BBQ Meatballs Recipe

Chances are, if it's a weekday, you're always looking for a quick and easy meal. It's hard to muster up the motivation to cook up an elaborate dish after working all day, and it's totally fine to take the easy route! That's exactly where this BBQ meatballs recipe comes in. Recipe developer and food photographer Petar Marshall is here to share one of his favorite weeknight dinners that's ready in no time. "These BBQ meatballs are truly jam-packed with flavor thanks to the addition of garlic, onion, barbecue sauce, and more," he says. "You can form them in minutes, pop them in the oven, and dinner will be on the table." 

These meatballs feature barbecue sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce mixed directly into the meatball mixture. They're the brushed with additional sauce before serving for great moisture and flavor. Prep and bake them in just 40 minutes for a simple, fast main dish that can be paired with everything from rice and potatoes to roasted veggies. 

Ready to get started? To dive in on making these BBQ meatballs, grab your ingredients first. For this recipe, you'll need 2 pounds of ground beef, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, two eggs, five cloves of garlic, one yellow onion, shredded Parmesan cheese, barbecue sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic salt, pepper, and fresh chives for garnish. "I love to use Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce for this recipe because of the tangy flavor it has," says Marshall. "But feel free to utilize any favorite of your own." 

First up, preheat your oven to 350 F. Then, in a large bowl, add in all of the meatball ingredients. Mix together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, onion, parmesan cheese, 3/4 cup barbecue sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Season the mixture with garlic salt and pepper as well. Use a large wooden spoon or your hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients together. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray. "You can also use a baking dish for this step," says Marshall. Using your hands, form the prepared meat mixture into large balls. Place each meatball on the prepared pan. Once the pan is full, place it in the oven to bake the meatballs for 30 minutes. 

Once the meatballs have baked, remove them from the oven. Use the remaining barbecue to generously brush the meatballs while they're still warm. Sprinkle the meatballs with minced chives and additional shredded Parmesan for garnish, if desired. "I love to serve these with toast for a simple lunch or dinner," says Marshall. Other options? Serve these BBQ meatballs with rice or mashed potatoes for a hearty meal.