Quick Cranberry Meatballs
Looking for a festive appetizer that will impress your guests? These Quick Cranberry Meatballs are the perfect blend of sweet and savory, making them an ideal choice for holiday gatherings. With tender ground beef enveloped in a luscious cranberry sauce, these meatballs unite flavors that everyone will love. Not only are they quick to prepare—ready in just 35 minutes—but they can also be made ahead of time for extra convenience. Whether you serve them as a delightful appetizer or as part of a main dish over rice or mashed potatoes, these meatballs will surely become a holiday favorite.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 small onion (grated or finely diced)
- 1 ½ pounds very lean ground beef
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (like panko)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups cranberry sauce (homemade or packaged)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large bowl, mix the grated onion, ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, and black pepper until combined.
- Form the mixture into small balls (about 1 inch in diameter) and place them on a greased baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together cranberry sauce, tomato ketchup, brown sugar, and lemon juice until heated through.
- Toss the baked meatballs in the warm cranberry sauce before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs (approx. 150g)
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 120mg