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.
27 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.