BBQ Turkey Meatballs
This page contains affiliate links. For more information please read my Disclosure Policy.
BBQ Turkey Meatballs are a family friendly, 30-minute, stovetop recipe that kids love for dinner. A quick mix of ground turkey, spices, and pantry staples form tender meatballs that are seared, cooked, and glazed in one pan. Serve with rice, veggies, or your family’s favorite sides and dinner is quick, easy, and delicious.
For whatever reason, my kids are going through a ground meat phase. It’s regularly featured on our meal plan, from veggie turkey burgers and chicken parmesan patties to ground beef spaghetti sauce and bacon jam burgers. Even though I love a good burger, sometimes we need something different.
BBQ turkey meatballs were a happy experiment. I whipped up a quick ground turkey mixture and tossed them in the pan with barbeque sauce. And wouldn’t you know it, I’ve been making them every single week since. They’re a kid favorite! At this point, I’ve perfected the mixture to create tender, delicious meatballs every time. Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, sauteed green beans, or garlic roasted broccoli, and dinner is served.
Recipe Highlights
- From start to finish, this recipe takes 30 minutes.
- It’s cooked entirely in one pan on the stovetop.
- You can use homemade or store-bought barbeque sauce to change up the flavors.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This is a very simple, family-friendly recipe that works with basic pantry staples and can be flexible if you’re missing one or two. Turkey meatballs in barbeque sauce are truly a linchpin recipe for busy families who like a good homemade meal from scratch.
- Ground turkey – lean ground turkey is best, extra lean can also be used, but less fat can lead to drier meatballs. Ground chicken and pork make good alternatives.
- Breadcrumbs – Use plain homemade breadcrumbs or an unseasoned store-bought option. If needed, swap in crushed saltines or butter crackers (Ritz).
- Egg – This is a binding agent. If you don’t have it, use 1.5 tablespoons of mayonnaise or greek yogurt.
- Spices – The base flavors are garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, ground mustard, and salt. They reinforce flavors that will be found in most BBQ sauces.
- Oil – The meatballs are seared in oil first. Olive, canola, vegetable, or grapeseed are all fine.
- BBQ sauce – Use your favorite homemade BBQ sauce or a store-bought sauce your family enjoys. I recommend a sweeter option.
- Water – Water is essential for the last few moments of cooking to prevent the sauce from burning. Vegetable or chicken stock are also great options.
Variations: There are simple ways to change the flavors of your meatballs. Swap my recommended spices for chili powder, cumin, and oregano for a Mexican flavor profile, Chinese five spice for Asian flavors, or add herbs to enhance freshness. Swap the flavor of your BBQ sauce to pair with your chosen spices.
Want to sneak in some extra health? Finely shred a carrot or zucchini into the meatball mixture like I do for my Veggie Turkey Burgers. The kids will never know!
Step by Step Instructions
Meatballs are easy! Get ready to get your hands a little dirty, or have a cookie scoop and spatula ready to do the mixing and shaping. A hot pan ready to go is also essential.
Step 1 – Combine Meatball Ingredients and Mix
In a large bowl, combine all the spices, salt, breadcrumbs, egg, and ground turkey. With hands or a spoon, gently mix and work the spices and egg throughout the mix. Once it’s all uniformly mixed, set it aside and heat your pan.
Step 2 – Shape and Cook Meatballs
Add the oil to the hot pan and using your hands or a medium cookie scoop, roll and place meatballs into the pan as well. Once all the meatballs are in the pan, start to gently shake and move the pan to encourage the meatballs to roll around. This helps keep the round shape.
Once the meatballs are golden brown, add in the BBQ sauce and water. Let them simmer, stirring to coat the meatballs as the sauce thickens. When the meatballs are cooked to 165°F internally, and the sauce is thickened to coat and glaze them, they’re ready to serve.
FAQs
Yes! I make and freeze extra meatballs all the time. Feel free to double or even triple the meatball mixture. Then, portion the meatballs onto a freezer-safe sheet pan. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to cook, place frozen meatballs directly into the preheated pan and follow the recipe cooking instructions, adding an extra 5+ minutes.
We eat these for dinner and often serve them with rice or potatoes and some vegetables or side salad. Vary up the sides seasonally, and these meatballs can fill out the meal all year long. You can also serve these as appetizers or make a BBQ meatball sub sandwich!
Place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Microwave them or reheat them in a pan on the stove. If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon each of water and BBQ sauce to refresh them.
I hope you enjoy these BBQ turkey meatballs as much as my family. They’ve been such a hit with the kids and they’re so easy to make in bulk so I can prep ahead, that they’re a staple dinner for a long time to come in our house. Enjoy!
Check out these other 30 minute family meals you can make from scratch!
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5 star rating in the recipe card below, or a comment to share your experience with fellow home cooks. I hope you enjoy and as always, Happy Eating!
BBQ Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup barbeque sauce
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Combine the ground turkey, salt, all the spices, egg, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl.
- Mix to combine until all the egg, breadcrumbs, and spices are evenly distributed through the meat. Be gentle, over working can make them tough.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the oil once hot.
- Shape meatballs by hand or with a medium cookie scoop and place them in the hot pan. This recipe usually yields 12-16 meatballs, depending on size.
- Let the meatballs sear in the oil, shaking the pan occasionally to move the meatballs and keep more of the round shape.
- Once meatballs are browned on at least 2 sides (About 6-7 minutes), add in the water and barbeque sauce and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir to combine the water and sauce.
- Simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and glazed the meatballs and the meatballs are cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F.
Notes
Nutrition
If you made this, please tag me on Instagram or Facebook and share the foodie love with fellow home cooks. Thanks for visiting!
Nutrition information and cooking times are provided as a best estimate. Values may vary based upon ingredients and equipment.
