Quick Christmas Cranberry Meatballs
Enjoy these flavorful cranberry meatballs as a delightful appetizer or main dish!
Equipment
- Oven Used for baking the meatballs.
- Skillet Used for preparing the sauce.
- Baking sheet For baking the meatballs.
- Parchment paper To line the baking sheet for easy cleanup.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 small onion, grated or finely chopped
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (Panko)
- 2 large eggs
- 0.33 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 2 cups cranberry sauce homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This makes for easier cleanup later!
- In a large bowl, mix together all the meatball ingredients thoroughly. Make sure to get your hands in there to really combine everything!
- Wet your hands and shape the mixture into medium-sized meatballs, making around 30-35 meatballs. This step helps prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160℉ (70℃). A meat thermometer is very helpful here!
- While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet, combine all the sauce ingredients, bringing it to a boil over medium heat. Then reduce the heat to let it simmer.
- Add the baked meatballs to the sauce, stirring until heated through. This allows the meatballs to soak up all that delicious sauce!
- Garnish with parsley if desired and serve warm. Enjoy with toothpicks for easy serving!
Notes
For a tangier sauce, you can add a splash of vinegar or a pinch of red pepper flakes for some heat.