Description
These Holiday Cranberry Orange Meatballs offer a festive twist on a classic appetizer, combining tangy cranberry sauce and bright orange juice with savory beef meatballs. Slow-cooked in a crockpot, the meatballs soak up the rich, sweet, and slightly zesty sauce, making them perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 pounds fully cooked beef meatballs
Sauce
- 1 can (about 14 ounces) whole cranberry sauce
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Add Meatballs to Crockpot: Place the fully cooked beef meatballs evenly in the crockpot to prepare for sauce infusion.
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the whole cranberry sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and orange zest until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the meatballs in the crockpot and gently stir to coat each meatball evenly with the festive sauce.
- Slow Cook Meatballs: Cover the crockpot and cook on low heat for 3 hours to allow the sauce to thicken and fully infuse the meatballs with flavor.
- Final Stir and Serve: Before serving, stir the meatballs to redistribute the glaze evenly. Garnish with additional orange zest or fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm for a delightful holiday treat.
Notes
- Serve these meatballs as appetizers or alongside rice or mashed potatoes for a main dish.
- For added texture, garnish with chopped fresh parsley or orange zest.
- Ensure meatballs are fully cooked before adding—they will only absorb flavor and heat during slow cooking.
- This recipe can be doubled for larger gatherings; adjust cooking time slightly if crockpot is very full.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: holiday meatballs, cranberry orange sauce, slow cooker meatballs, festive appetizers, beef meatballs, party recipes
