If you’re a fan of meatballs and Cherry Coke, you might not have considered combining the two ingredients. But I highly suggest you give it a try! The delicious combination of cherry cola and spicy chipotle peppers give this sweet and spicy meatballs recipe the perfect mix of sweetness and spice. Featuring homemade meatballs and a savory sauce, this simple recipe is the perfect appetizer for any party.
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What Do I Need to Make Sweet and Spicy Meatballs?
You’re going to love the delicious combination of ingredients in this easy appetizer. In addition to a delicious homemade meatball recipe, you’ll also find a simple sweet and spicy sauce to add on top! But the best part about this quick appetizer is that you only need a handful of ingredients to prepare it. To make your own cherry cola meatballs, you’ll need:
- Diced onion
- Minced garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Ground nutmeg
- Cayenne
- Ground beef
- Canned chipotle pepper
- Egg
- Breadcrumbs
- Brown sugar
- Cherry Coke
How Do I Make Sweet and Spicy Meatballs?
This quick and easy oven-baked meatball recipe couldn’t be simpler to make. Just follow these five steps to make your own sweet and spicy appetizer for your next get-together.
Step One: Prepare the Meatball Ingredients
Before you can bake your sweet and spicy meatballs, you’ll need to take a few minutes prep your ingredients. Start by warming the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook for around five minutes, until the ingredients become fragrant. While the onion and garlic are cooking, combine the salt, paprika, onion powder, black pepper, ground nutmeg, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl.
Step Two: Combine the Meatball Ingredients
To make the meatballs, add the ground beef to a large bowl with the chipotle peppers, egg, breadcrumbs, cooked onion mixture, and spice mixture. Stir the ingredients together, using your hands, if needed, to ensure all the ingredients are well combined.
Step Three: Make the Meatballs
Use your hands to scoop out the meat mixture, forming medium sized meatballs by rolling the meat mixture between the palms of your hands. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue rolling the meat into balls until all the meat mixture has been used.
Step Four: Bake the Meatballs
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the meatballs at 400 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes, flipping the meatballs halfway through the cooking time.
Step Five: Prepare the Sweet and Spicy Sauce
While the meatballs are cooking, add the cherry Coke, brown sugar, and chipotle pepper to a small saucepan. Cook the ingredients over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. After that, reduce heat to low and continue cooking for seven to 10 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. When the meatballs are cooked through, remove the pan from the oven and brush each meatball with sauce before serving.
Sweet and Spicy Meatballs Tips & Tricks
Once you try this flavorful meatball recipe, you’ll never want to make plain meatballs again! And with these recipe tips and tricks, you’ll be able to whip up this easy recipe over and over again.
- Try frozen meatballs. If you’re in a hurry and need a last-minute appetizer, try using frozen meatballs in place of homemade ones. After cooking your meatballs according to the package instructions, top them with the cherry Coke glaze to instantly add some sweet and spicy flavor.
- Make them for dinner. These delicious meatballs make a great appetizer, but you can also serve them as a main course for dinner. Serve them over rice or potatoes for a quick and easy dinner idea that your family is sure to love.
- Adjust the heat level. It’s easy to adjust the amount of spiciness in this simple recipe. Just use more or less chipotle peppers to make the meatballs spicier or less spicy. You can also adjust the amount of cayenne pepper used in the meatball mixture to make the meatballs spicier or milder.
- Make the meatballs ahead of time. Your meatballs can be prepared up to one day in advance of making this recipe. Simply make the meatballs according to the recipe instructions. Place them in an airtight container or cover the meatballs and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake them. While you’re waiting for the oven to preheat, remove the meatballs from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature so they’ll cook more evenly. After that, follow the recipe instructions for baking the meatballs and preparing the Cherry Coke glaze.
How Do You Make Crockpot Sweet and Spicy Meatballs?
You can easily adjust this recipe to make crockpot sweet and spicy meatballs. After preparing your meatballs according to the recipe instructions, place them in an even layer in the bottom of your slow cooker. Make sure to grease the pot of your slow cooker to prevent sticking.
Next, combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk them together until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the sauce ingredients over the top of the meatballs until they’re all fully coated.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook them on low for three to four hours, until the meatballs are cooked through.
Sweet and Spicy Meatballs with Cherry Cola
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- pinch cayenne
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 Tbsp canned chipotle pepper finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
For the glaze
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cherry coke
- 2 Tbsp canned chipotle pepper finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic for 5 minutes, until fragrant.
- Meanwhile, combine salt, paprika, and next 5 ingredients (through cayenne) in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl combine ground beef, 2 Tbsp canned chipotle pepper, egg, breadcrumbs, onion mixture and spice mixture.
- Form medium sized meatballs and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 25-35 minutes, turning once, until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine cherry cola, brown sugar, and 2 Tbsp chipotle pepper. Stir until sugar dissolves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7-10 minutes until mixture begins to thicken.
- Brush meatballs with glaze and serve.