Cherry Glazed Mini Meatballs (Printable Version)

Baked ground beef bites covered in a sweet and tangy cherry glaze, ideal for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1/4 cup milk
05 - 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

→ Cherry Glaze

10 - 1 cup cherry preserves or cherry jam
11 - 1/4 cup ketchup
12 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix gently until just combined, avoiding overworking the mixture.
03 - Using damp hands, shape the mixture into 24 small meatballs, approximately one heaping tablespoon each, and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and fully cooked.
05 - While meatballs bake, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine cherry preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir and bring to a simmer, cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened.
06 - Transfer the baked meatballs to a large bowl. Pour the hot cherry glaze over them and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Serve the glazed meatballs warm, optionally providing cocktail picks for easy handling.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • One pot meal
  • Freezer friendly
02 -
  • Substitute cherry preserves with grape jelly for a different twist
  • For a lighter version use ground turkey instead of beef
03 -
  • Do not overwork the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender
  • Use damp hands to shape meatballs for less sticking
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