I never bought frozen meatballs until this year. And then I tasted cranberry meatballs at our grandson's wedding reception, and that changed everything! Until then, I had the crazy idea meatballs always needed to be homemade from scratch.
Don't get me wrong! Good homemade meatballs are a thing of beauty! But today, I think everyone should keep a bag or two in the freezer at all times because, you know, things can get a little hectic. Frozen meatballs are amazing little nuggets that can be used in so many ways I can't count that high.
These convenient little gems have been waiting in the frozen food aisle literally all my life, inviting me to take some home and try them. They appeared about the same time I did, in the mid-20th century, and they are an extremely popular and versatile food option!
There are two basic varieties of frozen meatballs: homestyle and Italian-style. The difference is mainly in the way they are seasoned. Homestyle meatballs are typically seasoned with common spices like garlic, onion, salt, and pepper, offering a fairly neutral flavor profile. Italian-style meatballs contain Italian herbs and spices like oregano, basil, and parsley. Some have Parmesan or Romano cheese mixed in.
Italian-style meatballs have a more pronounced flavor, but to this meatball rookie, I think they can be used interchangeably. Most frozen meatballs are fully cooked, just ready and willing for you to heat them up and use them in any way you want!
They are so simple to make with just a few ingredients! All you need for this recipe is a regular-size bag of frozen meatballs, a 14-ounce can of whole berry cranberry sauce, a 12-ounce bottle of chili sauce, plus some Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar!
Nothing could be more simple! Combine the sauce ingredients in the slow cooker and give them a good stir to make sure all the meatballs are covered. Then, depending on when you want to serve them, cook them on high for about two hours or on low for about four hours.
Stir them a time or two while they are cooking. These cranberry meatballs are quite forgiving if they need to stay in the pot longer. When they're done, the sauce will cook down and become more like a glaze. As usual, I like to garnish with some parsley for color!
Now, what do you do with these yummy meatballs? I made a batch for our daughter's family this week. They're at that stage of life when everyone is on a different schedule. Mom is a teacher, Dad works late this time of year, and their son has basketball practice after school. Sound familiar?
That evening, they enjoyed the meatballs in shifts over rice, but they would also make a perfect meatball sub on a soft hoagie bun! Yum! These tasty bits also make a wonderful appetizer for team parties or those fifth-quarter parties after the games. So delicious!
You can use the jelly-style cranberry sauce instead of the whole berry type, and if you can't find chili sauce, use your favorite barbecue sauce! Not a cranberry fan? Try peach or apricot preserves instead of the cranberry sauce, keeping the quantity the same.
A quick and easy slow cooker recipe for meatballs in a tangy sauce. You can serve them over rice or noodles, in a sandwich, or as an appetizer.
Cranberries are just right this time of year and all winter long! There are so many wonderful things you can do with them! Here are some ideas! Cranberry Chicken, Cranberry Jam With Peppers, and Cranberry Orange Loaf!
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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