Can I use pre-made meatballs for this recipe?

No, If you buy pre-made meatballs, they will be missing key ingredients and won’t have the sweet and spicy flavors we’re looking for with these cranberry meatballs!

How do I know if my meatballs are fully cooked?

Meatballs are fully cooked when the outside has browned and they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

How long can my gluten-free meatballs stay in the crockpot after cooking?

Once cooked, the crock pot will switch to the “warm” mode and will keep your meatballs warm and safe to eat for up to 1 ½ hours.

Crock Pot Cranberry Meatballs

Name: Slow Cooker Gluten-Free Cranberry Meatballs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground meat or sausage, pork, chicken, turkey, or chorizo; 1/3 cup blanched almond flour; 1/4 cup grated parmesan (or nutritional yeast, see notes for substitutes); 1 large egg; 2 small garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon minced garlic; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to taste); 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 teaspoon honey (optional), adjust to taste; 2 Tablespoons diced jalapeño; 1 cup fresh or previously frozen cranberries + extra for pot/slow cooker; 1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce (gluten-free) *; 1 Tablespoon + diced chipotle in adobo sauce. *(Don’t have chipotle? See notes for substitutes); 1 Tablespoon honey; Salt to taste; Pepper to taste; In the Slow Cooker:; 1 handful of fresh cranberries; Chipotle cranberry sauce (above); Meatballs (above)

Description

The perfect combination of sweet and spicy, these Slow Cooker Gluten-Free Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce are a festive and kid-friendly recipe perfect for holiday parties, game days, and more!

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 pound ground meat or sausage, pork, chicken, turkey, or chorizo
1/3 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup grated parmesan (or nutritional yeast, see notes for substitutes)
1 large egg
2 small garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon honey (optional), adjust to taste
2 Tablespoons diced jalapeño

Mix together and form into balls/patties (broil 5 minutes)

For the Sauce:

1 cup fresh or previously frozen cranberries + extra for pot/slow cooker
1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce (gluten-free) *
1 Tablespoon + diced chipotle in adobo sauce. *(Don’t have chipotle? See notes for substitutes)
1 Tablespoon honey
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
In the Slow Cooker:
1 handful of fresh cranberries
Chipotle cranberry sauce (above)
Meatballs (above)

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Instructions

Preheat the broiler, and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Place the ground meat, almond flour, parmesan, egg, garlic, spices, oregano, and jalapeño in a bowl. Mix the ingredients until they are well-combined. Add the optional honey, and mix again.
Shape the meat into 1 inch meatballs, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Broil the meatballs for 5-6 minutes or until they are browned but not cooked all the way through. Set them aside.
To make the cranberry sauce combine the fresh cranberries, BBQ sauce, chipotle, honey, and spices in a food processor or high speed blender. Pulse the ingredients until they are smooth and a sauce is formed. Add salt and pepper to taste, and adjust as needed.
Place the prepared meatballs in the slow cooker, and pour the cranberry sauce evenly on top of the meatballs.
Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on LOW for 2-3 hours or HIGH for 60-90 minutes, making sure to stir twice. Check for doneness after 45 minutes. The cranberry sauce will thicken during the cooking process.

Notes

Substitutes: Replace the BBQ with honey sweetened ketchup if desired. Just note that the taste will not be as smokey. Replace the chipotle pepper in adobo sauce with ¼-½ teaspoon smoked paprika + 2 Tablespoons of diced tomato.

Ingredient Tip – If using ground chicken or turkey, you may need to add an extra 1/3 cup of parmesan to compensate for the leaner texture of the meat.

Air Fryer Option: Air fry the meatballs (minus the sauce) at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Then, add them to the prepared cranberry sauce in a large sauce pot on medium-low heat, and toss to coat.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Category: Appetizer
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 meatball
Calories: 93
Sugar: 3.8 g
Sodium: 189.6 mg
Fat: 2.7 g
Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
Carbohydrates: 9.5 g
Fiber: 1.1 g
Protein: 6.3 g
Cholesterol: 29.3 mg