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    Pinch Me Good! » Slow Cooker » Easy Crockpot BBQ Meatballs – Gluten Free

    Easy Crockpot BBQ Meatballs – Gluten Free

    September 4, 2021 by Amy Estes 4 Comments

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    These Crockpot BBQ Meatballs make an amazing easy appetizer that doubles as a fun and delicious family-style dinner served over pasta or cauliflower rice. They are made from scratch with ground turkey and your favorite BBQ sauce and simmered in the crockpot for maximum flavor.

    Crockpot BBQ Meatballs with toothpicks in the top of each meatballs on a round white plate with a striped towel and more bbq sauce behind it.

    Crockpot BBQ Meatballs are my family’s latest obsession. Actually, they have been a staple recipe in our family for years. You know, the grape jelly meatballs where you cook frozen store-bought meatballs with BBQ sauce or Chili Sauce and grape jelly in the slow cooker?

    It really is a delicious and easy recipe but have you ever read the ingredients in those frozen meatballs? I’m not even sure what some of the ingredients even are nor can I pronounce them.

    So I decided to create a healthier version of those crockpot meatballs everyone is loving so much. Full disclosure this bbq meatballs recipe takes a little bit more time but it is totally worth it! This recipe is perfect for a last-minute party or just for having the kid’s friends over. You can whip it up in no time and it only requires a few ingredients.

    You can check out all of my Healthy Meatball Recipes here.

    Round white plate with bbq meatballs with toothpicks stuck in them spread onto the plate with a striped towel and jar of bbq sauce behind it.

    The best part is that this recipe doubles as an easy weeknight meal you can serve with pasta and some veggies.

    The balance of flavors is amazing and the meatballs come out so tender and juicy. Slow-cook them in your favorite BBQ sauce and it is just heavenly.

    I did not include any grape jelly in my recipe to keep this version lower in sugar but you can certainly add that in if you would like. See more recipe variations below.

    Meatballs are always a hit!

    For some reason, meatballs are always popular and seem to be the first thing to go at any party or get-together. In fact, some of the most popular recipes on PMG are my meatball recipes! YUP! Turkey Zucchini Meatballs, Greek Meatballs, Eggplant Meatballs, Healthy Turkey Meatballs, Ground Chicken Meatballs….so many great meatball recipes! Popular for good reason. They are all easy to make, store and reheat great, and you can make a bunch ahead of time and freeze them!

    In this recipe we are simmering the baked meatballs in zesty BBQ sauce that really takes them to a new level of deliciousness! Plus, you can make them gluten free or even low-carb if you prefer to.

    Round white bowl with raw ground turkey in it with a smaller white bowl with breadcrumbs, jar of bbq sauce, bowl of spices, egg, onion and bowls of oil and mustard in front of it.

    Ingredients you will need

    • Ground turkey – I recommend 93/7 ground turkey for the best flavor.
    • Breadcrumbs – any breadcrumbs will work. You can use gluten free breadcrumbs, oats, or even cooked cauliflower rice or quinoa.
    • Egg – one large egg to help hold everything together.
    • Dijon mustard
    • Shallot – you could also use yellow or white onion or purple onion.
    • Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil
    • Seasoning – garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsely, salt and pepper.
    • BBQ sauce – use your favorite BBQ sauce. Store-bought or homemade is fine. I used Primal Kitchen, because that is my favorite. Note: this is not a sponored post, I just really like Primal Kitchen BBQ sauce.

    Variations and substitutions

    • If you need to keep these low carb then swap the gluten free breadcrumbs with a mix of blanched almond flour and shredded parmesan cheese or even blended cashews or walnuts. Or even use riced cauliflower, cooked quinoa, or cooked brown rice.
    • I added the egg as a binder but if you need to keep this recipe egg-free then you can sub the egg with one of these substitutes: ½ cup shredded zucchini, 2 tablespoon buttermilk, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt or ricotta cheese or even 3 tablespoons unsweetened Applesauce. Now this change will slightly alter the flavor of these meatballs but they will still turn out A-MAZING!
    • To make this recipe a little sweeter you can add about 1 cup of grape jelly or apricot preserves at the same time as when you add the BBQ sauce.
    • Add a little spice to this recipe by using chili sauce in place of BBQ sauce. Now if you do this then the grape jelly or apricot preserves would be a good idea to balance out the flavors nicely.

    How to make Crockpot BBQ Meatballs

    This recipe only requires two steps and is a very simple recipe that yields incredible, healthy turkey meatballs.

