Quick Christmas Cranberry Meatballs – Easy, Festive Holiday Appetizer
These cranberry meatballs are the perfect sweet and savory holiday appetizer—made with frozen meatballs and a tangy cranberry-chili sauce in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings (as appetizer)
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1 can (14 oz) jellied cranberry sauce
1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
For the Meatballs:
1 bag (about 32 oz) frozen pre-cooked meatballs (beef or turkey)
Instructions
Make the Sauce: In a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat, combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir until smooth and heated through, about 5 minutes.
Add Meatballs: Stir in the frozen meatballs, coating them evenly with the sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until fully heated through.
Serve: Transfer to a serving dish or a slow cooker set to “warm” for party serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or rosemary if desired.
Notes
No need to thaw the meatballs—add them directly to the sauce from frozen.
You can use homemade meatballs; just be sure to pre-cook them before adding to the sauce.
Optional flavor additions: a spoonful of Dijon mustard or a splash of orange juice for extra zest.
For parties, keep warm in a slow cooker on the “warm” setting.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge and taste even better the next day.
