Holiday Cranberry Orange Meatballs
Festive cranberry orange meatballs made in the slow cooker with a sweet-savory citrus glaze. Perfect for holiday gatherings, potlucks, or easy weeknight meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fully cooked beef meatballs
- 1 can (14 oz) 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
- Place the fully cooked beef meatballs in the slow cooker, arranging them evenly.
- In a bowl, whisk together cranberry sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and orange zest until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir gently to coat.
- Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, until the sauce thickens and glazes the meatballs.
- Stir before serving and garnish with additional orange zest or chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Use frozen meatballs if desired—just increase the cook time slightly.
- Replace soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free version.
- Simmer uncovered in the final 30 minutes to thicken the glaze.
- Add chili flakes for a subtle heat.
- Can be served as an appetizer or over rice or mashed potatoes for a meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 4 meatballs)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 510mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