    Round glass bowl with raw ground turkey, a cracked egg, breadcrumbs, mustard and diced shallots in it.
    Add meatball ingredients to a bowl
    A glass mixing bowl with raw mixed meatballs mixture in it with a wooden spoon sticking out of it.
    Mix
    Uncooked rolled turkey meatballs on a foil lined pan
    Roll into balls
    Cooked turkey meatballs on a foil lined pan
    Bake
    Cooked meatballs in BBQ sauce in a crock pot with a wooden spoon in the pot
    Add to crockpot with BBQ sauce
    Simmered meatballs in bbq sauce in a pot with a wooden spoon storing the meatballs in the pot
    Cook for 2-3 hours
    1. Mix and form. Add all meatball ingredients to a medium size mixing bowl. Mix well to combine into a meatball mixture. Use your hands to roll the meatballs into 1 tablespoon size balls and place them about 1 inch apart on a foil-lined (for easy clean up) baking sheet.
    2. Cook. Cook the meatballs in a 400-degree F oven for 12-15 minutes. Then remove them and let them cool for a few minutes. Add the meatballs to the bottom of a crockpot or slow cooker. Pour the BBQ sauce over the meatballs and lightly toss them in the sauce. Secure the lid and set the slow cooker to low and cook for 2-3 hours.  You can also cook them on high for 1 hour.
    3. Serve. Once the meatballs are done cooking, toss them in the sauce a little more to get them all nice and coated, and transfer them to a serving platter or plate and top with dried parsley for garnish. Serve hot with extra BBQ sauce for dipping on the side.

    Recipe Tips for making BBQ Meatballs in the crockpot

    • Don’t over mix. Make sure not to over mix the meat mixture. You want to mix it just until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
    • Roll the meatballs into even size balls. This is important because you want them all to cook at the same time. I used a round tablespoon to measure each of the meatballs and this recipe yielded exactly 20 meatballs that were 1 tablespoon each. You can also use a small cookie scoop as well.
    • Use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of the meatballs. These turkey meatballs should be cooked to 160 degrees F (they will continue to cook after you remove them from the oven, up to 165 degrees F (i.e carryover cooking time). I always use a meat thermometer to ensure they are properly cooked. It should take roughly 12-15 minutes for them to cook.
    • Line the pan with foil for easy cleanup. I like to line my baking sheet with foil for quick and easy clean up after the meatballs are cooked. You can also line the pan with parchment paper. I also like to spray the foil lightly with cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
    Round plate with white rice, mixed veggies and bbq meatballs on top of it with a fork cutting through one of the meatballs with a striped black and white towel and jar of bbq sauce behind it.

    Serving suggestions

    These Crockpot BBQ Meatballs make a wonderful fun appetizer for any gathering. I like to put toothpicks in each one and serve them with a side of BBQ sauce for extra dipping. Here are some other fun ways to serve these meatballs.

    • Serve them over some rice with some mixed veggies as shown above. A family favorite in our house!
    • Enjoy them on top of some Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
    • Have them alongside some Oven Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Asparagus.
    • Serve them with some Healthy Potato Salad.

    What BBQ Sauce is best in this meatball recipe?

    I tried a few different BBQ sauces and the best ones were Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce and STUBBS BBQ Sauce. This is not a sponsored post, they really were the best ones due to the taste, the fact that they both used a short list of great ingredients, and were both gluten free.

    I also tried Sweet Baby Ray’s Gourmet Sauces, Jack Daniels BBQ sauce (some are gluten-free), and Bone Suckin’ Sauce. I recommend using the one that fits your taste and dietary need but these were all pretty decent in my opinion.

    Textured plate filled with white rice, peas and carrots topped with sauce meatballs with a silver spoon on the plate.

    Storing, freezing, and reheating these meatballs

    • Storing: these crockpot bbq meatballs store great in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
    • Freezing: You can freeze these meatballs after you have baked them before you cook them in the bbq sauce. Place the baked meatballs onto a lined baking sheet and flash freeze them for 1-2 hours. Trasnfer them to a freezer- friendly container and keep the in the freezer for up to 1 month.
    • Reheating: You can reheat these meatballs from the refrigerator in the microwave until warmed through. Also reheat them in a pan on the stovetop. To reheat them from frozen. Add them right from the freezer into the crockpot, cover them with bbq sauce and cook them on high for 1.5 hours or on low for 2.5-3 hours.

    More BBQ Recipes to try!

    Sliced bbq covered cooked chicken breast on a plate with mashed white potatoes and a medley of cooked veggies with a gold fork on the plate and another plate of chicken behind it.
    Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Breast
    BBQ Chicken Salad

    Did you make this Crockpot BBQ Meatballs recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram @pinchmegoodfood so I can see your creation.

