Gluten Free Cranberry BBQ Meatballs

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time35 min

4.5

(3)

Sweet, tangy, and deeply savory, these meatballs bring together a beef-and-pork blend with a cranberry BBQ sauce that is genuinely hard to stop eating. The sauce builds itself right on the stovetop — whole-berry cranberry sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, and a splash of Worcestershire all melt together into something glossy and bold. The key swap that makes this work without wheat is gluten free breadcrumbs, which bind the meatballs just as well as the traditional kind and keep every bite tender rather than dense. Meatballs are one of those dishes where hidden gluten loves to sneak in through conventional breadcrumbs or store-bought sauces, so making everything from scratch here gives you full control. The oven does the heavy lifting first — baking the meatballs until browned and cooked through — then a quick simmer in the sauce lets everything come together and thicken beautifully. This recipe makes about 32 meatballs and serves 8, so it's a natural fit for a party spread, a holiday appetizer table, or a cozy weeknight dinner over rice. Finish with a scatter of fresh parsley and watch them disappear.

About Fig

Fig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.

Learn more →

Ingredients

8 servings

For the meatballs

1 lb ground beef (80/20)
½ lb ground pork
⅓ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper

For the sauce

1 can (14 oz) whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
½ tsp smoked paprika

For serving

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it.
2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, gluten free breadcrumbs, egg, milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined — stop as soon as no streaks of breadcrumb remain.

Want the full recipe?

Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!