BBQ Turkey Meatballs Recipe: Delicious Dinner or Appetizer
Meatballs can be a great way to get your barbecue fix without the grill. BBQ Turkey Meatballs are even easy enough to prepare for a weeknight dinner!
What makes these BBQ meatballs so easy is that they’re baked in the oven. Just combine ground turkey with a handful of simple ingredients, portion, shape, and bake.
Of course, they are delicious too! If your family enjoys the flavor of BBQ, they’ll love this easy meatball dish!
These meatballs are also highly versatile. If you’re looking for the perfect party appetizer, just make them half the size.
BBQ Turkey Meatballs Ingredients and Substitutions
It’s highly likely that you already have everything you need for this BBQ turkey meatball recipe in your pantry or fridge.
BBQ Sauce
Use your favorite BBQ sauce. This is not the time to try a new sauce. Go with a brand you trust and like. You can make homemade BBQ sauce, of course, but if your goal is an easy weeknight meal, there are lots of good sauce choices at the grocery store.
BreadCrumbs
For this recipe, I prefer plain breadcrumbs to Italian seasoned. I feel the Italian seasoning takes away from the BBQ flavors. It may not bother you, but to be on the safe side, I really recommend plain breadcrumbs here.
Onion
Pureeing the onion will make the meatballs super moist. In fact, this step is my secret to moist meatloaf and super yummy Urfa kebabs. If you don’t have a food processor, mince the onions really fine or grate them.
Stick with yellow or white onion; red onion can appear gray when cooked.
Garlic
If you don’t feel like mincing the garlic, throw it in the food processor with the onion.
Lean Ground Turkey
I actually prefer ground turkey to ground beef meatballs these days. But if you want to use beef instead of turkey, go for it. The rest of the recipe remains the same.
BBQ Turkey Meatballs Recipe
Makes 18 meatballs
Ingredients
4 large eggs
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
⅔ cup BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
½ cup breadcrumbs
½ cup minced or pureed yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 pounds lean ground turkey
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together until well beaten.
3. Add the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the BBQ sauce (retain the remaining barbecue sauce for later), chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to the large bowl. Whisk thoroughly to evenly distribute the spices.
4. Add breadcrumbs, onion, and garlic to the bowl. Mix together with a silicon spatula until the ingredients are evenly combined.
5. Fold in the ground turkey. Use your hands or a spatula to mix until combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the meatballs tough.
6. Scoop out portions of the meat mixture and place them on the baking sheet. For appetizer meatballs, use about 2 tablespoons for each; for main course or dinner meatballs, use about ¼ cup per meatball.
7. Roll the portioned meat into evenly sized meatballs, and place them back on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each meatball.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes, then remove from oven. Brush the meatballs with the remaining BBQ sauce then return them to the oven.
9. Cook an additional 5 to 7 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 165°.
10. Place meatballs on a platter and serve hot.
Serving BBQ Turkey Meatballs
This healthy comfort food makes a tasty lunch, dinner, snack, or easy appetizer.
Serve with . . .
Sides that go great with our BBQ ribs also pair well with these BBQ meatballs. Green beans are a traditional side in Tennessee, and coleslaw is a definite favorite in North Carolina. Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes are a beloved side in pretty much every American BBQ state.
Most any salad, from a simple mixed greens to cilantro-lime corn to kale and quinoa salad, is also a good idea. Really, it’s hard to go wrong with a side dish here.
Appetizer Meatballs
If your meatballs are a party appetizer, you can keep them warm in a chafing dish or crock pot. Add extra BBQ sauce, keep the heat low, and give a gentle stir every now and then.
Garnish
If you want a little extra color on your BBQ meatballs, try chopped or sliced green onions, cilantro leaves, or a sprinkle of chopped red cabbage.
Make Ahead
You can make the meat mixture ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator (as long as the meat is before the expiration date).
You can also fully cook the meatballs, cool them, and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for at least a month if needed.
