Description
These Christmas Cranberry Meatballs combine savory ground beef or turkey with a tangy and sweet cranberry sauce glaze, making a festive and flavorful appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings or parties.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Combine Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together ground beef or turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Form Meatballs: Roll the mixture into meatballs approximately 1 inch in diameter and place them evenly spaced on a baking sheet.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together cranberry sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Coat Meatballs: Pour the prepared cranberry sauce mixture evenly over the meatballs on the baking sheet, ensuring each meatball is coated.
- Bake: Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are fully cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) for beef or turkey.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve warm as a festive holiday appetizer.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey for ground beef to reduce fat content.
- If preferred, use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten-free.
- For extra moisture, consider adding a splash of milk to the meatball mixture.
- Adjust brown sugar amount to taste if you want a sweeter glaze.
- Ensure meatballs are cooked to a safe internal temperature to avoid foodborne illness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas appetizer, cranberry meatballs, holiday party recipe, baked meatballs, festive appetizer
