Easy Barbecue Meatballs Recipe (With Homemade BBQ Sauce!)

This easy recipe for classic barbecue beef meatballs makes sixteen small meatballs, smothered in a simple homemade barbecue sauce.

Barbecue Meatballs – An Easy, Homemade Classic 

This is it. 

Mennonite comfort food at its finest: mashed potatoes and simple BBQ ground beef meatballs made from scratch.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is the texture of these meatballs. There are no crunchy “things” (aka oatmeal or onion pieces) hiding inside. I know, I usually don’t mind a little bit of texture, just not in meatballs! 

Also, this recipe is easy to make, even for beginners! And, there’s a good chance you have all of these simple ingredients in your pantry or freezer already, so no last-minute grocery store runs.

So, let’s get started on dinner for today! This BBQ meatballs recipe is going to be my main dish, then I will make Ranch Potatoes and simple cooked peas for sides. Let’s go!

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Here’s the list of meatball ingredients (+ Substitutions!):

• Ground beef – the key ingredient. To be honest, I don’t even know what the lean/fat ratio is on the ground beef we have in the freezer right now, so use your favorite ground beef, whatever that may be. Substitute with ground pork, ground turkey, or even ground venison, but just know, the flavor is almost certainly going to be different.
  
• Cracker crumbs – crushed Ritz crackers work great. Or, you can use Panko bread crumbs or even homemade bread crumbs instead.
  
• Egg – a large egg.
  
• Milk – whole milk is usually what I use.
  
• Salt + pepper
  
• Onion powder + garlic powder – if you want, you can use a couple cloves of minced garlic and half an onion, diced, instead. I don’t recommend though; I like the smooth texture!

Ingredients for the sweet homemade BBQ sauce:

• Ketchup – your favorite kind of ketchup
  
• Brown sugar – light or dark
  
• Lemon juice – adds a little bit of a tangy flavor to the delicious sauce. Apple cider vinegar or plain vinegar is ok, too.
  
• Mustard – classic yellow mustard
  
• Worcestershire sauce – adds a little extra flavor but it is optional.
  
• Garlic powder

⬇️Find the full recipe on a handy printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!⬇️ 

Supplies we used

• Mixing bowls – one large bowl for the meat mixture and one small bowl for the barbecue sauce mixture.
  
• Measuring cups and spoons
  
• A spatula or two + a whisk
  
• Cookie scoop – we used a 2 tbsp. cookie scoop to make neat little (approximately 1 ounce) meatballs.
  
• Baking dish – an 8×8 or a 9×9 square dish works great, but any baking dish should get the job done.

How to make our Easy Barbecue Meatballs Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, onion powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then add the thawed ground beef and cracker crumbs and use an electric mixture (or your hands) to mix the meatball mixture, just until it’s mixed together.

Grease a pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter. Use a cookie scoop or your hands to shape the meat mixture into 16 meatballs and place them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.

In a separate small mixing bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour over top of the raw meatballs. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatballs is at least 165° when tested with a meat thermometer.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve! Enjoy.💛

How to store Barbecue Meatballs

Place the leftover meatballs in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Can I freeze the meatballs? 

Yes, there are two ways to do this: raw or cooked.

To freeze raw meatballs: place the uncooked meatballs (not touching each other) on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then freeze. Once they’re completely frozen, transfer to an airtight container, and use within 3 months. Thaw the meatballs completely and add the sauce just before baking.

To freeze cooked meatballs: after they’re baked, freeze them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw and re-heat in the oven or microwave.

What shall I serve with Barbecue Meatballs?

In the Mennonite culture, we’ll often pair homemade BBQ meatballs with a potato side dish such as Mashed Potatoes with Brown Butter, Cheesy Potatoes, Ranch Potatoes, or Oven Roasted Parmesan Potatoes. Then we’ll also add a vegetable to the meal like Sweet and Sour Green Beans. A classic garden side salad with homemade Ranch dressing or Corn Chip Salad is delicious with this meal, too!

Tips, Tricks + Notes

🌿I don’t have any parsley on hand currently, but fresh parsley makes a pretty garnish on top of these flavorful barbecue meatballs. 

🌶️Add a little kick to the barbecue sauce by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper.

🔥Add a smoky flavor to the barbecue sauce with a drop or two of liquid smoke.

🥘When you get the meatballs out of the oven, chances are, there will be some juice/grease in the pan, too. I like to take tongs pr a spoon and transfer the meatballs to a serving dish, then discard the juices!

🍽️Make a big batch of meatballs, then store them in the fridge for a couple days or in the freezer for a month or two until some busy day when you’re needing a quick meal!

⏱️Take a shortcut to save time by using store-bought barbecue sauce instead of homemade. I really don’t recommend this, though! 

Share this BBQ Meatball recipe!

As always…

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’til next time,

We love you and we’ll be praying for you,

Julie