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.

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

PALEO MEATBALLS WITH CRANBERRY CHILI SAUCE APPETIZER

My 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.

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

1. Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a medium-size bowl.
2. Roll the meat into a ball using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture per ball.
3. Line the meatballs on a prepare baking dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until meat is cooked through.
4. While the meatballs are baking, add all the ingredients for the cranberry sauce into a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from heat.
6. Pour the cranberry mixture into a blender and blend until smooth.
7. Mix all the ingredients for the chili sauce in a medium-size mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
8. 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

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

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

ALMOND FLOUR AND EGG

These are the ingredients that hold the meatball together.  I 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.  You can use coconut flour or arrowroot powder for more gluten-free options.

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 

4.80 from 5 votes

Paleo Meatballs with Cranberry Chili Sauce

By Laura Ascher

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 20

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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.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

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.

Tried this recipe?Mention @our_oily_house or tag #ouroilyhouse!

NOW GO GRAB SOME OTHER AWESOME NEW YEAR’S EVE APPETIZERS

Veggie Dip by Julie Blanner | Meatballs with Cranberry Chili Sauce by Our Oily House |

Garlic Herb Sourdough Flatbread by Farmhouse on Boone | Baked Chicken Wings by The Cookie Rookie