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Home » Recipes » Appetizer Bites

BBQ Turkey Meatballs

Dated: December 28, 2020 Last Modified: March 20, 2025 This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Slow-Cooker-BBQ-Turkey-Meatballs

This gluten free BBQ Turkey Meatballs recipe is easy and healthy. It's baked in the oven and tossed in the slow cooker with barbecue sauce!

These Slow Cooker BBQ Turkey Meatballs are great because they're perfect to serve as a party appetizer or as an easy hearty weeknight dinner.

BBQ turkey meatballs garnished with thyme in blue bowl.

When it comes to flavor it's hard to beat those found in BBQ sauce. If you throw something in the crockpot with a rich and tangy BBQ sauce it's sure to come out irresistible.

I love these meatballs because they're full of savory spices and healthy because they're made with ground turkey and baked in the oven so you don't need to feel too guilty if you eat one (or two) many of them.

They can be served individually on toothpicks at a New Year's Eve party, on a bed of potatoes alongside some veggies for a hearty meal, or on top of a hoagie with melted cheese for a seriously delicious sandwich.

These Crockpot BBQ Turkey Meatballs are downright addicting.

Jump to:
  • How To Make BBQ Turkey Meatballs From Scratch
  • Ingredients For BBQ Turkey Meatballs
  • Should You Brown Meatballs First?
  • How Do I Know When Turkey Meatballs Are Done?
  • How To Make Tangy BBQ Sauce
  • What To Serve With BBQ Turkey Meatballs
  • How Long Do Meatballs Last In The Fridge?
  • Can These Meatballs Be Made Ahead Of Time?
  • Can They Be Frozen?
  • BBQ Turkey Meatballs
Ground turkey, eggs, breadcrumbs, and spices in mixing bowl.

How To Make BBQ Turkey Meatballs From Scratch

I love to use ground turkey when making meatballs because it picks up the flavors of whatever is added to it. These Crockpot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs, Spaghetti with Turkey Meatballs, and Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls are among my faves.

I recommend ground turkey that is 85% lean. A higher fat content creates meatballs that are tender, juicy, and flavorful. Using turkey that is any leaner will result in meatballs that are dry and fall apart.

The ground turkey is combined with a mixture of savory spices, Panko breadcrumbs, and eggs. The mixture is then formed into balls, baked in the oven, and tossed in a slow cooker with a tangy BBQ sauce.

Ingredients For BBQ Turkey Meatballs

Here's what you'll need to make them.

  • 2 ½ - 3 lbs. 85 % lean Ground Turkey
  • 2 Eggs
  • ¾ cup Gluten Free Panko Breadcrumbs (can use regular Panko breadcrumbs if not gluten free)
  • 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 2 tsp. Onion Powder
  • 2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
  • ¼ tsp. each Kosher Salt and Pepper
  • 1 cup BBQ Sauce (make sure brand is gluten free)
  • ½ cup Tomato Sauce
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp. Sriracha Hot Sauce
Uncooked turkey meatballs on metal baking sheet.

Should You Brown Meatballs First?

These meatballs are tossed in BBQ sauce and kept warm in a slow cooker but they must be cooked through beforehand. Uncooked or undercooked ground turkey is unsafe for consumption.

The great thing is that these meatballs are super easy to whip up and bake in the oven prior to warming in the slow cooker.

  1. To make the meatballs combine 2 ½ - 3 lbs. of 85% lean ground turkey in a large mixing bowl with 2 eggs, ¾ cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
  2. Mix all of these ingredients together with a large spoon or your hands. (Be careful not to over-mix or they may become tough). Make sure all of the spices are incorporated into the meat before forming it into balls.
  3. Scoop the meat mixture into balls using a medium-size ice cream scoop or large spoon (this will ensure that they are all equal in size). Use your hands to form the meat into balls and place them on a baking sheet.

You will likely need more than one baking sheet to bake the meatballs. This recipe yields 32-35 meatballs and may be baked all at once on multiple baking sheets or in batches with fewer baking sheets.

Baked turkey meatballs stacked in blue crockpot.

How Do I Know When Turkey Meatballs Are Done?

Once the meatballs are formed and placed on baking sheets it's time to bake them in the oven.

  1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes.
  3. Remove the baking sheets when finished. Place the cooked meatballs in a slow cooker. Repeat with the remainder of the meat mixture until all of the meatballs are cooked.

The best way to tell if meatballs are cooked through is to measure the internal temperature with a meat thermometer.

The safe internal temperature for ground turkey is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The meatballs should be firm (but not tough) to the touch and the outside golden brown in color.

Once the meatballs are all cooked feel free to pile them into your slow cooker. Turkey meatballs are a little delicate so if you're serving them at a party you may want to place them in there carefully.

BBQ sauce mixture in sauce pan with whisk.

How To Make Tangy BBQ Sauce

You simply cannot have BBQ Turkey Meatballs without some kind of rich and tangy BBQ sauce.

This BBQ sauce is super easy to make and can be thrown together as the meatballs are baking in the oven.

