Cocktail meatballs in a sweet and savory cranberry glaze. The perfect holiday appetizer!
The holiday season can be so hectic. That’s why I always like to have a few quick and easy appetizer and dinner ideas up my sleeve for those busy week nights or unexpected guests.
And one of my family’s favorite, fast holiday season meals is these Quick Cranberry Glazed Meatballs.
These cranberry glazed meatballs have been a holiday tradition at our house for almost 20 years! One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the chance I have to serve appetizers.
I have made these meatballs a few times and friends and family LOVE them!!! Thank you or sharing this amazingly yummy recipe!!!! ~ Pam
It’s just not something I do much during the rest of the year, but we love to break out the finger food on Christmas Eve, as well as during all of those holiday season football games.
Usually, I make these meatballs in the slow cooker, but I decided to adapt the recipe to be ready in about 20 minutes as a fast and easy dinner. And of course you can still prepare them this way as an appetizer.
The secret to getting these tasty meatballs ready fast is precooked, frozen meatballs. I prefer to use the smaller, cocktail size meatballs in this recipe, whether I’m serving this dish as a main course or a starter.
For the sauce, you simply combine a can of cranberry sauce with a jar of chili sauce, along with some lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.
I mix everything up right in a skillet or large saucepan. Why dirty extra dishes if you don’t need too? I like to give the meatballs a head start in the microwave while I whisk together the sauce on the stove top.
If you have a little more time, you can make the entire recipe on the stove top in about 35 minutes, but I’m sharing the 20 minute version of the recipe below. Because sometimes that extra 15 minutes is the difference between getting to the middle school choir concert on time!
After my meatballs have been in the microwave for about 10 minutes, I add them to the sauce and simmer everything for ten more minutes or so.
That’s it! In just 20 minutes, you’ve got a delicious, savory appetizer ready for company, or the big game. And served over some quick-cooking rice, you’ve got a complete, hearty meal ready to go!
Let me tell you, these Quick Cranberry Glazed Meatballs are a life saver during the hectic holiday season! I hope they become a tradition at your house too!
Be sure to save this Quick Cranberry Glazed Meatballs recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Quick Cranberry Glazed Meatballs
- Frozen meatballs
- Cranberry sauce
- Chili sauce
- Brown sugar
- Lemon juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Green onions
Quick Cranberry Glazed Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 28 oz. package Farm Rich Meatballs, any variety
- 1 14 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1 12 oz. bottle chili sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Chopped green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place the meatballs in a large, microwave safe baking dish. Add 1/4 cup water to the dish and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on high power for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large sauce pan or skillet, combine the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to simmer.
- Remove the meatballs from the microwave and add them to the sauce, stirring to coat evenly. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with chopped green onions before serving, if desired. Serve alone, as an appetizer, or over rice for a quick and easy meal.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: This is an original recipe
26 comments
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Pam
I have made these meatballs a few times and friends and family LOVE them!!! Thank you or sharing this amazingly yummy recipe!!!!
Monica Flott
Just won a crockpot cook off with these in the appetizer category.
Gigi
Appreciate your endeavor to feed your family well but why would you use the microwave if thatโs the case?
Leah
Has anyone tried these with vegetarian meatballs? My hubby is vegetarian and we are going to a birthday potluck, and he usually gets the short end of the stick as there are typically not a lot of options brought that he can eat. I was thinking of trying these, but adjusting to him ๐
Natalie Charnetski
Why donโt you make this sauce but drizzle on fried tofu squares? (Panko crusted squares is my vision)
Victor
So when I go to store, all I see are hot chilli sauces, like siracha, and sweet chilli sauces. I have yet to see just, “chilli sauce.” I looked by the cocktail sauces and near the Heinz product and still no luck. Help PLEASE!
Elsie
Try making homemade sauce if it’s not available at the store: http://www.food.com/recipe/heinz-chili-sauce-copycat-457947
Danelle
I think you could use cocktail sauce….it’s pretty similar. Or maybe even ketchup. The cocktail sauce might be just a little spicier.
Kayt0803
If you were to cook these in the crockpot would you just add everything in at once? How long would you set it for?
Danelle
Yes, add everything at once. Frozen meatballs are usually fully cooked, so you’d only need to heat things through. I usually do about 4 hours on low.
Mel proper
Do I out in the crockpot frozen or thawed?
Danelle
I always put them in frozen.
Kayt0803
Thank you so much! I will be trying this recipe for my upcoming holiday party!
Judy
These would make cute sliders!!
Gloria
What brand of chili sauce do u use? I have a company pot luck coming up and I think these wiuld be perfect.
Danelle
I used a store brand.
Gloria
Ok thank you so much.
MegUnprocessed
Love the cranberries in there, so much extra flavor!
Alice at Hip Foodie Mom
I just saw a recipe for homemade apple cranberry sauce. I’m going to have to combine it with this! Can’t wait.
Lynn
I did exactly that, made my own apple cranberry sauce with a honey crisp apple, fresh cranberries, orange zest, orange juice, water, cinnamon stick and pure maple syrup. I combined that with the Chili Sauce. The meatballs were delicious.
Renee - Kudos Kitchen
These look like the perfect appetizer meatball. I just adore that cranberry glaze!
Grace
Quick question: where do I find chili sauce? This is exactly the kind of food I like to have out for everyone while I’m working on Thanksgiving dinner. ๐
Danelle
It’s usually in the condiments aisle, near the cocktail sauce (the red stuff for shrimp cocktail). It actually looks a lot like cocktail sauce, and comes in a similar bottle.
Gloria
What brand of chili sauce do u use? I have a company pot luck coming up and this woukd be perfect to make
Danelle
I used a store brand. But I think Heinz also makes it.