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Pumpkin BBQ Meatballs

November 7, 2019 by Caitlin Monson 2 Comments

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My favorite meatball recipe made with a little seasonal twist! These deliciously moist meatballs are baked in the oven and then coated with a tangy bbq sauce that’s loaded with all your favorite fall and winter flavors!
Pumpkin bbq meatballs sitting on a white plate next to a homemade sauce made of barbeque sauce, canned pumpkin and cinnamon.

I don’t know about you all, but meatballs are my absolute favorite appetizer to bring to a party! They’re hearty, delicious and let’s not forget – incredibly easy to make! Now it’s true, you can go out and buy frozen meatballs put them in some store bought sauce and call it a day… (But what fun is that?!) OR you can make your own meatballs from scratch, doctor up that store bought sauce and be the talk of the entire party! I’ll let you decide for yourself. But me? I choose the latter. Which is why I’ll be making these pumpkin bbq meatballs every single time!

What are the ingredients?

First things first babes, the ingredients! (Which I’m pretty sure you already have most of these in your house already. 😉 ) But all this recipe requires is:

  • Ground turkey
  • Canned pumpkin
  • Panko bread crumbs (You can replace this with regular bread crumbs but I’ve found that the Panko really adds to the moistness of these balls. 🙂 )
  • Onion
  • Eggs
  • Water
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt & pepper
These incredibly moist meatballs are perfect for your next appetizer party! And they're made with a secret ingredient too; pumpkin!

How do I make pumpkin bbq sauce?

Don’t worry loves, as much as I love making things from scratch I’m definitely NOT about to throw some crazy bbq sauce recipe at you! Instead you’ll just need three ingredients to make this sweet and spicy sauce!

  • Bottled bbq sauce (You can use your favorite here. But keep in mind that the taste of the sauce will change depending on the kind of bbq sauce you use. I used Stubb’s Smokey Mesquite sauce for this recipe.)
  • Canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • Cinnamon

That’s it! Just mix these ingredients in abowl and you’ve got yourself a festive holiday bbq sauce!

Can I make these meatballs ahead of time?

Absolutely! I do this all the time. You can easily cook the meatballs a day or so before and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. (Or ready to party! 😉 ) Then simply take them out, mix up the sauce and put them both in a crock pot or slow cooker and turn it on to warm until they’re fully heated through.

A close up picture of cocktail meatballs that are tossed in a homemade pumpkin bbq sauce.

How do I serve bbq meatballs for a party?

The reason I love taking meatballs to an appetizer party is because you can literally serve them in the crock pot you bring them in. I’ve tried it before where I take them out of the pot and set them up all cute on display. But the truth of the matter is, they get cold really really fast. And np one likes munching on cold balls. So just keep them in the crock pot and set it to warm and you should be good to go.

What if I want to serve these bbq meatballs as a meal? What else do I serve them with?

This is another thing my family does all the time! Not only are these great for parties, but they also make a fantastic dinner or meal prepped lunch too! Below are a few side dishes that pair amazingly well with these meatballs:

  • Citrus and pomegranate kale salad
  • Roasted asparagus
  • Mashed potatoes/mashed sweet potatoes
  • Roasted butternut squash
  • Sauteed green beans and onions
  • Corn on the cob

The possibilities are endless here but these are just a few of our favorites. If you find any other sides that you absolutely love with them, please let me know!

I just know that you’re all going to love these pumpkin bbq meatballs just as much as we do!

[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]

Pumpkin bbq meatballs sitting on a white plate next to a homemade sauce made of barbeque sauce, canned pumpkin and cinnamon.
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Pumpkin BBQ Meatballs

Moist, tangy, spicy and baked to perfection! These delicious pumpkin bbq meatballs are about to become your favorite appetizer for all those upcoming holiday parties!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Barbecue, Crock Pot, Game day, Healthy, Holiday, Seasonal, Slow Cooker
Keyword: appetizer, bbq, crock pot, dinner, healthy, homemade, lunch, meal prep, meatballs, pumpkin, slow cooker
Servings: 58 cocktail meatballs

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 2 lbs. ground turkey
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs* (can replace with gluten free bread crumbs)
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 Tbsps water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon

For the sauce:

  • 1 cup bbq sauce
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions

To make the sauce:

  • Place all sauce ingredients in a pot on the stove. Mix and heat over medium low heat until it's warm.

