These cranberry orange meatballs are a fun twist to a family classic dinner. Cooked in less than 10 minutes in the air fryer, every bite is the perfect balance of savory and sweet. You only need a few ingredients and they will be the star of any light meal or can be served as an appetizer for your next get-together.
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These cranberry meatballs will surprise you on so many levels. They are both comforting and refreshing, thanks to the cranberries’ sweetness and the freshness of the orange.
Five things you should know before you make cranberry meatballs
- The recipe uses staple ingredients that you probably already have at home.
- Don’t be tempted to over-flavor the meat. All these seasonings work with the orange and cranberries for a balanced sweet and tangy meatball.
- Cranberry meatballs are the perfect recipe to make for a last-minute appetizer or a quick light lunch with friends.
- Don’t overmix/overwork the meat, it can affect the final texture.
- When it is time to shape the meatball, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Now that you have lunch covered, you should try the sausage meatballs for brunch. Another crowd favorite at our BBQ get-togethers is smoked meatballs.
Ingredients
- Ground beef: I love using ground chuck 80/20, the lean-to-fat ratio is perfect for tender and juicy meatballs.
- Spices: I kept it classic here so the spices don’t overshadow the flavor of cranberries and orange.
- Orange: I used the zest from an orange and its juice.
- Dried cranberries: I prefer the dry cranberries to the fresh ones for convenience as they are a staple ingredient in my pantry in the Fall.
- Egg: Wet ingredient that helps with binding.
- Breadcrumbs: Don’t overlook this ingredient. It helps retain the moisture as the meatballs cook so you have a juicy and tender bite.
Keep reading down to the recipe card for specific ingredients and instructions.
Pro Tips
Remember, don’t overmix the ground beef for the cranberry meatballs. The last thing you want is a tough meatball. Two more important tips I learned are to add moisture and shape. Moisture can be added in different ways. In the recipe, I used fresh orange juice and zest. To shape the meatballs use enough pressure in your hands to have the meat and breadcrumbs with the egg to bind.
Instructions
Making cranberry meatballs is a straightforward process. The only “fancy” step is using the zest of the orange.
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
Scoop mixture and shape into balls.
Air fry at 375°F for 10 minutes.
Serve and Enjoy!
Hint: Using a medium-sized cookie scoop is the perfect size for a 2-bite meatball, if you don’t have them, you can use tablespoons just as easily.
Scroll down to the recipe card for specific instructions and ingredients.
Substitutions
- Meat – You can use a different type of ground meat, like ground sausage, ground turkey, or even ground chicken.
- Breadcrumbs – Very easy to use and keep in the pantry, however, if you don’t have them on hand you can substitute them with crushed saltines or even crushed croutons.
Variations
This recipe is excellent as is. You can remove the cranberry and orange ingredients and adapt the recipe for different occasions from brunch with sausage meatballs to a cookout with smoked meatballs. Here are some variations you can make to the recipe:
- Deluxe – Add chopped shallots, finely chopped mushrooms, and grated Parmigiano.
- Kid-friendly – Add cheese and bacon bits.
- Spice – Add a hint of spice with chopped jalapenos or hot sauce in the mixture. Or even add some ginger or allspice for a more peppery flavor.
Equipment
Of course an air fryer, we used basket style but you can definitely use oven style as well. A medium-sized cookie scoop is useful but not a must-have. A pair of tongs to get the meatballs out once they are cooked is also very useful.
Storage / Leftovers / Rewarm
Storage: They will keep very well in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.
Leftovers: Crumble them on top of nachos or add them to a grilled cheese.
Rewarm: Place them in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 – 3 minutes.
FAQ
Yes, they can easily be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Just place them in the refrigerator once they are shaped into balls.
You didn’t apply enough pressure while forming the meatballs. When you go to roll them you need to apply enough pressure so the meat and breadcrumbs can compact and bind to each other.
If you want an even rounder meatball, you can refrigerate them for 20 – 30 minutes before cooking.
You can use some bread soaked in milk then squeeze the excess milk before adding it to the mixture.
What do you think of cranberry meatballs with an orange twist? Please leave us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the review below and tag me @thekitchenbucketlist on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Cranberry meatballs
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Cookie scoop (1½ tablespoons)
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ cup chopped dry cranberries
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (Use the juice of the orange you zested.)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons oil (Optional before air frying)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, mix ground beef, salt, garlic powder, and ground pepper.
- Add in the chopped cranberries, orange juice, and orange zest. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Add the egg, and mix well.
- Add the breadcrumbs. Mix so all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Use a medium-sized cookie scoop (approximately 1½ tablespoons) and scoop the mixture into a ball.
- Roll into the palm of your hand.
- *Optional* Place on a plate and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Place 9 meatballs into the air fryer basket. Leave enough room around each so they can cook evenly.NOTE: I place mine directly into the air fryer basket. You can also place them on parchment paper. Just make sure you have enough meatballs to keep the parchment paper from moving around.
- (Optional) Brush some olive oil on top of each for a more golden/crispier finish.
- Cook in the air fryer at 375°F for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Serve and Enjoy!
I love meatballs and cranberry, so I need to try this recipe. Thanks for the inspiration.