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    Home > Appetizers and Beverages > Honey Sriracha Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce

    Honey Sriracha Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce

    Published: Sep 28, 2020 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Honey Sriracha Party Meatballs
    Best Party Meatballs Ever

    These Honey Sriracha Meatballs recipe are a quick, super easy and crazy delicious party appetizer. Ready in just 30 minutes, using just 5 ingredients, you’re going to love these party meatballs and your party crowd will go wild.

    Sriracha Cranberry Meatballs served on a white plate.

    Anyone looking for a fun new appetizer recipe?

    One that’s really easy to make and a guaranteed crowd pleaser? Step aside grape jelly meatballs, these honey sriracha meatballs will soon become your new favorite party meatballs appetizer.

    Imagine Italian meatballs coated in a brown sugar Sriracha honey sauce glaze with a surprising ingredient, canned cranberry sauce.

    The sweet, savory, spicy flavor combination is truly a treat. And making this recipe couldn’t be easier.

    I make these meatballs often and it’s always crazy popular. After all, meatballs are always a crowd favorite.

    Definitely easy, quick and full of flavor. Having a party appetizer recipe thats easy to make and ready to go in a jiff can be a party lifesaver.

    Let’s take a look at these honey sriracha meatballs.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients for Sriracha Cranberry meatballs

    What a timely recipe, as we’re right in the middle of appetizer season. Football parties, tailgating parties and soon the Holiday invitations will come pouring in. And cranberry sauce for meatballs is so “holiday”.

    Let’s keep it easy, and here’s how:

    • Italian Meatballs: I purchase pre-made, but not pre-cooked Italian meatballs from King Soopers. Their Kroeger brand has a great flavor and cook up nice and tight. Tight enough so they don’t fall apart in this thick sauce.
    • Pantry Items: And don’t we always have a bottle of Sriracha sauce on hand? And brown sugar and honey in the pantry?
    • Cranberry Sauce: Straight off the grocery shelf. Stock up next time you’re at the store, because you’ll want to make these cranberry Sriracha meatballs often.

    Ingredient Swaps

    • Can I Use Frozen Meatballs? Yes, I’ve used frozen Italian meatballs for this recipe. Just cook according to package instructions and then gently toss in the sweet Sriracha sauce.
    • Can I use Homemade Italian Meatballs? Yes, and Homemade Italian Meatballs are easy enough to make and sturdy enough to hold up in the sauce and serve as an appetizer. Again, cook according to recipe instructions and add to the sauce.

    Step By Step Instructions

    Italian meatballs ready to bake for Sriracha Meatballs appetizer
    Step 1
    Ingredients in a dutch oven for Sriracha Cranberry Meatballs
    Step 2
    • Place the Italian Meatballs on a baking sheet, lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Such as PAM. Bake according to package instructions. In this case, it was at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, turn the meatballs and cook for another 15 minutes.
    • Prepare the sauce. In the meantime, place the cranberry sauce, sriracha sauce, brown sugar and honey in a Dutch oven. Cook on medium heat stirring to combine until smooth. Cook for about 15 minutes on medium low, to thicken the sauce a bit.
    Italian Meatballs in Sriracha Cranberry Sauce
    Step 3
    • Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and using a large spoon, gently turn and stir the meatballs to coat them well with the sauce. Transfer them to your favorite serving bowl and enjoy.

    Honey Sriracha Meatballs FAQ’s

    What kind of canned cranberry sauce should I use for these honey sriracha meatballs?

    I’ve used both jellied sauce (shown above) and sauce that contains chunks of cranberries. Both work very well.

    Can I make Honey Sriracha Meatballs in a crockpot?

    I’ve made this recipe in the crockpot using frozen cooked meatballs and didn’t like the final result. Slow cooking releases moisture from the meatballs, thinning the sauce. I like this recipe better as a stove-top thick rich glazed end result.

    Can This Recipe Be Made Ahead of Time?

    It can, but it’s so easy it’s not really necessary. If you do want to make ahead, cook according to instructions and then store in a microwave safe dish. To re-heat, heat in the microwave for 1 minute increments, gently stirring each time to distribute heat and the sauce.

    Can this recipe be frozen?

    Yes. Let the meatballs that have been mixed with the sauce come to room temperature. Place in a freezer friendly container. To reheat, let them thaw and then follow the microwave instructions above.

    Storage

    Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 days. I like to reheat them in the microwave in 15 second increments.

    Recipe for Honey Sriracha Meatballs

    Party meatballs with Honey Sriracha Cranberry Sauce

    Having an appetizer recipe that easy to make and ready to go in a jiff can be a party lifesaver.

    I hope you give these honey sriracha meatballs a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.

    Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite meatball appetizer recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

    And if you’re looking for more appetizer recipes, don’t miss my Appetizer Category. You’ll find lots of fun finger food recipes, including the most popular on my site for Pear Blue Cheese Crostini. Check it out.

    More delicious party meatball appetizer recipes 

    Honey Sriracha Meatballs …. it’s whats or a party

    • Meatballs In BBQ Sauce, Pot Luck Perfect
    • Buffalo Chicken Meatballs Appetizer Recipe
    • Mexican Meatballs with Queso Blanco
    • Spicy Lamb Meatballs
    Party meatballs with Sweet Sriracha Sauce

    Sweet Honey Sriracha Meatballs Appetizer

    This is a recipe for Sweet Sriracha Party Meatballs. Italian meatballs are slathered in a sweet sriracha, brown sugar, cranberry glaze.  A super easy and killer meatball appetizer recipe.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer Recipes
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 257kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 36 Italian meatballs
    • 1/3 cup Sriracha Sauce
    • 14 1/2 ounce cranberry sauce canned, jellied or with chunks of cranberries
    • 1/3 cup brown sugar
    • 1/3 cup honey
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Purchase fresh pre-made Italian meatballs from the store, or frozen. Bake according to package instructions.
    • In the meantime, combine ingredients in a Dutch Oven and cook over medium heat until well heated and flavors are combined. Let cook over medium low for about 15 minutes or until it has thickened just a bit.
    • When meatballs are done scoop them into the same pot as the sauce. With a large spoon, gently stir and combine sauce and meatballs. 
    • Transfer to the serving bowl or platter of your choice. Serve warm.

    Notes

    I’ve made this recipe in the crockpot and didn’t like the final result. Slow cooking releases moisture from the meatballs, thinning the sauce. I like this recipe better as a thick and rich stove-top glaze.
    Can this recipe be made ahead of time? It can, but it’s so easy it’s not really necessary. If you do want to make ahead, cook according to instructions and then store in a microwave safe dish. To re-heat, heat in the microwave for 1 minute increments, gently stirring each time to distribute heat and the sauce.
    Can this recipe be frozen? Yes. Combine meatballs that have been mixed with the sauce. To reheat, let them thaw and then follow the microwave instructions above.
    Can I use frozen meatballs for this recipe? Yes, I’ve used frozen Italian meatballs for this recipe. Just cook according to package instructions and then gently toss in the sweet Sriracha sauce. 
    Does this recipe travel well? Just place it in a serving bowl and cover tightly with foil. It should keep fairly warm for about 30 minutes. If you need to reheat once you arrive at your destination, remove the foil and give them a swirl in the microwave. The sauce has a lot of sugar involved, so they’ll heat quickly. Re-heat in 1 minute increments.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 182mg | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 7.2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.7mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

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    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating in the recipe card below. And write a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marie says

      December 14, 2021 at 8:54 am

      I want to take these to a party but want them warm. Do you think I could cook them on the stove but put them in a crock pot on warm without a lid?

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        December 14, 2021 at 2:29 pm

        I have taken these meatballs to many parties, and have used a crockpot to transport and keep warm.

        Once cooked, just transfer them to a crockpot and plug it in on warm temperature. With lid on. Once you’re ready to leave, just transport them in the crockpot and then plug the crockpot in once you arrive at your destination. (again on warm temp)

        Keeping them warm this way is just fine. We just don’t want them to be on high temperature and cook more. The texture of the sauce will be compromised. It will become runny.

        Let me know if you have any other questions.

        Reply
    2. John / Kitchen Riffs says

      September 30, 2020 at 8:14 am

      Sweet and spicy pair so well together! This is fun — neat way to use cranberries. And who can resist a meatball? Nice dish — thanks so much.

      Reply
    3. Dennis Yannakos says

      September 28, 2020 at 7:34 pm

      5 stars
      Wow! It makes my mouth water!
      Cool Kitchen Utensils

      Reply
    4. Cauleen Staley says

      December 15, 2018 at 5:13 am

      5 stars
      Made these for a holiday party and they were a crowd favorite! So delicious, with the perfect balance of sweet to spice. Will definitely be one of my “go-to” appetizer recipes. Thanks for the recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        December 16, 2018 at 7:18 am

        You’re so welcome Cauleen. Thanks for letting me know. And so glad your crowd loved thee meatballs.

        Reply
    5. Liz says

      October 02, 2018 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      Oooh, love the sweet and spicy sauce! Perfect for my book club. Pinning!!

      Reply
    6. Larry says

      September 30, 2018 at 7:17 am

      They look delicious and couldn’t be easier

      Reply

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    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad bringing you Wild West Colorado inspired recipes. You'll find lots of Southwestern, and Mexican food recipes, and some favorites from Culinary School along with pro cooking tips. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration and reliable, approachable, easy to follow recipes.

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