  1. To make it combine 1 cup BBQ sauce in a sauce pan along with ½ cup tomato sauce, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce.
  2. Heat the sauce to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes or so on the stove top, stirring often.
  3. Cook just until heated through and remove from heat.

It's important not to cook the sauce too long or at too high a heat or the sugars in the BBQ sauce may burn.

You can use any variety of BBQ sauce you like. You can choose a variety that is sweet, spicy, or traditional.

I love the Stubb's BBQ line of sauces because the flavors are amazing, they're gluten free and made with natural sweeteners instead of corn syrup, and they're made without ketchup (which I personally detest).

Love BBQ sauce? Check out these recipes!

  • BBQ Sweet Potatoes
  • Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
  • Smoky BBQ Chicken Pizza
  • BBQ Ground Chicken Sloppy Joes
  • Dutch Oven BBQ Chicken
BBQ turkey meatballs garnished with thyme in blue bowl.

What To Serve With BBQ Turkey Meatballs

  1. Once the sauce is finished pour it over the cooked meatballs that have been placed in the slow cooker. Make sure that all of the meatballs are coated in the sauce.
  2. Allow the meatballs to warm through completely with the sauce for an hour or two before serving. They can be warmed on the 'Low' or 'High' temperature setting. This will help the flavors develop even more.
  3. Once the meatballs and sauce are totally warmed set the temperature to 'Keep Warm' so they don't dry out or overcook.

Feel free to pour a little bit of chicken broth or water over the meatballs if you'd like to thin the sauce out a bit more.

These meatballs are great served as-is individually arranged on a plate with toothpicks or they may be transferred to a serving bowl and served with a spoon.

You can garnish them with fresh herbs like chives or thyme for a pop of color and freshness.

This recipe makes a great weeknight dinner served alongside a batch of mashed potatoes and a veggie like roasted green beans.

BBQ sauce is a classic summer flavor and would be perfect at a picnic with some potato salad, crunchy coleslaw, or Blue Cheese coleslaw.

You definitely can't beat a sub or hoagie piled high with BBQ meatballs, melted cheese, and a tangy garnish.

This is a great all-purpose recipe that can be enjoyed at all times of the year and in many different forms.

Looking for more appetizers? Don't miss these!

  • Smoked Salmon Appetizer Bites
  • Mushroom Gruyere Tartlets
  • Spanish Roasted Almonds
  • Maple Spiced Mixed Nuts
  • Gruyere Prosciutto Tartlets
  • Roasted Asparagus with Prosciutto
  • Prosciutto Feta Stuffed Dates
BBQ turkey meatballs with toothpicks on white serving platter.

How Long Do Meatballs Last In The Fridge?

These meatballs last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Make sure to allow them to cool completely before transferring to the refrigerator for storage.

Can These Meatballs Be Made Ahead Of Time?

Yes, these meatballs can be prepared the day ahead and stored in the refrigerator until needed.

  1. Prepare the meatballs and sauce as directed, allow both to cool completely, and then transfer to the refrigerator for storage (they can be stored separately or mixed together).
  2. The next day, place both the meatballs and sauce in the slow cooker and heat on either High or Low. Once warmed through, feel free to turn the slow cooker down to the 'Keep Warm' setting. If the sauce seems a little thick, it can be thinned out with a bit of chicken broth or water.

Can They Be Frozen?

Yes! These meatballs may be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer until use.

How To Freeze

  1. Prepare the meatballs as directed and allow to cool completely before transferring to the freezer for storage.
  2. Place the cooled meatballs in heavy-duty freezer storage bags, label with the date, and store up to 3 months in the freezer.

How To Thaw

  1. Transfer the frozen meatballs to the fridge 24 hours before use and allow them to thaw completely.
  2. Prepare the BBQ sauce at this time.
  3. Once thawed, transfer to a slow cooker and top with the BBQ sauce. Allow the meatballs to cook for 1-2 hours until completely heated through in the BBQ sauce.

Love slow cooker recipes? Don't Miss These:

  • Crockpot Buffalo Chicken
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Soup
  • Slow Cooker Barbacoa Tacos
  • Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
  • Crockpot Chicken Corn Soup

Looking For More Easy Appetizer Bites? Don't Miss These Recipes!

Cheddar Delicata Squash Fritters

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Cranberry Goat Cheese Crostini

Balsamic Blueberry Mascarpone Crostini

Slow cooker BBQ turkey meatballs in blue bowl.

BBQ Turkey Meatballs

Christine Rooney
This gluten free BBQ Turkey Meatballs recipe is easy and healthy. It's baked in the oven and tossed in the slow cooker with barbecue sauce!
4.91 from 20 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Warming Time: 2 hours hrs
Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 32
Calories 79 kcal

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2.5 - 3 lbs. ground turkey 85% lean
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs sub regular Panko breadcrumbs if not gluten free
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper

For The BBQ Sauce:

  • 1 cup gluten free BBQ sauce
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Combine 2 ½ - 3 lbs. of 85% lean ground turkey in a large mixing bowl with 2 eggs, ¾ cup gluten free Panko breadcrumbs, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. onion powder, 2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper.
  • Mix all of these ingredients together with a large spoon or your hands. (Be careful not to over-mix or they may become tough). Make sure all of the spices are incorporated into the meat before forming it into balls.
  • Scoop the meat mixture into balls using a medium-size ice cream scoop or large spoon (this will ensure that they are all equal in size). Use your hands to form the meat into balls and place them on a baking sheet.
  • Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove the baking sheets when finished. Repeat with the remainder of the meat mixture until all of the meatballs are cooked.
    The meatballs are fully cooked when the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees and can be tested with a meat thermometer.
  • Place the cooked meatballs in a slow cooker.

