Description
Delicious and juicy cranberry meatballs baked to perfection and simmered in a tangy homemade cranberry sauce. Perfect as a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a flavorful main dish for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 small onion (grated or finely chopped)
- 1 ½ pound ground pork (extra lean)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (such as Panko)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup parsley (fresh, chopped)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Sauce
- 2 cups cranberry sauce (homemade or store bought)
- 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, grated onion, breadcrumbs, eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix well until evenly incorporated.
- Form Meatballs: Wet your hands and shape the mixture into medium-sized meatballs. You should get about 30 to 35 meatballs. Using a small ice cream scoop can help maintain uniform size.
- Bake Meatballs: Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until an internal thermometer reads 160℉.
- Prepare Sauce: While the meatballs bake, combine cranberry sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Simmer Meatballs in Sauce: Reduce heat to low, add the baked meatballs to the sauce, and cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.
- Serve: Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired and serve warm.
Notes
- Ground pork yields juicy meatballs, but mixing pork with beef or turkey is a great alternative.
- Panko breadcrumbs create a light texture, but regular breadcrumbs work fine too.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce is recommended for best texture and flavor.
- Adjust sauce sweetness or tartness after simmering by adding more lemon juice or brown sugar as needed.
- Make-ahead tip: Bake meatballs, cool, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in sauce before serving.
- Freeze cooked meatballs and sauce separately for up to 2 months; thaw overnight and reheat on stovetop.
- Keep meatballs warm in sauce on low in a slow cooker when entertaining guests.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 meatballs
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
