using short intervals and checking regularly to prevent overheating.

Cranberry Meatballs Recipe

Explore the ultimate holiday appetizer with my homemade Cranberry Meatballs. Revel in the delectable harmony of expertly seasoned meatballs, embraced by a delightful blend of sweetened cranberry sauce.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 Servings

Calories: 379kcal

Author: Aimee Mars

Equipment

• ▢
  Rimmed Baking Sheet
• ▢
  Dutch Oven or large skillet

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

• ▢ 2 large Eggs beaten
• ▢ 1 cup Breadcrumbs
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Garlic Powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 2 lbs Ground Pork

CRANBERRY SAUCE

• ▢ 2 cups Cranberry Sauce canned jellied or homemade
• ▢ 1 cup Ketchup
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Brown Sugar

Instructions

• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350º F and cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.
• Prepare the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, ketchup, olive oil, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Use your hands to slightly mash the ingredients together without overmixing. If using frozen meatballs skip to step 5.
• Shape the meatballs. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs, then arrange them neatly on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake. Bake for 25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted inside reads 160℉.
• Prepare the cranberry sauce. In a large skillet over medium heat, blend cranberry sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar until well combined, approximately 5 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and gently toss to coat. If using frozen meatballs they will need to heat for about 20 minutes in the sauce.

Notes

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Re-Heating Information:

• To Make-Ahead: Prepare Cranberry Meatballs in advance by following the recipe as directed and storing them in the refrigerator. Likewise, you can make the cranberry sauce mixture separately and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, bake the meatballs and heat the sauce, combining them just before enjoying.
• To Store: Allow the meatballs to cool completely before placing them in an air-tight container.
  Cranberry Meatballs can typically last in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.
• To Re-Heat: Reheat them on the stove by gently simmering in the cranberry sauce over low to medium heat. Microwaving is also an option, using short intervals and checking regularly to prevent overheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 439mg | Potassium: 358mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg

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This post was originally published on November 21st 2019 and updated in November 2023.