Make The BBQ Sauce:

  • Combine 1 cup BBQ sauce in a sauce pan along with ½ cup tomato sauce, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce.
  • Heat the sauce to medium low and cook for 5 minutes or so on the stove top, stirring often. Cook just until heated through and remove from heat.
  • Once the sauce is finished pour it over the cooked meatballs that have been placed in the slow cooker. Make sure that all of the meatballs are coated in the sauce.
  • Heat the meatballs in the sauce 1-2 hours before serving. The slow cooker may be set to 'Low' or 'High'. After an hour or two the slow cooker may be set to 'Keep Warm'.
  • To Serve: Serve individually or in a serving platter.

Notes

Use any variety of BBQ sauce you like. I love Stubb's BBQ line of BBQ sauces.
Feel free to add more Sriracha if you like spicier meatballs or leave it out altogether if you don't like any spice.
Chicken broth or water may be added to the BBQ meatballs if you'd like to thin out the sauce.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 30gramsCalories: 79kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 9gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 172mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 215IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg
Keyword ground turkey meatballs, gluten free meatballs, BBQ meatballs, crockpot meatballs
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Christine

My name is Christine Rooney. I live in rural Minnesota with my husband. I own and operate The Rustic Foodie and work as a freelance photographer and writer. I like my food to be like anything else in life - down to earth and full of flavor.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sharon

    January 05, 2021 at 6:56 am

    5 stars
    These slow cooker BBQ meatballs are the idea for parties. I really love the homemade BBQ sauce, it so good!

    Reply
    • Christine

      January 07, 2021 at 4:43 am

      Hi Sharon - Yes, the BBQ sauce totally makes it! Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. HEATHER PERINE

    January 05, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    5 stars
    Yup I can see how these would be downright addicting! Wow these look so good...and that I can keep them warm in the slow cooker!

    Reply
    • Christine

      January 07, 2021 at 4:44 am

      Hi Heather - Yes, the slow cooker makes the meatballs easy to transport. Perfect for parties! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Marta

    January 06, 2021 at 7:01 pm

    5 stars
    I'm always looking for recipes that don't need babysitting. This one looks like it will do the job and I'm looking forward to making it. Since it is also GF, that gives me the chance to share it with everyone! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Christine

      January 07, 2021 at 4:46 am

      Hi Marta - Yes, this is a great recipe to throw in the slow cooker and let it do the job! And your gluten free guests will definitely appreciate it!

      Reply
  4. Marisa F. Stewart

    January 09, 2021 at 3:54 pm

    5 stars
    We LOVE our meatballs and so do all of our kids. With the New Year we're all trying to cut down on some of the calories. So, I tried your turkey meatballs and then finished everything in the crockpot. They were a HUGE success. This was just a dry run. We'll be making them for bigger parties.

    Reply
  5. Leslie

    January 10, 2021 at 1:05 pm

    5 stars
    This is the perfect, easy dinner recipe! I love all the flavors . Best family-friendly recipe!

    Reply
  6. Loreto Nardelli

    January 10, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    You are so right about a BBQ sauce making things so much better. I love that you used turkey ground.Very healthy and very tasty. Perfect appetizer and or dinner idea. I xan see these with some steamed rice!
    Nice work!

    Reply
  7. Veronika Sykorova

    January 10, 2021 at 10:19 pm

    Yum! Love ground turkey meatballs! Love serving them as an appetizer as party food. So easy to make.

    Reply
  8. Andrea Howe

    January 10, 2021 at 10:51 pm

    5 stars
    These sound so great as an appetizer, but also as a filling for a yummy meatball sandwich. My family prefers BBQ sauce over marinara, so this will definitely be a hit with them. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Corinne

    November 01, 2022 at 9:07 am

    Can the recipe be halved? Also, can they be warmed on the stove?

    Reply
    • Christine

      November 01, 2022 at 4:45 pm

      Hi Corinne - Absolutely! The recipe can definitely be cut in half. Simply bake the meatballs as directed, prepare the sauce, place the meatballs in a pot on the stove top, toss them in the sauce and warm them on low heat. Once warmed, I would keep the heat on low, so that the sauce doesn't burn. Hope that helps!

      Reply
4.91 from 20 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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Thanks for stopping by! My name is Christine Rooney. I live in rural Minnesota with my husband. I own and operate The Rustic Foodie and work as a freelance photographer and writer. I like my food to be like anything else in life - down to earth and full of flavor.

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