Description
Slow Cooker Cranberry Jalapeno Meatballs combine spicy jalapeno-infused meatballs with a tangy-sweet cranberry and BBQ sauce for a festive and satisfying appetizer or main course. This easy recipe involves simply mixing ingredients and letting the slow cooker do all the work, delivering tender meatballs bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp Coconut Aminos
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
Sauce
- 1 pack Amy Lu Jalapeno Cranberry Meatballs
- 2 13 oz jars BBQ sauce
- 12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the meatball mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, almond flour, coconut flour, sea salt, Coconut Aminos, dijon mustard, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Shape the meatballs. Form the meat mixture into evenly sized meatballs, about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter, to ensure even cooking.
- Prepare the sauce. In the slow cooker, combine the BBQ sauce, fresh or frozen cranberries, water, and honey or maple syrup. Stir well to blend the flavors and balance sweetness with tartness.
- Add meatballs to slow cooker. Place the shaped meatballs into the slow cooker, submerging them gently into the sauce mixture to coat evenly.
- Cook the meatballs. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours, allowing the meatballs to become tender and absorb the flavors of the cranberry jalapeno sauce.
- Serve warm. Once cooked, give the meatballs a gentle stir to coat them in the sauce before serving. Enjoy as a festive appetizer or hearty main dish.
Notes
- You can adjust the honey or maple syrup quantity to make the sauce sweeter or more tart depending on your preference.
- Using fresh cranberries gives a brighter flavor, but frozen cranberries work just as well if fresh are unavailable.
- This recipe can be doubled for larger crowds; just ensure your slow cooker is large enough to accommodate the mixture.
- To speed up cooking, you can use the high setting on your slow cooker and reduce cook time to 4-5 hours, but low and slow yields best results.
- If you prefer meatballs without gluten, almond and coconut flour keep this recipe gluten free.
- Serve with toothpicks for easy party appetizers or alongside rice or greens for a full meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 meatballs
- Calories: 246 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 42 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 49 mg