    Print
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    Easy Crockpot BBQ Meatballs – Gluten Free


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    4.5 from 2 reviews

    • Author: Amy Estes
    • Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
    • Yield: 20 Meatballs 1x
    • Diet: Gluten Free
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    These Crockpot BBQ Meatballs make the perfect quick and easy appetizer or main meal served over pasta or cauliflower rice. Kids and adults love them and they are loaded with flavor and come out wonderfully tender and delicious. 


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the meatballs

    • 1 pound lean ground turkey – 93/7
    • 1 large egg – lightly whisked
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
    • ¼ cup minced shallot
    • ⅓ cup gluten free breadcrumbs – any type will work
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt 
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Other

    • 1.5 cups of your favorite gluten free BBQ Sauce

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, line a baking sheet with foil, and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Set aside. 
    2. Add all meatball ingredients to a medium size mixing bowl. Mix well to combine into a meatball mixture. Make sure not to over-mix.
    3. Use your hands to roll the meatballs into 1 tablespoon size balls and place them about 1 inch apart on the foil-lined (for easy clean up) baking sheet. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray to prevent the meatballs from sticking.
    4. Bake the meatballs in the 400-degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Then remove them and let them cool for a few minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the meatballs are 160 degrees F. They will continue to cook to 165 degrees while cooling.
    5. Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes then add the meatballs to the bottom of a crockpot or slow cooker. Pour the BBQ sauce over the meatballs and lightly toss them in the sauce. Secure the lid and set the slow cooker to low and cook for 2-3 hours.  You can also cook them on high for 1 hour.
    6. Once the meatballs are done cooking, toss them in the sauce a little more to get them all nice and coated, and transfer them to a serving platter or plate and top with dried parsley for garnish. Serve hot with extra BBQ sauce for dipping on the side. See the post for more serving suggestions.

      Equipment

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      Notes

      • Make sure not to overtax the meat mixture. Once you notice the ingredients are well mixed and incorporated into the meat then stop mixing. I recommend cracking and whisking the egg in a separate bowl first so that you don’t have to mix in so much with the meat.
      • Roll the meatballs into even size balls. This is important because you want them all to cook at the same time. I used a round tablespoon to measure each of the meatballs and this recipe yielded exactly 20 meatballs that were 1 tablespoon each. You can also use a small cookie scoop as well.
      • Use a meat thermometer to test the doneness of the meatballs. These turkey meatballs should be cooked to 160 degrees F (they will continue to cook after you remove them from the oven, up to 165 degrees F (i.e carryover cooking time). I always use a meat thermometer to ensure they are properly cooked. It should take roughly 12-15 minutes for them to cook.
      • You can store these meatballs after cooking them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Easily reheat them in the microwave.
      • After you have rolled the meatballs you can either cook them right away or freeze them. 
      • To freeze these meatballs after being cooked: Once you have baked the meatballs before you combine them with the BBQ sauce, let them cool completely, transfer them to a freezer-friendly container and keep them in the freezer for up to 30 days. When ready to use, add them to the crockpot with the BBQ sauce and cook as directed in the recipe.
        • Prep Time: 10 minutes
        • Cook Time: 2 hours
        • Category: Healthy Dinner Ideas
        • Method: Crockpot
        • Cuisine: American

        Did you make this recipe?

        Tag @pinchmegoodfood on Instagram and hashtag it #pinchmegoodfood

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        Filed Under: Dairy Free, Favorite Summer Recipes, Favorite Winter Recipes, Freezer-Friendly Meals, Gluten-Free, Healthy Fall Favorites, Healthy Snacks and Appetizers, Kid-Friendly, Main Dishes, Meal Prep, Slow Cooker

        Reader Interactions

        Comments

        1. Lou

          September 5, 2021 at 6:39 pm

          These were a hit. Delicious. Definitely on my rotation list.

          Reply
        2. Linda

          August 10, 2022 at 7:18 pm

          The meatballs were fantastic! I just don’t like straight bbq sauce and I watered it down with chicken broth so any idea how to make it less strong bbq but still a lot of flavor

          Reply
          • Amy

            August 11, 2022 at 12:18 pm

            Hi Linda,

            You can use less bbq sauce and maybe some chili sauce or ketchup instead. That should work great!

            Reply
        3. Randy Lesina

          November 18, 2022 at 10:35 am

          Fine postings, Cheers!

          Reply

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        Simmered meatballs in bbq sauce in a pot with a wooden spoon storing the meatballs in the pot