Cocktail meatballs are an easy and crowd-pleasing appetizer. They can be made ahead and kept warm so you can enjoy the party outside of the kitchen.
This easy recipe for cocktail meatballs does not require bread or egg. It’s gluten free. Many of the cocktail meatball recipes on the Internet call for grape jelly, which can be high in sugar. This recipe gives you a low sugar alternative that tastes much better.
While the meatballs lack any binding agent like breadcrumbs, you bake them in the oven so they keep their round structure. With this hands-off method of baking, you have time to prepare the sauce.
How do you make cocktail meatballs?
Making meatballs is as simple as combining all of the ingredients. Keep these tips in mind to make the best meatballs.
- Don’t over mix the ingredients. You want to ensure that the ingredients are combined, but try to use a gentle touch when mixing. Excess mixing activates the collagen in red meat. As a result, the meatballs can easily become dry and tough.
- Bake just until the meatballs are brown. At this point, the meat will be completely cooked and provide structure. Cooking longer than 15-20 minutes will dry them out and make them crumbly.
- Consider searing the meat. If you want to make sure they don’t fall apart, you can pan fry them for a minute or two to cook the exterior first. This does require extra oil.
Feel free to double or even triple this recipe to feed a crowd.
How can I thicken the meatball sauce?
The longer you cook the sauce, the more it will thicken.
If it’s still too thin for your liking, you can make a slurry of cornstarch and water and add it to the sauce before you remove it from the heat. Stir until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
What is the healthiest alternative to sugar?
The sauce for these cocktail meatballs does need a little sweetener. Luckily, there are plenty of natural sweeteners on the market to choose from. My personal favorite is Swerve. It measures cup for cup like sugar and is a plant based sweetener, with no artificial ingredients. This is a great keto friendly sugar alternative to keep in your pantry.
How do you keep party meatballs warm?
These sweet meatballs make the perfect party appetizer. They can be made in advance so that all you need to do is keep them warm throughout the party.
To do this, place the cooked cocktail meatballs and sauce in a crockpot. Set it on low power. This will keep them warm and also ensures that they won’t drop in temperature to the point of risking food contamination.
Did you make too many meatballs? You should totally make my Baked Meatballs Casserole (Web Story) or Healthy Meatball Soup!
Want to use a different protein instead of beef? You’ll have to try my Low-Carb Turkey Meatballs with Mashed Cauliflower and Spicy Turkey Meatballs with Veggies!
Other easy party appetizers
Along with these cocktail meatballs, serve other easy party appetizers like sausage stuffed mushrooms or shrimp guacamole bites. They will make an impressive spread on your holiday table.
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Easy Cocktail Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup white onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
For the sauce
- 1 cup low-carb ketchup
- 1/2 cup grated yellow onions
- 1/4 cup tomato chopped very small
- 1 tsp garlic clove minced
- 1/4 cup natural sweetener Swerve
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a medium bowl. Gently mix everything well to combine.
- Using a small cookie scoop to portion the meat mix. Roll these portions into small using your hands. It’ll be about 24 meatballs (the amount will depend on the size of your meatballs).
- Spray oil cooking on a baking sheet and place the meatballs on it.
- Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until they are evenly brown.
- Remove from the oven, and allow the meatballs to cool completely.
- While the meatballs are in the oven, let’s make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a skillet large enough to hold all the meatballs. Simmer the sauce for about ten minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Add the baked meatballs into the sauce. Stir to coat the meatballs.
- Place the meatballs on a serving tray and spoon some of the sauce over them. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm, with cocktail picks.
Tips
- The nutrition facts don't include the meatball sauce.
- If you want the sauce to be thicker, just cook it longer.
- Try using Swerve for a keto-friendly sugar alternative.
- If you want to keep the meatballs and sauce warm for a party, place them in a slow cooker.
- To store: Place all the meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat: Reheat the cocktail meatballs in the microwave or stovetop.
- To freeze: You can freeze cocktail meatballs in a freezer-safe bag or container. Make sure you thaw them before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
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