Description
Quick Christmas Cranberry Meatballs are a fast, festive appetizer featuring juicy halal beef or turkey meatballs simmered in a glossy cranberry glaze. Ready in 25 minutes, this savory-sweet starter is perfect for Christmas parties, potlucks, or cozy family dinners, with gluten-free breadcrumb options and halal-friendly sauces.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef or halal ground turkey
- 1 egg
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- ½ cup barbecue sauce (halal)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (halal)
- ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Roll into 1-inch meatballs.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat; cook meatballs until browned and nearly cooked through, 6–8 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, honey, soy sauce, and chili flakes.
- Pour glaze into the skillet and simmer 5–7 minutes until meatballs are tender and the sauce is thick and glossy.
- Serve warm with toothpicks or over rice for a full meal.
Notes
- Use gluten-free breadcrumbs to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- For a milder glaze, reduce or omit chili flakes.
- These meatballs can be made ahead; refrigerate the formed meatballs before cooking.
- Great as an appetizer or served over rice for a complete meal.
- To bake instead of pan-fry, bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15–20 minutes and then toss with glaze.
- Halal-friendly sauces and ingredients are recommended to keep the dish compliant.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Skillet cooking (pan-seared and glazed)
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball (about 1/6 of the recipe)
- Calories: Approx. 260-320 per serving
- Sugar: Approx. 12-22 g
- Sodium: Approx. 600-800 mg
- Fat: Approx. 18-28 g
- Saturated Fat: Approx. 6-10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: Approx. 9-14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: Approx. 12-20 g
- Fiber: 0-2 g
- Protein: Approx. 20-25 g
- Cholesterol: Approx. 80-120 mg
Keywords: Quick Christmas Cranberry Meatballs, Christmas appetizer, halal meatballs, cranberry glaze, 25-minute recipe, holiday party appetizers, beef or turkey meatballs, gluten-free breadcrumb option