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These Honey BBQ Meatballs are sticky, sweet, and just a little spicy, the kind of easy party appetizer that vanishes off the platter first. Tender homemade beef meatballs are baked in the oven, then tossed in a quick honey BBQ Sriracha sauce until glossy and glazed. No frying and no slow cooker required, just a sheet pan and about 30 minutes. I serve these BBQ meatballs with toothpicks at every game day and they never last. If you love an easy meatball appetizer, they are right up there with our meatball stuffed mushrooms.
Made with simple homemade beef meatballs baked in the oven and tossed in a honey BBQ Sriracha sauce, these honey BBQ meatballs are an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Honey BBQ Meatballs Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 12 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 27 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 36 meatballs
- ⚡ Calories: 45kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Sweet and sticky honey BBQ with a little Sriracha kick
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our cream cheese wonton cups
Quick Answer
To make honey BBQ meatballs, mix BBQ sauce, honey, and Sriracha in a bowl and microwave briefly to combine into a glaze. Combine ground beef with an egg, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, garlic, parsley, salt, and a spoonful of the honey BBQ sauce, then roll into about 36 small meatballs. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for around 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until browned and cooked through. Transfer the baked meatballs to a bowl, pour over the honey BBQ Sriracha sauce, and toss to coat. Serve these honey BBQ meatballs warm with toothpicks as an easy party appetizer.
Jump to:
- Honey BBQ Meatballs Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Honey BBQ Meatballs
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Honey BBQ Meatballs FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Appetizer Recipes
- Oven Honey BBQ Meatballs
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Baking is easy and hands-off. Baking these BBQ meatballs in the oven means no splattering skillet and no slow cooker, just a sheet pan and about 12 minutes.
- Homemade meatballs taste better. A simple beef mixture with onion, garlic, and parsley makes tender, flavorful meatballs far better than frozen.
- A three-ingredient glaze. BBQ sauce, honey, and Sriracha cook into a sticky-sweet, slightly spicy glaze that coats every meatball.
- Sauce in the meat and on top. A spoonful of honey BBQ sauce mixed into the meat plus a toss in the glaze layers the flavor through and through.
- Perfect party size. Rolling them small makes about 36 two-bite honey BBQ meatballs, ideal for toothpicks and sharing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are sticky, sweet, and a little spicy, the ultimate two-bite party appetizer.
- They bake in the oven in about 12 minutes with no frying and no slow cooker needed.
- They are a guaranteed game day crowd-pleaser, like our
Key Ingredients
Simple pantry ingredients make these easy, glazed party meatballs.
- Ground Beef: The base of the meatballs. An 80/20 blend keeps them juicy and tender.
- Egg and Breadcrumbs: They bind the meatballs and keep them moist as they bake.
- Onion, Garlic, and Parsley: Finely chopped aromatics that season the meatballs from the inside out.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite bottled BBQ sauce as the base of the sticky glaze.
- Honey: Sweetens the glaze and helps it turn glossy and sticky on the meatballs.
- Sriracha: Adds a little heat to balance the sweet honey BBQ glaze. Adjust to taste.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These honey BBQ meatballs are easy to customize.
- Make them in the slow cooker: Add the baked meatballs and sauce to a crock pot on low to keep them warm and glazed for a party.
- Use a different meat: Ground turkey, chicken, or pork all work in place of beef.
- Adjust the heat: Add more or less Sriracha, or leave it out for a kid-friendly honey BBQ version.
- Use frozen meatballs: In a pinch, toss baked frozen meatballs in the homemade honey BBQ sauce.
- Add a garnish: Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onion, or extra parsley before serving.
How to Make Honey BBQ Meatballs
- Mix the BBQ sauce, honey, and Sriracha in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring, until combined. Set the glaze aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, and a tablespoon of the honey BBQ sauce.
- Mix with your hands until everything is fully and evenly incorporated.
