Celebrate the season with these moist baked meatballs topped with a tangy cranberry sauce. Comforting, festive, and ideal for chilly nights!
After coming back from our New York trip, all I could think about was meatballs. Maybe it was the freezing weather. One of the days dropped to 21°F (-6°C)! I came home craving something warm, hearty, and comforting. And because it’s the holiday season, cranberry sauce immediately came to mind, especially one made with fresh cranberries. Their tart, tangy flavor pairs beautifully with savory meatballs.
These baked meatballs are incredibly moist, flavorful, and so easy to make. Everything comes together in one bowl: mix, roll, bake. No frying, no splattering oil. Just simple, hands-off cooking. The cranberry sauce is bright and tart from the fresh cranberries, so I balanced it with brown sugar, beef broth, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. The end result? A deeply flavorful sauce that complements the meatballs perfectly.
Here are a few helpful tips:
Cranberry Sauce:
For the best texture, strain out the skins and seeds after cooking the cranberries. Then stir in Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce to add depth. Season with salt and pepper, and infuse a sprig of rosemary for a few minutes for extra fragrance.
The sauce can be made a day or several hours ahead. Reheat it on the stovetop when you’re ready to serve.
Meatballs:
I like using a mix of ground beef and ground pork for the best flavor and texture. Add your seasonings, cheese, and breadcrumbs, but the key to extra-moist meatballs is mixing in a bit of water. It makes a huge difference.
To make evenly sized meatballs, use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop. It’s fast and consistent. Roll them briefly by hand and bake until just cooked through.
These meatballs are juicy, savory, and satisfying. I love that they’re baked and require almost no babysitting. Paired with the tangy cranberry sauce, they’re full of bright, bold flavor, and even better served alongside creamy mashed potatoes. I hope you give them a try this winter!
Baked Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons Italian parsley (finely chopped) (optional)
Homemade Cranberry Sauce:
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 4½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
- Zest of ½ orange
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1¼ cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 small rosemary sprig
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
Meatballs:
- ½ pound ground beef (90% lean)
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Rinse and wash cranberries under running water. Discard soft and bruised berries. Set aside to drain.
- In a small saucepan, add cranberries. Add dark brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice and beef broth. Cook over medium-low heat until all the cranberries are soften and burst, about 15 minutes.
- Strain through a sieve into a medium bowl. Discard skins and seeds. Return the sauce back to the saucepan. Add dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and rosemary sprig. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Discard rosemary and set the sauce aside.
- Next, preheat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef and ground pork. Gently combine the meat. Add parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, egg and water. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the mixture into 30 portions. Roll them into meatballs. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 12 – 14 minutes, or until cooked through.
- In the meantime, bring the sauce back to a simmer over medium heat.
- To serve, place some meatballs on serving plates. Top with a couple tablespoons cranberry sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes and extra sauce on the side. Top with Italian parsley if using.
Notes
- When dividing the meat mixture, you can use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop.
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