Easy Cocktail Meatballs Recipe
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If you want to be the star of your next gathering, make this incredible easy cocktail meatball recipe.
It’s really easy to make and is absolutely delicious! Everyone will comment on how awesome your meatballs are. If you are getting ready to host a party, then mix up some blackberry lime mocktails for it too!

How To Make Cocktail Meatballs
Meatballs are actually very easy to make. They are basically a combination of ground beef, an egg, and breadcrumbs.
What makes this recipe so amazing is the sauce! Cranberry jelly and chili sauce are the stars of this recipe.
That’s right, a simple can of jellied cranberry sauce and a bottle of chili sauce will make the base of this cocktail meatball sauce and it’s absolutely delicious.

What You Need
Here’s what you’ll need from the store. The exact amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Kitchen Tools
Ingredients
- Ground Beef
- Bread Crumbs
- Egg
- Cranberry Sauce
- Chili Sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Minced Onion

Cocktail Meatball Tips
If you have any questions about this recipe, please leave them in the comments. Here are some additional tips that will help you as you cook them.

Simmer in the Slow Cooker
If you are running short on time or you want to keep them warm until guests arrive, keep them in the slow cooker. It’s best if your slow cooker has a “keep warm” function since that will prevent the meatballs from overcooking.

Brown in the skillet first
Before you simmer the meatballs in the tangy sauce, you should cook them in the skillet. The meatballs need to be completely cooked before you add the sauce.

Then, simmer the meatballs in the sauce for at least 45 minutes.
The result is absolutely amazing.
How to Store Cocktail Meatballs
Keep leftover cocktail meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat them on the stove for the best results.

How To Make Them Spicier
Add some red pepper flakes, a dash of hot sauce, or some cayenne pepper to add some heat to these delicious cocktail meatballs.
To serve them, add a toothpick into each meatball and set them on a platter so that your guests can grab a meatball easily.
Save Extra Sauce For Dipping
This sauce is incredibly delicious! Before you serve the meatballs to your guests, add some of the leftover sauce to a serving bowl and let your friends grab as much as they want. It tastes delicious with french fries, on top of mashed potatoes, or as a dip for roasted veggies.


Easy Cocktail Meatballs Recipe
SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef 80-85% lean
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs regular – not seasoned
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 jellied cranberry sauce 14oz
- 1 bottle chili sauce 12oz
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix ground beef, onion, egg, salt, bread crumbs and Worcestershire sauce.
- Heat skillet on medium heat. Roll meat into balls of about 1 inch in size. and place in skillet.
- Keep meatballs rolling around in pan with a large wooden spoon or spatula until they are browned. Should take about 5 minutes.
- Pour chili sauce and cranberry sauce into a medium sized pot and heat on medium. Mix well so that cranberry jelly melts and mixture becomes consistent.
- Add browned meatballs to the pot with sauce and make sure they’re all coated well. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 45 minutes.
Nutrition

See how tasty they are? If you love meatballs, then check out our creamy Swedish meatballs next. They are just as good!


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More Easy Appetizers
If you enjoyed learning how to make sweet and tangy cocktail meatballs, here are some more simple appetizers you should make next. They are some of my favorite recipes to make for parties.
These meatballs were super yummy! I made this recipe twice already, and my family and I loved it. Thank you so much!