Vegan Cocktail Meatballs ~
Savory bite-sized and plant-based meatballs baked in the oven, then finished in a tangy sauce. Perfect for the holiday season!
Serve as an appetizer at your next party or as a main dish with Green Bean Salad and Mashed Potatoes.
Vegan Meatballs Recipe
I like this recipe because it’s easy to throw together in no time and always a crowd-pleaser.
This vegan recipe is adapted from my mother-in-law’s original recipe. Her meatballs were legendary. She would bring her crockpot full of them to all the holiday parties, where they would disappear in record time. One day, she revealed to me her time-saving secret ingredient to making an already simple recipe even easier – store-bought meatballs. We will follow her lead here and take the semi-homemade route with this easy recipe and make it suitable for guests on a plant-based diet by using a vegan meat substitute.
There are several varieties of veggie meatballs in the freezer section of the supermarket these days. The best vegan meatballs to use for this recipe are the ones that are still in their ‘raw meat’ form and ready to cook. (Beyond Meat Meatballs have the perfect texture).
The sauce is a mixture of four simple ingredients, including canned cranberry sauce and a bottle of chili sauce. This combination adds a tangy and slightly spicy, almost BBQ sauce-like glaze, for a flavor profile that’s sure to impress.
Make these delicious vegan meatballs on the stovetop or toss them in the slow cooker (directions for both methods are on the recipe card). Either way, these meatless meatballs will be a hit at your next party!
Ingredients for Vegan Cocktail Meatballs
You will need the following:
- 24 uncooked plant-based meatballs, such as Beyond Meat Meatballs
- 12 ounces tomato-based chili sauce (not cocktail sauce!)
- 8 ounces jellied cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
How to Make Vegan Cocktail Meatballs
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
STEP TWO: Divide each meatball in half and roll into 2 mini meatballs for a total of 48 meatballs.
STEP THREE: Place meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet so that they are in a single layer and at least 1-inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time.
STEP FOUR: In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together the chili sauce, cranberry sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Cook just until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently.
STEP FIVE: Reduce heat to low and add the meatballs, stirring gently to coat with the sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.
Cooking Variation: To make these cocktail meatballs in a slow cooker: After baking in the oven, gently toss meatballs in the sauce then place in a slow cooker on low heat for 3-4 hours.
Storage
- Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’re just as good reheated in the microwave the next day!
More Vegan Game Day Recipes You’ll Love!
- Vegan Teriyaki Meatballs
- French Onion Sliders
- Beer Glazed Bratwurst Bites
- Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Mushrooms
- Italian Sausage Bruschetta
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Vegan Cocktail Meatballs
Ingredients
- 24 uncooked plant-based meatballs such as Beyond Meat Meatballs
- 12 ounces tomato-based chili sauce not cocktail sauce!
- 8 ounces jellied cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide each meatball in half and roll into 2 mini meatballs for a total of 48 meatballs.
- Place meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet so that they are in a single layer and at least 1-inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, stir together the chili sauce, cranberry sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Cook just until the sugar is dissolved, stirring frequently.
- Reduce heat to low and add the meatballs, stirring gently to coat with the sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.
- Cooking Variation: To make these cocktail meatballs in a slow cooker: Gently toss meatballs in the sauce then place in a slow cooker on low heat for 3-4 hours.
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