To make the meatballs:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl with your hands. Form it into 1 inch sized balls and place them on the baking sheet.
  • Bake meatballs for 25 minutes. Once done, place the meatballs in a bowl and pour the bbq sauce over them until they're completely coated.
  • *Crock Pot Option: Once the meatballs are done baking, place them in a crock pot and pour the sauce over them. Turn the crock pot on to "keep warm" and leave the in there until you're ready to eat.

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Filed Under: Appetizer, Chicken/Turkey, Main Dish Tagged With: appetizers, bbq, bbq meatballs, crock pot, dinner, game day, healthy, holiday food, lunch, meal prep, meatballs, oven baked, party food, pumpkin, pumpkin meatballs, recipes, slow cooker

Previous Post: « Citrus and Pomegranate Kale Salad
Next Post: Apple and Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alexis

    November 19, 2019 at 8:26 pm

    These look so good! Definitely bringing to the next party I go to!

    Reply
    • Caitlin Monson

      November 20, 2019 at 7:31 pm

      Yayyy! I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!

      Reply

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Meet Caitlin

Hey there!

I’m Caitlin and I’m here to simplify California cuisine! I’m just your every day Cali girl with a huge passion for cooking and sharing simple healthy eats with a few sweet treats.

Welcome to my kitchen!

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I believe it is possible to be HEALTHY and still have your WINE too! At Scout & Cellar, our beverages contain:

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Recent Posts

  • How to Navigate the Holidays Anxiety Free
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  • Pumpkin BBQ Meatballs

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Loaded Holiday Peanut Butter Cookies🍪
1 cup @peanutbutterco white chocolate peanut butter
1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
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1. Whisk the egg in a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients & stir then together with a large spoon. (For the best results, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes - 1 hour.)
2. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls & place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten them slightly & press a few more chocolate chips on the top of each cookie.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let them cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before taking them off.
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Instagram post 2192338255920593953_5551608760 What’s your favorite appetizer?? Mine has to be meatballs - any & all kinds.😉 And these PUMPKIN PARMESAN MEATBALLS are quickly rising to the top!🙌🏻
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I love appetizer parties! But don’t you hate it when you show up & all they’re serving is chips & crackers?!🥴 (Like I get that it looks pretty Karen...but it’s dinner time & your girl is hungry!😬) That’s why whenever I’m hosting I always try to serve at least one heartier appetizer & no one can resist a good meatball...especially these!😋They’re a little spicy, moist, easy to make & filled with all that cheesy goodness! (And even have a serving of veggies too!)
Idk about you, but I’d take these over chips & dip any day!🤗
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Hope you’re having a fantastic Thursday babes!😊💕
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Pumpkin Parmesan Meatballs🍝
1 lb ground turkey
2 Tbsps pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsps Panko breadcrumbs (can substitute gluten free breadcrumbs)
3 Tbsps shredded parmesan
2 Tbsps water
1 egg
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
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Pumpkin Sauce: 1 15oz can tomato sauce + 1/4 cup pumpkin purée + 1/4 cup chopped onion + 2 minced garlic cloves + 2 Tbsps Italian seasoning + 1/4 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp pepper + 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
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1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a pot & heat until warm. Set aside.
2. Combine all meatball ingredients in a bowl. Form it into 1 inch balls and place them on a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
3. Once they’re done, put the meatballs in a large pot or crockpot & pour the sauce over them. Heat until they’re warmed to you liking & serve!
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Mini Apple Fritter Pancake Bites🥞
1 1/4 cups @birchbenders Paleo mix
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup grated apple (about 1 medium apple)
Cinnamon Sugar: combine 1/4 cup sugar (or coconut sugar) + 1/2 tsp cinnamon
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1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Pour the batter into a mini muffin pan that’s been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. (Fill them 3/4 of the way up)
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
3. Once they’re done, roll the pancake bites in cinnamon sugar. Serve with maple syrup for extra deliciousness!😋
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