Description
These Cranberry Meatballs are a delightful appetizer perfect for holidays or parties, featuring frozen party meatballs slow-cooked in a sweet and tangy cranberry barbecue sauce. The sauce is a flavorful blend of fresh cranberry sauce, hoisin, ketchup, and a hint of spice, creating a luscious coating for tender meatballs, garnished with fresh parsley for a vibrant finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberry sauce (homemade or store bought)
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 3½ tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2½ tablespoon hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot, optional)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Main
- 40 oz frozen party meatballs
- Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cranberry sauce, hoisin sauce, ketchup, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce (if using), minced garlic, ground ginger, and cayenne pepper (if using). Mix until fully combined, then fold in fresh cranberries. You can also combine all ingredients directly in the slow cooker.
- Add everything to the slow cooker: Place the frozen party meatballs into the bowl of a 6 to 8-quart slow cooker. Pour the prepared cranberry sauce over the meatballs and stir well to coat them evenly.
- Cook: Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the sauce is bubbly and the meatballs are heated thoroughly.
- Keep warm and serve: After cooking, switch the slow cooker to the warm setting to keep the meatballs ready to serve. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired and serve hot.
Notes
- Cranberry Meatballs are made by slow-cooking frozen meatballs in a sweet and tangy homemade cranberry BBQ sauce, making them perfect for holiday gatherings or parties.
- Using frozen meatballs provides convenience without sacrificing flavor.
- The optional hot sauce and cayenne add a subtle kick; adjust to taste.
- You can prepare the sauce ingredients directly in the slow cooker to save time on cleanup.
- Garnish with fresh parsley for color and a fresh herb aroma.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 6 meatballs)
- Calories: 50 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 56 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
