This BBQ Meatballs recipe is one of my “go-to’s” when I need a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Using simple ingredients you likely already have on hand, and a quick cook time, these homemade meatballs are a big hit with moms and kids alike!

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My family loves Barbeque Meatballs as both a main dish or the perfect appetizer when they’re craving something a little heartier than their favorite dip recipe. And, as much as store-bought frozen meatballs are convenient when I’m in a hurry, the best meatballs are always homemade.

If you have teenage boys in the house, you may want to double the recipe so that you have a large batch of meatballs, as I promise these will be gobbled up quickly.

What You’ll Need to Make These Tasty Meatballs With BBQ Sauce

close up of a skillet filled with bbq meatballs being stirred by a wooden spoone=

1 pound of lean ground beef
1 egg
2/3 cup panko or bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 cups of your favorite bbq sauce

How to Make Barbecue Meatballs

First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Next, place the first eight ingredients (everything except the bbq sauce) into a large bowl and use your hands to combine the meatball ingredients gently.

Using a scoop or this Meatball Master, shape the meatball mixture into 1.5-inch balls. Place the raw meatballs on your baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake the meatballs for 10-12 minutes – until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Carefully place the cooked meatballs in a large skillet, add the barbecue sauce, and gently stir until the meatballs are completely covered in the sauce. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce is heated through.

If you have any leftover meatballs, they can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3 days or up to two months in the freezer.

two small tray of uncooked meatballs on parchment paper

One of my tricks for making cooking and clean-up quick when I’m baking meatballs is to keep a stack of these Nordic Ware quarter sheet pans and a box of parchment sheets close by. The small sheets are easy to handle and move around your counter and after you’ve removed the cooked meatballs, just throw the parchment paper away and give the trays a quick wipe down.

BBQ Meatballs Recipe Notes and Suggestions

overhead view of half of a Staub skillet filled with barbequed meatballs

I like to make this recipe using Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce without added sugar to avoid a few carbs.
You can substitute the ground beef for ground pork or ground turkey in this recipe.
You can also make an easy homemade barbeque sauce by mixing the following ingredients:
- 1 cup of ketchup
- 1 cup of brown sugar or a carb-free brown sugar replacement.
- 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
I love to serve these delicious meatballs over mashed potatoes or on top of pasta for a super easy main dish, but it’s also a great recipe to use for a party appetizer. If serving as an easy appetizer, you can place the baked meatballs in your slow cooker, mix in the bbq sauce, and allow them to stay warm over low heat.
You can also use this recipe to make meatball sliders. Just place one meatball inside a sliced Hawaiian Bun for another great meal or snack option.
We make a lot of meatball recipes in my house – we think they’re a great option for dinner and even make the perfect snacks. I recently discovered the Meatball Master, which lets me easily make and shape 32 meatballs at a time. You just pop your meat mixture into the mold, press it shut, pop out the formed meatballs, and give them a quick roll in your hands for perfectly portioned meatballs every time.

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