Paleo Meatballs with: Cranberry Chili Sauce Appetizer

These paleo meatballs with cranberry chili sauce are the perfect appetizer for the holidays. They can be made ahead of time in the slow cooker and kept warm for the whole night. Chili cranberry meatballs are grain-free, dairy-free, and paleo-approved.

These recipes will all be a great dish to bring to your next holiday party! This journal note is a collaboration with a few of our blogging friends. After reading this, be sure to see all of their delicious appetizer recipes, all linked at the bottom of this note.

PALEO MEATBALLS WITH CRANBERRY CHILI SAUCE APPETIZER

Our grandma used to make meatballs in cranberry sauce for Christmas, Easter, and all the holidays in between. They were always a hit at every party.

She used frozen meatballs, a can of jellied cranberry sauce, and a bottle of chili sauce. Though they were extremely easy and delicious, they weren’t so great for you.

We decided to tweak the recipe just a bit and came up with a healthy alternative. It was just as delicious (our husband says even more delicious, don’t tell grandma) as the ones we remembered eating as a kid.

PALEO MEATBALLS WITH CRANBERRY CHILI SAUCE APPETIZER INGREDIENTS

FOR THE MEATBALLS

3 pounds ground beef
3 eggs
3/4 cup almond flour
3 tablespoon Italian seasonings
1 tablespoon salt

FOR THE CRANBERRY SAUCE

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup honey

FOR THE CHILI SAUCE

28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp red hot pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp chili powder

PALEO MEATBALLS WITH CRANBERRY CHILI SAUCE APPETIZER INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a medium-size bowl.
Roll the meat into a ball using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture per ball.
Line the meatballs on a prepare baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
While the meatballs are baking, add all the ingredients for the cranberry sauce into a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Pour the cranberry mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.
Mix all the ingredients for the chili sauce in a medium-size mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
When the meatballs are done, pour both sauces over them. This is enough sauce for 3 pounds of meatballs. If you are bringing this to a party you can put this in a crockpot to keep it warm all night.

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

GROUND BEEF

If you don’t have access to a local farmer, our second favorite place to get grass-fed beef is ALDI. We buy all our beef from a local cattle farmer that sells organic grass-fed beef. Our sister and we will split a whole or half of a cow, and that alone will fill our deep freezer. It is a ton of meat!

If you prefer to make these meatballs with turkey or chicken, you can substitute the beef for that.

ALMOND FLOUR AND EGG

You can use coconut flour or arrowroot powder for more gluten-free options. These are the ingredients that hold the meatball together. We am using almond flour instead of a traditional bread crumb to make these gluten-free. Plus, almonds are packed full of protein and other nutrients.

CRANBERRIES

The tartness of the cranberries counters nicely with the sweetness of the honey and orange juice. They pair great with meat and add a distinct, yet delicious flavor to this dish.

Cranberries are great for your health and are known as a superfood! Feel good about adding these!

PIN IT FOR LATER

5 from 5 votes

Paleo Meatballs with Cranberry Chili Sauce

By the studio Ascher Prep: 20 minutes minsCook: 20 minutes minsTotal: 40 minutes mins Servings: 20

SaveSaved Pin Print These paleo meatballs with cranberry chili sauce are the perfect appetizer for the holidays. They can be made ahead of time in the slow cooker and kept warm for the whole night.

Ingredients

FOR THE MEATBALLS

3 lbs ground beef
3 eggs
¾ cup almond flour
3 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp salt

FOR THE CRANBERRY SAUCE

12 ounces cranberries, frozen or fresh
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup honey

FOR THE CHILI SAUCE

28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
½ cup honey
½ cup vinegar
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp red hot pepper flakes
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp chili powder

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Instructions

Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a medium-size bowl.
Roll the meat into a ball using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture per ball.
Line the meatballs on a prepare baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
While the meatballs are baking, add all the ingredients for the cranberry sauce into a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat.
Pour the cranberry mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.
Mix all the ingredients for the chili sauce in a medium-size mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
When the meatballs are done pour both sauces over them. If you are bringing this to a party you can put this in a crockpot to keep it warm all night.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 525mg, Potassium: 241mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 130IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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