- Roll the mixture into about 36 small meatballs and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, flipping at the halfway point, until browned and cooked through.
- Transfer the meatballs to a large bowl, pour the honey BBQ sauce over the top, and gently toss to coat. Serve warm.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not overmix the meat, or the meatballs turn dense. Mix just until combined.
- Roll them evenly so all the meatballs bake at the same rate.
- Use a cookie scoop for fast, uniform meatballs.
- Flip halfway through baking so the meatballs brown evenly on all sides.
- Warm the glaze so it tosses smoothly and coats every meatball.
- Keep them warm in a slow cooker on low if serving at a party.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve these honey BBQ meatballs warm with toothpicks straight from the bowl, with extra sauce for dipping and a sprinkle of parsley or sesame seeds on top. They are the perfect game day and party appetizer.
Set them out on an appetizer spread with our Silly Girls Kitchen Homepage 2024
baked-cream-cheese-wonton-cups/”>cream cheese wonton cups and Silly Girls Kitchen Homepage 2024
cheddar-bacon-ranch-stuffed-celery-sticks/”>stuffed celery sticks.
You can also serve these BBQ meatballs over rice or mashed potatoes for an easy dinner, or pile them on slider buns. For more meatballs, try our Silly Girls Kitchen Homepage 2024
the-best-spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe/”>spaghetti and meatballs.
Honey BBQ Meatballs FAQs
Yes. Bake the meatballs as directed, then add them with the honey BBQ sauce to a slow cooker on low. This keeps them warm and glazed for serving at a party, though the baking gives the best browning.
Absolutely. Bake the meatballs up to two days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat them in the sauce on the stovetop or in a slow cooker until warmed through and glazed before serving.
Yes. For a shortcut, bake or heat your favorite frozen meatballs, then toss them in the homemade honey BBQ Sriracha sauce. You will get the same sticky, sweet glaze with less work.
With one tablespoon of Sriracha, they have a mild, balanced kick. Add more for extra heat, or leave it out entirely for a sweet, kid-friendly honey BBQ flavor.
Store cooled honey BBQ meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of extra sauce if needed.
Yes. Freeze the baked meatballs, with or without sauce, for up to three months. Thaw and reheat in the honey BBQ sauce until hot and glazed.
Love an easy meatball appetizer? Try our meatball stuffed mushrooms next.
Need an easy party app? Our Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies always disappear first.
Add our BBQ Smoked Chicken Thighs to your next backyard spread.
Oven Honey BBQ Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon prepared honey BBQ sauce
For the honey BBQ sauce:
- 1 cup of BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly grease it to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
- To make the sauce, mix the BBQ sauce, honey, and Sriracha sauce in a microwave-safe bowl.1 cup of BBQ sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, minced garlic, parsley, salt, and 1 tablespoon prepared honey BBQ sauce.1 pound ground beef, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup finely chopped onion, 1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon prepared honey BBQ sauce
- Mix well with your hands until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Form small meatballs (36 pieces) with the meat mixture and place them on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for approximately 12 minutes. At the 6-minute mark, flip them over to ensure they brown evenly on all sides.
- Once the meatballs are cooked and golden brown, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Pour the BBQ Honey Sriracha sauce over the meatballs and gently toss to coat them evenly with the sauce.
- Serve the meatballs on individual plates or on a large platter for sharing, and enjoy them as an appetizer alongside your favorite accompaniments.
Notes
- Uniform Meatballs: Use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to ensure all meatballs are the same size for even cooking.
- Don’t Overmix: Mix the meatball mixture gently to avoid tough meatballs.
- Adjust the Heat: Feel free to add more or less Sriracha sauce to suit your spice preference.
- Test a Meatball: Cook a small piece of the mixture in a pan to taste and adjust seasoning before forming all the meatballs.
- Line Your Baking Sheet: Use parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Double the Sauce: If you’re a sauce lover like me, make extra for dipping or drizzling over rice or noodles.
Nutrition
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