Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Barbecue Meatballs
We are all looking for a great easy recipe to share with family for appetizer during the holiday season. Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Barbecue Meatballs is filled with seasonal flavor and done in a short time. Take and keep warm in the instant pot!
What I love about making meatballs in the instant pot is that they don’t take much time. Cook them for 6 minutes and the heat uptime is 10 minutes. 16 minutes hands free cooking while you prep the sauce is awesome.
This instant pot recipe is made with simple ingredients. Fresh cranberries, orange juice, and any barbecue sauce that’s tasty. Top it with some parsley for extra holiday look. Serve them right out of the pot.
Using the keep warm setting the meatballs can be made ahead in the instant pot and kept warm to serve at a later time. We also used fresh navel oranges for the juice but you can also use simply orange juice too.
Just cook the cranberries on the sauté setting of the instant pot. There is a nifty button on the front that says sauté. This function will bring the pot to a boil. Hence the cranberries will start to pop as the instant pot comes to the boil.
Once the cranberries start to pop mash them down to break the cranberries up. This will add a seasonal holiday flavor to the meatballs. Be sure to pick a complimentary barbecue sauce. Nothing too sweet a little more savory of a sauce pairs best.
This sauce will coat the meatballs making instant pot cranberry orange barbecue meatballs. You can also replace the barbecue sauce with chili sauce to have a bit of a different flavor. Barbecue is more universal so that’s what we use.
Serving these up during the holiday season at a party, home gathering, or even when it’s safe to potluck. If you use the keep warm setting keep a little extra barbecue sauce and orange juice on hand in cause the sauce starts to cook down a little more can be added.
I just love holiday appetizers that are quick and warm to serve up. Make sure to have some toothpicks on the side to keep people’s hand and fingers out of the pot! Additionally, these cranberry meatballs make a great seasonal weeknight dinner option.
Instant Pot Meatball Recipes:
Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Barbecue Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen meatballs
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries about half a bag
- 1 orange squeezed for juice or 1/2 cup simply orange juice
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups barbecue sauce of choice we use bulleye’s or something local
Instructions
- Place steamer basket into the instant pot. Add one cup water. Pour in frozen meatballs. Place lid on instant pot. Set valve to sealed position. Press press cook or manual button and then set timer to 6 minutes. Once the instant pot stop counting release the pressure by turning the valve to open.
- Remove meatballs to a bowl and set aside. Remove steamer basket. Drain broth/water. Add in cranberries and orange juice. Turn off pot and then turn on sauté mode.
- The cranberries will start to pop as they heat up. Using a potato masher, mash down the cranberries. Once the cranberries are mashed add in two cups of barbecue sauce. Stir.
- Add meatballs back to the sauce and stir well coating all the meatballs. Serve topped with parsley for a holiday look and feel.
Video
Pin Instant Pot Cranberry Orange Barbecue Meatballs
