BBQ Meatballs – an easy, go-to barbecue meatball recipe that can be made in the slow cooker, oven, or simply on the stove top! Perfect for a quick meal or meal prep!
THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY:
This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill, the opinions are my own.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy – they are only 10 real ingredients and they cook in about 10 minutes! So simple!
- Versatile – you can smother these babies in any of your favorite BBQ sauces.
- Great for meal prep – since they are so easy, it makes them perfect for whipping up any night of the week for meal prep!
What You Will Need
- Lean ground beef
- Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
- Yellow onion
- Liquid smoke
- Egg
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil (stove top + slow cooker methods only)
- Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- Ground Beef: be sure to use very lean ground beef when making these meatballs (at least 90% lean). If you use a ground beef that is less lean it will leave a fair amount of grease at the bottom of your slow cooker.
- BBQ Sauce: you can use any BBQ sauce that you want! We love this one!
- How long can I store leftovers? you can keep cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Great for meal prep!
- Can I freeze meatballs? Yes! You can keep cooked meatballs in the freezer for 3-4 months. Wait to sauce them until you are ready to serve.
- Paleo/Whole30: to make Paleo/Whole30 omit the Worcestershire sauce and ensure you are using a Paleo/Whole30 BBQ sauce!
What Should I Serve With BBQ Meatballs?
They are so versatile that you could serve with almost anything but we typically like a potato and a vegetable. Some of our favorites are Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Potato Wedges, Roasted Broccolini, and Steamed Green Beans.
How to Make BBQ Meatballs
Step one – place all meatball ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Step two – mix with your hands.
Step three – roll into meatballs. Pro tip – we love to use a cookie scoop for this!
Step Four – cook via your preferred cooking method – oven, slow cooker, or stove top.
Step Five – smother in your favorite BBQ sauce and enjoy!
Other Recipes You Might Like
Easy BBQ Wings
Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Easy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Instant Pot Rib Recipe
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Easy BBQ Meatballs (slow cooker or oven)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Total Time: 34 minutes
- Yield: 20–25 meatballs 1x
- Category: Appetizer/Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker + Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Easy BBQ Meatballs – an easy, go-to barbecue meatball recipe that can be made in the slow cooker, oven, or simply on the stove top!
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill almond flour
- 1/4 yellow onion, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (slow cooker + stove top methods only)
Instructions
Oven Method:
- Preheat oven to 375 and prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (using your hands is usually the easiest).
- Take a heaping tablespoon of the ground beef mixture and use your hands to roll it into a meatball. Continue until all the meat is used (you should have around 20 meatballs).
- Place meatballs on parchment, approximately 1/2 – 1 inch apart.
- Sprinkle the tops lightly with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 24 minutes or until cooked through.
- Toss in your favorite barbecue sauce!
Slow Cooker Method:
- Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (using your hands is usually the easiest).
- Take a heaping tablespoon of the ground beef mixture and use your hands to roll it into a meatball. Continue until all the meat is used (you should have around 20-25 meatballs).
- Add olive oil to a large cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Sear meatballs on all sides, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce to a slow cooker, add in the meatballs and cook on LOW 3-4 hours.
Stove Top Method:
- Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (using your hands is usually the easiest).
- Take a heaping tablespoon of the ground beef mixture and use your hands to roll it into a meatball. Continue until all the meat is used (you should have around 20-25 meatballs).
- Add olive oil to a large cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add meatballs to the skillet, searing then on all sides (about 2-3 minutes. Turn heat down to medium/medium-low and continue until meatballs are fully cooked, approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Drain grease and add in your favorite barbecue sauce. Stir to coat and then serve!
Notes
- Lean Ground Beef: use a very lean ground beef for these (around 90% lean). If you use a less lean ground beef there will be an excess amount of grease in your slow cooker after cooking.
- Paleo/Whole30: to make Paleo/Whole30 omit the Worcestershire sauce and ensure you are using a Paleo/Whole30 BBQ sauce!
- Cook Time: I used the Oven cook time in the recipe card, but note that the Slow Cooker and Stove Top cook times are different!
- Dipping Sauce: I love dipping these in homemade ranch!
Keywords: bbq meatballs, barbecue meatballs
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