BBQ Meatballs

Listen boos, these BBQ meatballs are straight up fire! They are super juicy, packed with flavor on flavor and coated in a tangy, sweet and spicy homemade bbq sauce that will have you weak in the knees. We ain’t playing around y’all. In fact, we elevate the flavors even more with a little pineapple and molasses. These babies are guaranteed to be the star of your next party.

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I grew up on those bbq meatballs served in the crockpot y’all. I’ve had my share at baby showers and church functions. You know everyone loves a meatball, and this recipe is guaranteed to be a hit at any events you make them for. We remixed a few of the flavors to give it an update, and I know you are going to love it. Thanks to Veronica of Collard Greens and Caviar for providing the inspo for this recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make these Barbecue Meatballs

For the Meatballs

• Lean Ground Turkey: This is our meaty base. It will take on all the ingredients like a boss giving you juicy lean meatballs.
• Panko Bread Crumbs: This is giving that CRUNCH factor plus it brings all the ingredients together.
• Veggies: Sweet potato and spinach sneak in extra moisture and nutrition.
• Parmesan Cheese: This adds a nice nutty, salty kick.
• Dried Chopped Onion: We love the texture and extra aromatic vibes onion give.
• Worcestershire Sauce: This provides savory depth and intensity.
• Spices: We throwing in some chipotle chili, garlic powder, salt, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes for some smoky heat and flavor enhancement boos.
• Egg: This is the OG binder that holds it all together.

For the BBQ Sauce

• Olive Oil: This tenderizes and gets to veggies nice and caramelized.
• Bell Pepper: This brings that sweet, fruity vibe.
• Red Onion: Sharp, bold, and giving texture too!
• Garlic: Yep, we adding more into our sauce. Can’t get enough of that aromatic essence.
• Tomato Sauce: The saucy base we need.
• Flavor Enhancers: We toss in some sweet sassy tropical swag with crushed pineapple, the intense sweetness of molasses, a little sugar, acidity from balsamic vinegar, savory depth with Worcestershire sauce and a little dry mustard. And don’t forget the salt to balance everything out.

How to Make BBQ Meatballs

Step 1: Mix it Up

1. Add chilled ground turkey to a cold bowl. No need for this to warm to room temp.
2. Start breaking up your ground turkey. Spread it over the bottom of the bowl.
3. Throw in all of the meatball ingredients.
4. Gently mix everything together until it’s all incorporated. Just make sure you don’t overdo it. About 1 minute is all you need boos.

Step 2: Get Your Roll On

1. Gently use your hands to form 24 medium sized meatballs. Add each to a parchment lined baking sheet.
2. Bake them at 375 for about 20 minutes then set aside.

Step 3: Get Saucy

1. Get that olive oil going in a large non-stick saucepan on medium heat. Then toss in your chopped bell pepper and onion.
2. Once they get tender and light brown, throw in that garlic and give it a quick 30 second cook down.
3. Add the rest of the bbq sauce ingredients in and stir it all together.
4. Bring the sauce to a gentle low key boil and cover with a lid. You wanna let that go for about 15 minutes.

Step 4: Simmer and Serve

1. After that sauce is thickened up and all delish, add your turkey meatballs in to get the party started. Just gently stir them to coat, gently so you don’t break apart the meatballs..
2. Cover for 5 minutes to get them up to temperature then serve them up.

How to Serve Meatballs with BBQ Sauce

• Party Appetizer: Y’all know these babies are perfect at any event from a wedding shower to a book club meeting. Get some toothpicks and go to town.
• Biscuit Sandwich: Now you know this some good eating if you serve one in between a drop biscuit or one of these butter swim biscuits boos.
• Rice Bowl: Serve on a bed of Jollof rice, Mexican Rice or plain white rice. It soaks up those flavors so well!
• Main Dish: I don’t know about you but I can eat these served up on some fluffy garlic mashed potatoes or cream cheese mashed potatoes with a side of Southern green beans.
• Pizza Time: Serve any leftovers on pizza. Throw together my easy pizza dough then top with this pizza sauce, cheese and whatever else your heart desires.

Recipe Substitutions

• Ground Turkey: Feel free to sub in ground beef, ground pork or ground chicken if you prefer.
• Panko: Crushed crackers, standard bread crumbs or even plain cereal work just as well. Even some toasted bread in a pinch can be used.
• Granulated Sugar: Throw in maple syrup or honey instead. Brown sugar works great too.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Soy sauce or tamari are great to toss in instead.
• Tomato Sauce: Tomato puree or crushed tomatoes can work here. Feel free to smooth out the texture more in a blender.

Recipe Variations and Additions for Turkey Meatballs

• Spice it Up: Add some hot sauce, red pepper flakes or cayenne to the mix to give it a kick.
• Go Global: I love playing around with different flavor profiles. Adding some soy sauce and ginger can give some bomb Asian inspired essence.
• Stuff Them: Add a mix of goat cheese and more spinach to the center of each meatball for a bomb surprise.
• Cook on the Stove: If you want, you can cook the meatballs in a cast iron skillet with a little oil to get a nice crisp exterior then sauce them up.

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Chill Out: Keep the barbecue meatballs in the fridge. The chilling helps them bind together better.
• Add In Moisture: Ground turkey is super lean and has less fat than ground beef or ground pork. Adding in egg adds extra moisture and richness, as well as that unique mix in of sweet potato.
• Don’t Overmix: Over mixing will certainly make your meatballs less tender, and we ain’t got time for tough meatballs.
• Pack Light: If your bbq meatballs are formed into compacted rounds, they can end up tough and rubbery once cooked. Pack lightly by gently rolling them in your hands (add a little oil in your hands too) until they just hold their shape.
• Simmer Down: Don’t crank the heat up too much when cooking the meatballs in the sauce. They will absorb the flavors better.
• Use Parchment: Pass on foil when baking these up. The parchment will stop the meatballs from sticking to the sheet pan, and it helps to regulate the temp of the pan so the meatballs bake more evenly.

How to Store and Reheat Barbecue Meatballs

• Fridge: Cool to room temp. Pop these into an airtight container or ziptop bag. They will stay all good for 3-4 days.
• Freezer: Divide the meatballs into freezer safe ziptop bags. Label them with the date. They should last about 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Reheating: Add the barbecue meatballs to a saucepan over medium heat. Go for a gentle reheat, stirring occasionally. They should be good to go in 10 minutes. You can splash a little water in there to keep them super moist too! I prefer this method versus microwaving but if you are in a pinch, you can definitely pop them in and heat in 30 second intervals until they are hot and ready to go.
• Event Serving: The sauce and meatballs can also be kept warm by placing them in a Crockpot set on the warm setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Meatball Recipes

• Spaghetti and Meatballs
• My Lentil Meatballs
• Salisbury Steak Meatballs