3-Ingredient Cranberry BBQ Meatballs
These easy, 3-ingredient Cranberry BBQ Meatballs are the perfect holiday appetizer! Your choice of frozen meatballs come together with a can of cranberry sauce and your favorite barbecue sauce for a sweet, sticky meatball recipe that would also work well over rice for dinner over the festive season. Even better? You can make them in the slow cooker or on the stovetop to suit your schedule!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- With your choice of tender meatball, coated in a sweet, savory, sticky glaze everyone will want the recipe. Which is totally fine, but you’ll then have to admit how easy they were to make!!
- These Cranberry BBQ Meatballs are the very definition of a dump-and-set appetizer. With just 3 ingredients they’re the perfect low-stress appetizer for the holidays. Pair them with other appetizers like Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms and this Cranberry Jalapeño Dip, plus a seasonal cocktail and you’ll be ready to get the party started!
- You don’t have to thaw the meatballs before making this recipe, making the stovetop version perfect for last-minute guests!
- Cranberry is a classic holiday flavor, but these meatballs will work for other occasions like Game Day or pot-lucks where you have the facility to keep them warm (they transport really well in the slow cooker!)
Chef’s Tips
- Frozen beef, turkey and chicken meatballs all work well in this recipe, and you can make them vegetarian or vegan-friendly by choosing your favorite brand of meatless meatballs. You can also make them gluten-free by choosing a gluten-free brand, and making sure that your bbq sauce is also compliant.
- Choose a spicy bbq sauce to add a bit of heat to these crockpot cranberry meatballs.
More Easy Holiday Recipes
- Easy Glazed Cranberry Cheesecake Recipe
- Sweet Potato Crunch Casserole Recipe
- Easy Southern Sweet Potato Cobbler
- Smoked Turkey Breast Recipe (Bone-In)
- Easy Crockpot Corn Casserole (with Creamed Corn)
- Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake Recipe
Sticky Cranberry BBQ Meatball Appetizer
These sweet, sticky Cranberry BBQ Meatballs are the perfect 3-ingredient appetizer. They work well on either the stovetop or in the slow cooker, making them perfect for low-stress entertaining!
- 1 bag frozen fully cooked meatballs (approx 28 ounces, beef, turkey, or chicken)
- 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce (14 ounces)
- 1 bottle barbecue sauce (18 ounces)
In a medium bowl, whisk together cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce until smooth.
Place frozen meatballs in a large saucepan. Pour sauce mixture over the top and stir to coat.
Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, on medium-low for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Crockpot cooking instructions: Pour the sauce mixture over the meatballs in the slow cooker to coat, and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours. Stir well before serving.
