Three Ingredients is all that stands in your way for these easy Cranberry Sauce Meatballs. These cocktail meatballs are a hit for a holiday appetizer or a perfect appetizer to serve a crowd at holiday parties.
Need more meatball recipes? Check out my buffalo chicken meatballs, grape jelly meatballs, or these teriyaki meatballs, for more game day snacking, family gatherings or appetizer for the holiday season.
Table of contents
Meatballs in Cranberry Sauce
This is a sweet and slightly spicy cranberry meatballs recipe. A super easy recipe you throw in the crockpot and can walk away to let them cook on their own. Simple ingredients with big flavor.
My family always loves these party meatballs. We have even served them over rice with roasted broccoli as a main course too.
Ingredients/shopping list
Meatballs – You can buy and use any brand of meatballs. I tend to buy frozen pre-cooked meatballs for these crockpot meatballs. This helps speed up the prep work but you can make your own homemade meatballs too.
Cranberry Sauce – I use the jellied cranberry sauce in a can. You can find this in the canned food aisle at the grocery store.
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce – This is what creates a spicy sauce for the meatballs. The chili sauce carries a little heat, it isn’t overly spicy though. It makes these meatballs a crowd pleaser.
Variations/ Substitutions
1. Swap the Thai sweet chili sauce for Heinz chili sauce, ketchup or your favorite barbecue sauce instead of chili sauce.
2. You are welcome to use leftover cranberry sauce you have on hand. Homemade cranberry sauce does work, I just prefer the jelly style.
3. Use homemade meatballs instead of store bought meatballs.
4. Add in â…“ cup orange juice for another flavor level.
How to Make These 3 Ingredient Meatballs
Step One: Add in the cranberry and sweet chili sauce into the crockpot. Then mix to combine.
Step Two: Next add in the meatballs and mix to coat them in the spicy sauce.
Step Three: Cover and cook as directed. Then once done serve up for as a side or appetizer to your holiday meals this season.
Tips
- Low heat works best as it really helps the sauce ingredients soak into the meatballs as it cooks.
- Serve with toothpicks or plates so they can pour on extra sauce over the meatballs.
- If you own a larger crockpot go right ahead and double the recipe.
FAQ’s
Any leftover meatballs you have place in an airtight container. Store the meatballs in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Then you can reheat them in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. Add a little water if you are heating up on the stove to prevent burning the sauce.
You can freeze the meatballs in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Just place the meatballs in the fridge overnight and reheat and enjoy.
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Cranberry Meatballs
Ingredients
- 14 ounces cranberry sauce canned, jellied
- 14 ounces Thai sweet chili sauce
- 2 pounds frozen cocktail meatballs
Instructions
- Add the cranberry sauce and sweet chili sauce to the slow cooker. Stir to combine well.
- Add the frozen meatballs and stir to coat completely with the cranberry sauce mixture.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
- Garnish with chopped chives if desired.
- Keep on the warm setting in the crockpot for up to 1 hour.
john danckwerth danckwerth
great food idea *****