Description
These Christmas Cranberry Meatballs are a delightful blend of juicy ground meat and a tangy-sweet cranberry sauce, creating a perfect balance of flavors. Each bite offers a tender texture, complemented by the rich, glossy glaze that coats the meatballs, making them irresistible at any holiday gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Cranberry Sauce:
- 1 cup cranberry sauce (canned or homemade)
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, onion, parsley, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are browned and cooked through.
- While the meatballs are baking, prepare the cranberry sauce by combining cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Once the meatballs are done, transfer them to the saucepan and gently stir to coat them in the sauce. Cook for an additional 5 minutes to heat through.
- Serve warm, garnished with additional parsley if desired.
Notes
- Make-ahead: You can prepare the meatballs a day in advance and store them in the refrigerator before baking.
- Storage: Leftover meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Substitutions: Ground turkey or chicken can be used instead of beef and pork for a lighter option.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: appetizers
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 8 grams
- Sodium: 350 milligrams
- Fat: 12 grams
- Saturated Fat: 4 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 14 grams
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Protein: 12 grams
- Cholesterol: 50 milligrams
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