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These easy BBQ meatballs are a crowd-pleasing, hassle-free option for family dinners, Game Day snacks, or holiday buffets. Oven-baked and smothered in store-bought barbecue sauce, they’re simple, quick, and versatile!
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If you love meatballs, don’t miss these classic homemade meatballs, Aunt Bee’s Swedish meatballs, and these baked meatballs, too!
These are so much better than the frozen ones from the store. I encourage you to make your own bbq sauce too for a dish completely homemade and uniquely you! Simple versatile recipe for entertaining as well as a family dinner. A keeper for sure!
– Ferrell
Meatballs in BBQ Sauce
If your family loves classic Italian meatballs in marinara sauce, then you’ll enjoy this fun twist! The homemade BBQ meatballs are easy to prepare, full of sweet, zesty, and tangy flavor, and can even be made in advance. They’re great for meal-prep and convenient weeknight dinners, and equally popular as party appetizers. Hosting a gathering? Keep the meatballs warm in a slow cooker while you mingle with your guests!
A Few Tips for Homemade Meatballs in BBQ Sauce
- You do not need to brown meatballs before baking. Browning or frying meatballs in a skillet adds color, flavor and a seared texture to the outside — but it’s definitely not necessary! Sometimes we just don’t have the time or energy for that extra step, and baking is also healthier. Since you’re adding these meatballs to a pan of sauce at the end, and since they’re already loaded with so much great flavor, no one will ever know that you took a little shortcut!
- You can toss the baked meatballs with your favorite store-bought bbq sauce or with homemade bbq sauce. For store-bought options, we like Stubbs for a tangy option with a more prominent vinegar base, or Sweet Baby Ray’s for a thick, sweet option. If you have a few extra minutes, this homemade maple bbq sauce is delicious!
- Milk combines with the breadcrumbs to create a “panade,” which acts as a binding agent and (more importantly) prevents the meatballs from drying out. The milk activates the starch in the breadcrumbs to form a gel. This behaves similarly to a fat by lubricating the meat’s protein fibers and preventing them from becoming tough. Don’t omit this ingredient!
How to Make BBQ Meatballs in the Oven
Skip the package of frozen meatballs and the grape jelly, because this post offers a step-by-step guide and a few helpful tips to show you how to make the best bbq meatballs in the oven from scratch in just minutes. Tender and light on the inside, and touched with subtle notes of zesty spices, the easy bbq meatball recipe comes out perfectly every time. A hearty, cozy, and delicious supper is just minutes away — and it will make you the hero at the table!
- Combine the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Use your hands for this task, rather than a wooden spoon. The more gentle you can be, the more light and tender your meatballs will stay. Don’t overmix, or you’ll end up with tough, dense, and dry meatballs.
- Chill the meatball mixture for 1 hour, if time allows. I don’t always do this (it’s not necessary), but it does make the shaping easier if the mixture is more firm.
- Roll the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch balls. A cookie dough scoop helps form even meatballs that cook in about the same amount of time. Coat your hands with a little bit of olive oil periodically as you’re shaping the meatballs. The oil prevents the meat from sticking to your hands, and also helps the outside of the meatballs brown when they’re in the oven.
- Bake the meatballs in a 425°F oven for 10-12 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Transfer the meatballs to a large skillet.
- Pour the barbecue sauce over top, stir gently to coat, and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, chives, other herbs, or sliced green onions just before serving.
What to Serve with Homemade Meatballs in BBQ Sauce
The zesty barbecue meatballs are delicious alongside a traditional coleslaw recipe, refrigerator dill pickles, 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits, creamy baked macaroni and cheese, Southern collard greens, Southern-style green beans, and jalapeno cheddar Mexican cornbread, green bean casserole with frozen green beans, a dump-and-bake vegetable casserole with rice, or mashed potatoes with sour cream and chives.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can shape the meatballs, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you need a quick dinner, just pull them out and pop them into the oven! You can also freeze the raw meatballs to enjoy them at a later date (see the freezing instructions below).
- How to Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, just until warmed through.
- How to Freeze: You can freeze the meatballs before or after cooking. To freeze meatballs that you’ll bake later, arrange the raw meatballs on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, and then transfer to a large Ziploc freezer bag. Freezing them on the baking sheet first prevents the meatballs from sticking together or falling apart. Add a few extra minutes to the total baking time if baking the meatballs directly from the freezer.
- To freeze cooked meatballs, bake as instructed in the recipe, cool to room temperature, and then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. When the meatballs are frozen, transfer to a Ziploc freezer bag. The meatballs will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
BBQ Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground “meatloaf mix” (a combination of ground beef, pork and veal)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ⅔ cup plain dry breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s brand
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 18 ounce bottle barbecue sauce (such as Stubbs or Sweet Baby Ray's, or sub with your favorite homemade bbq sauce)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, prepare the meatball mixture by using your hands or a fork to gently combine all of the ingredients except for the bbq sauce. If time allows, cover the bowl and chill for about 1 hour (this is optional, but will make the meatballs easier to shape).
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a scoop to shape the meat mixture into 1 ½-inch balls. Tip: rub your hands with a little bit of oil to prevent the meatballs from sticking. Arrange the meatballs in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the meatballs to a large skillet. Pour the barbecue sauce over top; stir gently to coat.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce it hot and bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition
BBQ Meatball Recipe Variations
- Double the Recipe. Using 1 lb. of meat yields about 22 meatballs. If you’d like to prepare a larger batch to feed a group or to save leftovers in the freezer for another meal, just double all of the ingredients.
- Use other Meats. I prefer the “meatloaf mix” because the blend of three different types of meat yields meatballs with so much flavor! That said, you can substitute with a 50/50 blend of ground beef and ground pork, or use all ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork. Just make sure that the meat totals 1 lb. and is about 85% lean. If using chicken or turkey, cook the meatballs to an internal temperature of 165°F instead of 160°F.
- Include ½ cup finely-minced or grated fresh onion for moisture and flavor in the meatballs.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or cayenne for spicy meatballs.
More Meatball Recipes to Try
Porcupine Meatballs
1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Dump and Bake Meatball Casserole
55 minutes mins
30-Minute Meatball Tortellini Soup
35 minutes mins
This recipe was originally published in November, 2021. It was updated in December, 2024.
These are so much better than the frozen ones from the store. I encourage you to make your own bbq sauce too for a dish completely homemade and uniquely you! Simple versatile recipe for entertaining as well as a family dinner. A keeper for sure!
Thank you, Ferrell! We’re so glad you enjoyed them.
The method was terrible. Didn’t explain which ingredients were for the meatballs and which were for the sauce.
lol did you even read the directions?