Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs

A slow cooked filled with cranberry sauced meatballs.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs

This easy recipe for Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs is perfect for the holiday season! Serve it as a party appetizer OR a delicious dinner.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Main Dishes, Slow Cooker

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 5

Servings servings

Calories 358

Author Dorothy Bigelow

Ingredients

2 pounds frozen meatballs or homemade meatballs
1 can (14.5oz) jellied cranberry sauce (about 2 scant cups)
1 ½ cups Chili sauce BBQ sauce, or ketchup* (Chili sauce was our favorite in testing), equivalent to a 12oz bottle; if your bottle is larger than 12oz, measure out the required amount.
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice (optional)

Instructions

Add the frozen meatballs to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
Prepare the sauce. Add the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and orange juice (if using) to a large bowl. Whisk until well combined.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Once the sauce is mixed together, pour it over the frozen meatballs and stir gently to coat them in the sauce.
Cook on LOW for 4 hours. Stir once or twice during cooking to prevent the edges from overcooking. Alternatively, cook them on HIGH for 2-2 ½ hours.
Serve. You can serve the meatballs as a main dish by spooning it over cooked rice (or mashed potatoes) and serving your favorite veggies on the side. If you want to serve them as an appetizer, spear each meatball with a toothpick and place it on a serving platter (or return them to the Crock Pot and leave them on warm).

Notes

Serves: 8 as a main dish, 16+ as an appetizer.

Cranberry sauce: I recommend using jellied cranberry sauce, but if you prefer to see little bits of cranberries you could use wholeberry sauce - or even use homemade cranberry sauce!

If a stronger cranberry flavor is desired, you can cut the chili sauce in half and increase the cranberry sauce by an additional ¾ cup (1 ½ cans total). This will help the cranberry flavor become more prominent.

*Chili sauce: We tested this recipe with BBQ sauce, ketchup, and chili sauce. The top pick was chili sauce, with BBQ coming in second place, and ketchup in 3rd. Don’t be put off by the name – chili sauce is not spicy, especially when balanced with the sweetness of cranberry sauce. My picky eater loves it!

Small batch: I have made this recipe in a small Crock Pot (2 quart) by cutting the recipe in half. The cooking time can be reduced by 30-60 minutes (just check for a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF).

Storage: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat portions as needed in the microwave.

Freezer meal: Add the meatballs to a 2-gallon freezer bag (or 2 1-gallon bags) and pour the prepared sauce over them. Smoosh the bag with your hands, then label and freeze. To cook, pour the contents of the bag into the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours (if frozen solid).

Nutrition