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Meatball Appetizer bites are my secret weapon for parties: three simple ingredients, almost no effort, and they vanish off the platter before anything else. If you love an easy sweet-and-salty bite like our bacon wrapped dates, these BBQ bacon wrapped meatballs are about to be your new go-to.
Tender meatballs get wrapped in smoky bacon and glazed with BBQ sauce for the ultimate sweet, savory, crowd-pleasing bite.
Meatball Appetizer Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 45 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 390kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Smoky, sweet, savory
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a 3-ingredient party app like our bacon wrapped dates
Quick Answer
Wrap each precooked meatball in a half slice of bacon and secure it with a toothpick. Arrange on a sheet tray and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. Brush each one with BBQ sauce, bake 5 minutes more until the bacon is crispy and the glaze is sticky, then garnish with sliced scallions.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Precooked meatballs make it fast. Starting with frozen or precooked meatballs means there is no mixing or shaping, just wrap and bake.
- Bacon does double duty. As it bakes, the bacon crisps up and bastes the meatball, adding smoky flavor and a salty crunch.
- BBQ sauce at the end caramelizes. Brushing the sauce on for the last 5 minutes lets it get sticky and glossy without burning.
- Toothpicks make them party-ready. Each bite comes with its own handle, so they are perfect for passing around.
- Just three ingredients. Meatballs, bacon, and BBQ sauce are all you need for a big-flavor appetizer everyone loves.
- Endlessly adaptable. You can swap the sauce, change the meatball flavor, or add a candied brown sugar coating, so the same easy method works for any party theme.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are the ultimate sweet, smoky, salty bite and they always disappear first at a party.
- With just three main ingredients and a sheet tray, they could not be easier to throw together.
- They are a perfect game day or holiday app right alongside our bacon wrapped dates.
Key Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients for this easy meatball appetizer. Here is what each one brings.
- Meatballs: Use your favorite precooked or frozen meatballs. Cocktail-sized work best for one-bite appetizers.
- Bacon: Regular-cut bacon, sliced in half, wraps perfectly around each meatball and crisps as it bakes.
- BBQ sauce: Brushed on at the end for a sweet, sticky, caramelized glaze. Use your favorite variety.
- Scallions: An optional sprinkle of sliced scallions adds color and a fresh, mild bite.
- Toothpicks: Not an ingredient, but essential for holding the bacon in place and serving.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This meatball appetizer is easy to customize for any crowd. Here are a few favorites.
- Sweet and spicy: Use a spicy BBQ sauce or add a drizzle of hot honey.
- Brown sugar glaze: Sprinkle the bacon with brown sugar before baking for a candied finish.
- Switch the sauce: Try teriyaki, sweet chili, or honey garlic in place of the BBQ.
- Make them in the air fryer: Air fry at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until the bacon is crispy.
- Build a spread: Serve them with other easy bites like our bacon wrapped dates.
How to Make Meatball Appetizer
- Wrap each meatball in a half slice of bacon and secure it with a wooden toothpick.
- Arrange the wrapped meatballs on a sheet tray and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.
- Brush each one with BBQ sauce, bake 5 minutes more until the bacon is crispy and the glaze is sticky, then garnish with scallions.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use regular-cut bacon, not thick-cut, so it crisps up in the same time the meatballs heat through.
- Do not skip the toothpicks. They hold the bacon tight and double as serving picks.
- Line your tray with foil or parchment for the easiest cleanup, since the bacon fat and BBQ sauce can stick.
- Brush the sauce on at the end so it caramelizes instead of burning.
- Broil for the last minute if you want extra crispy bacon, watching closely so it does not burn.
- Serve them warm for the best texture and the stickiest glaze.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This meatball appetizer is made to be passed around at parties. Pile the bites onto a platter, add a sprinkle of scallions, and watch them disappear.
They are right at home on a game day spread, a holiday appetizer table, or a potluck next to other finger foods and dips.
For a bigger spread, serve them alongside our bacon wrapped dates and a few easy dips so guests have plenty to graze on.
Keep them warm in a slow cooker on the low setting if you are serving a crowd, and set out extra BBQ sauce for dipping.
They also make a fun addition to a build-your-own appetizer board with crackers, cheese, pickles, and a couple of dips, so guests can graze while the main meal finishes cooking. Because they reheat so well, they are a smart make-ahead choice for busy holiday hosting.
Meatball Appetizer FAQs
Yes. Wrap the meatballs in bacon up to a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake and glaze right before serving for the crispiest bacon.
Cocktail-sized precooked or frozen meatballs are ideal because they are perfect for one bite. Any flavor works, from classic beef to teriyaki.
Absolutely. Air fry the bacon wrapped meatballs at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until the bacon is crispy, then brush with BBQ sauce for the last couple minutes.
Transfer the baked meatballs to a slow cooker set to warm or low. Set out extra BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.
Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 10 minutes to re-crisp the bacon, since the microwave will leave the bacon soft. They also freeze well for up to 2 months.
Use thinner regular-cut bacon and give the meatballs a minute or two under the broiler at the end to crisp the bacon without overcooking.
Hosting a crowd? Add our bacon wrapped dates to the menu for another easy, sweet-and-salty bite.
Meatball Appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 package Aidells® Meatballs in Teriyaki & Pineapple flavor
- 8 slices Hickory Smoked Wright® Brand Bacon cut in half
- 1/4 cup BBQ Sauce
- 2 scallions thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap each meatball in a half piece of bacon, secure with a toothpick. Place on a sheet tray. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Lightly brush each piece with bbq sauce. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Garnish with scallions, optional.
Nutrition
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