Description
These festive Christmas Cranberry Meatballs combine juicy ground beef or turkey with a delightful cranberry BBQ sauce for a perfect holiday appetizer or party dish. The meatballs are baked to juicy perfection, then coated in a tangy-sweet sauce enhanced with Worcestershire and soy sauce. Garnished with fresh cranberries and parsley, they offer a delicious seasonal twist that’s sure to impress your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Sauce
- 1 cup cranberry sauce (canned or homemade)
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Garnish (optional)
- Fresh cranberries
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef or turkey, breadcrumbs, finely chopped onion, fresh parsley, egg, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Shape Meatballs: Form the mixture into small, approximately 1-inch diameter meatballs and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until they are cooked through and nicely browned on the outside.
- Prepare Sauce: While the meatballs bake, combine the cranberry sauce, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sauce is heated through and well combined.
- Coat Meatballs: Once the meatballs are baked, transfer them to a large serving dish and pour the warm cranberry sauce mixture over them, ensuring they are well coated.
- Final Bake: Return the sauced meatballs to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the meatballs to absorb the sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the meatballs from the oven and garnish with fresh cranberries and parsley if desired before serving them warm.
Notes
- You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey for a leaner option.
- Use homemade cranberry sauce for a fresher taste or canned for convenience.
- Make sure not to overmix the meatball mixture; otherwise, the meatballs may become dense.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute breadcrumbs with gluten-free breadcrumbs.
- Serve these meatballs as appetizers or as part of a festive main course.
