The Best Cocktail Meatball Recipe

Cocktail meatballs and sauce in a white serving bowl and garnished with scallions.

4.12 from 9 votes

The Best Cocktail Meatball Recipe

These tender, saucy cocktail meatballs are sweet, tangy, and packed with flavor. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they are perfect for parties, potlucks, or an easy family dinner and freeze beautifully for later.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: best cocktail meatball recipe, cocktail meatballs, party meatball recipe, sweet and savory meatballs,

Servings: Meatballs

Calories: 140kcal

Author: Melissa Norris

Cost: Varies

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Baking Sheet
Large Skillet

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

3/4 lb. ground pork
3/4 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs or cornmeal for gluten-free
1/2 cup onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon salt I love Redmond Real Salt. Use code “Pioneering” for 15% off.
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
2-3 tablespoons cooking oil

For the Sauce:

8 ounces grape jelly apricot or apple preserves
1/4 cup brown sugar or honey
3 tablespoons sriracha sauce or hot chili sauce
1/2 cup barbeque sauce Try this sweet and smoky BBQ sauce recipe.
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the meat, bread crumbs, onion, salt, pepper, and the egg using your hands.
Form 1 inch balls and set aside.
Heat the oil in a skillet. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning occasionally.
Bake the meatballs on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes.
While the meatballs are baking, bring all of the sauce ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until thick (about 10 minutes).
Mix in the baked meatballs and serve hot.

Notes

Recipe Tips:

Plan on about 30 to 40 minutes from start to finish, depending on your prep speed.
If serving over rice or noodles, double or triple the sauce because extra sauce is never a bad thing.
An ice cream scoop makes quick work of shaping uniform meatballs and works just as well for cookies.

Storage Instructions:

Once the meatballs have cooled, transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator, where they will stay fresh for up to four days. If you would like to make them ahead or save extras for later, these meatballs freeze beautifully right in the sauce for up to three months. When you are ready to serve them again, reheat gently on the stovetop or in a slow cooker until warmed all the way through.

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