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in Party Food· Recipes

Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry BBQ Sauce

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These Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry Barbecue Sauce are slightly sweet with a little bit of smoky heat kick you will love. An easy appetizer that is perfect for parties, game day, and potluck meals.

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These Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry Barbecue Sauce are slightly sweet with a little bit of smoky heat kick you will love. An easy appetizer that is perfect for parties, game day, and potluck meals.

Cherry barbecue cocktail meatballs are an awesome addition to your food spread for your next get together. They are versatile too; you can thread them onto toothpicks for a bite-sized appetizer, make mini meatball sliders, or spoon them directly from a slow cooker to plate.

Tips for Making Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry BBQ Sauce

Make the Barbecue Sauce: This Homemade Cherry BBQ sauce is quick and easy to make. It’s a delicious, slightly sweet sauce with just a little bit of smoky heat that is perfect for cocktail meatballs. It will take about 15 minutes to throw together and you can let it simmer while you prepare and cook your meatballs.

  • Homemade Cherry BBQ Recipe

No time to make the barbecue sauce? No problem, just grab your favorite BBQ sauce from the grocery store.

Make the Meatballs: The meatballs are easy to whip up with some ground beef and a few common pantry ingredients. Trust me, homemade is so worth it.

Choose a lean ground beef, such as a ground round or ground sirloin. Also consider a ground chuck for the meatballs. It has a higher fat to meat ratio, but pan-frying releases most of the fat that can be drained off before adding your barbecue sauce.

Check out the additional tips for making meatballs in this recipe for Sweet and Sour Meatballs

  • Cooking Tip: Make Your Own Breadcrumbs

steps to making cherry bbq cocktail meatballs

  1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the ground beef. Let the breadcrumbs soak up the liquid and soften a bit.
  2. Add your ground beef.
  3. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
  4. Shape the meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
  5. Brown the meatballs in the skillet.
  6. Add the cherry barbecue sauce to the skillet and simmer until the meatballs are cooked.

Alternatively, you can finish cooking the meatballs in a slow cooker. After browning, place the meatballs in the slow cooker crock and cover with the cherry barbecue sauce. Cook on low 2-3 hours and keep warm until you are ready to serve.

closeup of three meatballs on a wooden spoon

These cherry barbecue meatballs are delicious over rice as a main meal, or thread onto toothpicks for a bite-sized appetizer, or use them to make mini meatball sliders on homemade slider buns.

These Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry Barbecue Sauce are slightly sweet with a little bit of smoky heat kick you will love. An easy appetizer that is perfect for parties, game day, and potluck meals.
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5 from 1 vote

Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry BBQ Sauce

These Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry Barbecue Sauce are slightly sweet with a little bit of smoky heat kick you will love. An easy appetizer that is perfect for parties, game day, and potluck meals. 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword cocktail meatballs
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 350kcal
Author Grow a Good Life

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
  • 1 small onion chopped fine
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups Cherry BBQ Sauce or BBQ sauce of choice

Instructions

  • Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. 
  • In a large bowl, combine egg, milk, dried breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, pepper, and salt. Stir to mix thoroughly. Add ground beef. Mix until combined.
  • Shape the meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Add olive oil to the skillet, and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Drain off fat.
  • Add the cherry barbecue sauce to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, and then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until the meatballs are done. Stir occasionally while cooking. 

To Finish Cooking in a Slow Cooker:

  • After browning as described in step 3, transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker and cover with cherry barbecue sauce. Cook on low 2-3 hours, keep warm until you are ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 5meatballs | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.6g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 10.8g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1081mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 23g | Calcium: 440mg | Iron: 2.7mg

showing meatballs plated over rice and threaded on toothpicks

Serve these cherry barbecue cocktail meatballs over rice as a main meal, thread onto toothpicks for a bite-sized appetizer, or make mini meatball sliders with homemade slider buns.

You May Also Like

  • Sweet and Sour Meatballs
  • Garlic and Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms
  • Homemade Mini Slider Buns

Cocktail meatballs are an awesome addition to your food spread for your next get together. They are versatile too; you can thread them onto toothpicks for a bite-sized appetizer, make mini meatball sliders, or spoon them directly from a slow cooker to plate.

These Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry Barbecue Sauce are slightly sweet with a little bit of smoky heat kick you will love. An easy appetizer that is perfect for parties, game day, and potluck meals.
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry BBQ Sauce

These Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry Barbecue Sauce are slightly sweet with a little bit of smoky heat kick you will love. An easy appetizer that is perfect for parties, game day, and potluck meals. 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword cocktail meatballs
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 350kcal
Author Grow a Good Life

Ingredients

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
  • 1 small onion chopped fine
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups Cherry BBQ Sauce or BBQ sauce of choice

Instructions

  • Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. 
  • In a large bowl, combine egg, milk, dried breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, pepper, and salt. Stir to mix thoroughly. Add ground beef. Mix until combined.
  • Shape the meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Add olive oil to the skillet, and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Drain off fat.
  • Add the cherry barbecue sauce to the skillet. Bring to a simmer, and then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes until the meatballs are done. Stir occasionally while cooking. 

To Finish Cooking in a Slow Cooker:

  • After browning as described in step 3, transfer the meatballs to the slow cooker and cover with cherry barbecue sauce. Cook on low 2-3 hours, keep warm until you are ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 5meatballs | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.6g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 10.8g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 1081mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 23g | Calcium: 440mg | Iron: 2.7mg
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Filed Under: Party Food, Recipes

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hope says

    November 18, 2018 at 10:34 pm

    5 stars
    These meatballs look like the perfect crowd pleaser! Loving all of those herbs in there they look simply delicious!

    Reply
  2. Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri says

    November 12, 2018 at 2:42 am

    5 stars
    These are so fun for a party! I love that cherry BBQ sauce, that’s what these super extra special – such a lovely flavor.

    Reply
  3. Renee D Kohley says

    November 11, 2018 at 4:34 pm

    5 stars
    We purchased some Michigan cherry bbq sauce at the cherry festival this summer and I am definitely trying this! Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Amy Knight says

    November 5, 2018 at 9:52 pm

    5 stars
    This looks perfect for game day recipe!

    Reply
  5. Shelby @Fitasamamabear says

    November 4, 2018 at 3:06 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my god I LOVE meatballs, easily one of my favorite dinners!

    Reply
  6. ChihYu Smith says

    November 2, 2018 at 1:42 am

    5 stars
    Wow! These meatballs look so good. Yummy juicy delicious!

    Reply
  7. linda spiker says

    October 26, 2018 at 11:23 pm

    5 stars
    Holy moly…these look amazing!

    Reply
  8. Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama says

    October 26, 2018 at 4:08 pm

    5 stars
    I love meatballs! This sauce looks fantastic. I can’t wait to try this recipe!

    Reply
  9. Lindsey Dietz says

    October 26, 2018 at 3:00 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy! I love meatballs swimming in a glaze-y sauce! Perfect for a holiday app, too!

    Reply
  10. Megan Stevens says

    October 24, 2018 at 12:13 am

    5 stars
    Well, these meatballs simply look tremendous!! They’d be gone in a flash at any party. Love all the how-to photos too; thanks!!

    Reply
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