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Easy Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs: Best Kid-Approved Dinner

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This Easy Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs recipe is the kind of dinner that saves your sanity on a chaotic weeknight. It’s proof that you don’t need fancy ingredients or hours in the kitchen to put something delicious and satisfying on the table.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds frozen fully cooked meatballs
  • 1 (14-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
  • 1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)
  • Toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)
  • Thinly sliced green onions (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Lightly spray the inside of a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Add the 2 pounds of frozen meatballs directly into the slow cooker and spread them out in an even layer.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir until well mixed. Alternatively, add all ingredients directly to the slow cooker and stir.
  4. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently toss to coat evenly.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
  6. Stir gently halfway through cooking.
  7. Check for doneness: meatballs should be heated through and sauce thick and glossy. If sauce is too thin, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  9. Serve warm, garnished with parsley, sesame seeds, or green onions if desired.

Notes

For a thicker sauce, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into meatballs, then cook on HIGH for 15 more minutes. These meatballs taste even better the next day. For a spicier version, add 1 teaspoon sriracha or red pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot cranberry meatballs, easy meatballs, slow cooker meatballs, kid-friendly dinner, party appetizer, cranberry chili sauce meatballs

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