You seriously need to serve these BBQ Turkey Meatballs as soon as possible. They are a fantastic appetizer for your next cocktail party, or use them as an easy main dish for a weeknight meal. They are smoky and tangy, and definitely a satisfying comfort food.
I first made BBQ Turkey Meatballs shortly after perfecting my Homemade Barbecue Sauce. I simply wanted to try a new flavor of meatball. That experiment was definitely a win! Russ gave them a thumbs up, and the leftovers quickly disappeared.
More recently, I served BBQ Turkey Meatballs as one of our appetizers for a gathering of friends. Yep, you guessed it, they disappeared yet again. I predict that you and your friends will love them as much as we did.
PREPARE BBQ TURKEY MEATBALLS:
Rough chop the onion and pepper, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Peel the garlic cloves, and strip the rosemary. Add both to the food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet heating over medium heat. Scoop in the veggies and sauté about five minutes, just to soften them. Set aside.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the ground turkey to a large bowl. Add the BBQ sauce, bread crumbs, and sautéed veggies. (Make sure the veggies are cool enough to handle.) Using your hands, mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Roll the meat mixture into golf ball-sized portions, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes until internal temperature reads 165ºF with an instant read meat thermometer.
To serve, heat extra barbecue sauce, and toss the meatballs in the sauce, or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS FOR BBQ TURKEY MEATBALLS:
- Serve with toothpicks as an easy party appetizer.
- We love BBQ Turkey Meatballs as a main dish with mashed potatoes or roasted butternut squash. Add a side salad or some roasted or steamed veggies, and you have an easy weeknight dinner.
- Turn these meatballs into a meatball sub or sliders. Simply toast the buns, add the meatballs (cut in half for the sliders), drizzle on BBQ sauce and top with a smoky cheese.
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RECIPE NOTES:
- I like to make a double batch of BBQ Turkey Meatballs, then freeze to have an easy appetizer or weeknight dinner on hand.
- For a lower carb version, try using almond meal instead of the bread crumbs.
- I am definitely partial to my Homemade Barbecue Sauce for this recipe, but you can also substitute your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce.
- Gluten-free breadcrumbs are fairly easy to find. I like 4C Gluten Free Crumbs.
- I love my Lodge cast iron skillet. In fact, I own a number of them and use at least one almost daily.
- I always have a few instant read meat thermometers in the drawer for checking temperatures during cooking. They are inexpensive and easy to use.
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BBQ Turkey Meatballs
BBQ Turkey Meatballs are a fantastic appetizer for your next cocktail party, or use them as an easy main dish for a weeknight meal. They are smoky and tangy, and definitely a satisfying comfort food meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- ½ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup Homemade Barbecue Sauce, plus more for serving
- 1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
Instructions
- Rough chop the onion and pepper, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Peel the garlic cloves, and strip the rosemary. Add both to the food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet heating over medium heat. Scoop in the veggies and sauté about five minutes, just to soften them. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the ground turkey to a large bowl. Add the Homemade BBQ sauce, bread crumbs, and sautéed veggies. (Make sure the veggies are cool enough to handle.) Using your hands, mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Roll the meat mixture into golf ball-sized portions, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes until internal temperature reads 165ºF with an instant read meat thermometer.
- To serve, heat extra barbecue sauce, and toss the meatballs in the sauce, or serve the sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- I like to make a double batch of BBQ Turkey Meatballs, then freeze to have an easy appetizer or weeknight dinner on hand.
- For a lower carb version, try using almond meal instead of the bread crumbs.
- I am definitely partial to my Homemade Barbecue Sauce for this recipe, but you can also substitute your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce.
Recommended Products
Inspired Fresh Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. Thank you for supporting Inspired Fresh Life.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 4 meatballsAmount Per Serving Calories 267Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 111mgSodium 271mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 21g
Note: Nutritional information is an approximation. Different brands and/or quantities will change the nutrition profile. Nutritional information does not include extra sauce for dipping.
cathy
I really love these easy healthy recipes