Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
2 large eggs
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1/4 c. medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. canned cranberry sauce
1 c. barbecue sauce
1/2 c. sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Pinch red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350º and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir together ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, onion, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Step 2Form 16 meatballs, about 1" to 2" in diameter. Place in an even layer on prepared baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Flip meatballs and bake 10 minutes more, until golden.Step 3 Meanwhile, make sauce: in a large skillet over medium heat, combine cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, chili sauce, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk until smooth and season with red pepper flakes and salt.Step 4When mixture is smooth, add meatballs to skillet. Cook, basting with the sauce, until sauce is thickened and coating meatballs. Garnish with parsley and serve.
How do they stay together? What an egg-celent question! The addition of eggs into our meatball mixture binds everything together, making sure they hold their shape when baking and tossed in the sauce. What goes well with cocktail meatballs? The options are endless! Add them to your appetizer spread of Bacon Brie Crescent Wreath, Stuffed Mushrooms and Cranberry Brie Bites for satisfying holiday starters before the main meal. Entertaining a watch party or game day celebration? These cocktail meatballs would pair perfectly with Spinach Artichoke Zucchini Bites, Pigs In A Blanket and Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread. If you don’t want to distract from these savory-sweet bites of goodness, we get it: Simple roasted veggie sides and salads like our Holiday Roasted Vegetables medley and Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Salad give some fresh variety to the rich app. When should I serve these? Anytime you want something delicious! Because of the addition of sweet cranberry, these make for an ideal holiday appetizer to get the celebration started off right. But, this dish is so easy, it deserves to be whipped up for any occasion. Serve these on game day for the easiest app to please a crowd, or bring to your next potluck — because a party really isn’t complete without this classic. Looking for more party dishes? Check out our holiday dinner recipes for more festive sides, starters and mains, or our favorite finger food apps for tasty dishes to please — but bite sized! Made these meatballs? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
