How to Make Homemade Sweet & Spicy Meatballs

Serve these spicy meatball appetizers just to hear all the YUMS!! coming from your guests in between bites.  Have recipe cards ready or let them know you found the recipe here.

These homemade meatballs are also great tucked into a french roll for a meatball sandwich.

Tips for Making Homemade Meatballs

You don't really need a recipe, just follow a few simple tips for great homemade meatballs

Select the right meats

Use a fattier meat beef or pork for more tender meatballs. Leans meats ground turkey can be easily overcooked and can become dry. Try using use a blend of different kinds of ground meats for a deeper more complex flavor

Work with chilled ingredients

Mix the meatballs in a chilled bowl to keep everything on the cooler side. 

Add some  moisture

Add binders like eggs and bread crumbs mixed with a little milk to add moisture for moist and tender meatballs.

Do a taste test

Cook up a tiny bit of the meatball mixture in the skillet and do a little taste test if there enough seasoning. You don’t want to cook everything up and find out there’s no flavor!  Add more spices or herbs if needed.

Don’t overwork the meatballs

Mix just enough to incorporate all the ingredients and when forming the balls don’t pack them tight otherwise you’ll end up with tough balls.

Cooking the meatballs

Use an ice cream or cookie scoop to portion out on the meatballs so they cook up evenly. Never fry up the meatballs, instead bake or broil.

A quick alternative to homemade

If you don't have the time to make the meatballs from scratch then you can always use frozen homestyle or spicy meatballs.  For an office potluck lunch I have taken the frozen meatballs and sauce to work,  then plugged in the slow cooker in the morning and by lunch my potluck dish is ready.

Continue to Content

Sweet & Spicy Meatballs

Yield: 48 meatballs

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 5 hours

Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes

Homemade bite size meatball appetizers.

Print

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 2 pounds ground beef, 20% fat
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 eggs
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Meatball Sauce

• 1 cups raspberry jam
• 1 cups spicy bbq sauce
• 1 cup ketchup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and melt the butter over medium heat.
3. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer the skillet mixture to a large bowl and let cool.
5. Add the eggs, bread crumbs, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper, and mix well.
6. Add the ground beef and mix until all the ingredients are combined.
7. Make small 1-inch diameter meatballs and place on a broiler-safe pan.
8. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
9. In a medium-size bowl mix together the jams, ketchup, and BBQ sauce,
10. In a 5 quart slow cooker add a layer of the sauce and then a layer of meatballs until all the sauce covers the meatballs.
11. Cook on low for about 5 hours.

Notes

Serve as an hor'd'oeuvres for your next potluck.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 4 meatballs
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 420Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 808mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 23g

The nutritional information provided here are estimates and are not calculated by a registered dietitian.

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #aweekendcook.

Other easy to make party foods to try

The Best Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

Easy Bruschetta Recipe for Your Next Party

Tzatziki sauce for dipping and topping