Turkey BBQ Meatballs
Deliciously flavorfully spiced, tender and moist turkey BBQ Meatballs are glazed with the ultimate homemade barbecue sauce with hints of spice, pineapple and molasses!
Servings: 24 meatballs
Calories: 98kcal
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 lbs 85% lean ground turkey chilled
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup fresh grated sweet potato firmly packed
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped spinach firmly packed
- 1 tbsp dried chopped onion
- 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp chipotle chili pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 large egg
- More grated parmesan cheese for serving
- freshly chopped parsley for garnish
For the BBQ Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 29 oz tomato sauce can
- 8 oz crushed pineapple can
- 3 tbsp dark molasses
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp dry mustard
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. A standard 18 x 13 inch baking sheet works well.
- In a large, chilled mixing bowl, add chilled ground turkey. Break up the meat and spread it over the bottom surface of the bowl.
- One by one, evenly distribute each listed ingredient over the meat. Add the cracked egg last.
- Using your hands, gently mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. This takes about 1 minute. Make sure not to over mix.
- Divide the mixture in half. Form each half into 12 meatballs, for a total of 24 meatballs. Place the meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven.
To Make the BBQ Sauce
- Add olive oil to a 2.5 or 3 quart, non-stick saucepan set on medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the chopped bell pepper and onion to the saucepan.
- Next, sauté the bell pepper and onion for 4 minutes - stirring constantly until they are lightly brown. Add chopped garlic to mixture and sauté 30 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients, and mix well.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle boil, and then cover the saucepan with the lid.
- Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes, covered; stir at least twice. After 15 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and gently stir them through. Cover the saucepan for 5 minutes.
Notes
If serving for a gathering or event, the sauce and meatballs can also be kept warm by placing them in a Crockpot set on the warm setting.
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 753IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg