These Smoked Turkey Meatballs are small but pack a ton of great BBQ flavor. Made with healthier ingredients like coconut aminos and almond flour, they’re kept juicy and delicious by adding a bit of bacon as well. Easily made in one bowl then smoked on a wood pellet grill or smoker, they’re perfect as part of a weeknight dinner or great as party food.
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If you’re a fan of smoking on a wood pellet grill like I am (we love our Traeger for everything from smoked salmon to our Thanksgiving whole smoked turkey), you’re going to want to make these smoked turkey meatballs.
These meatballs are on the healthier side, starting out with ground turkey as a base and using coconut aminos and almond flour to help bind everything together. But by adding just a little bacon it gives some additional smoky flavor (and richness) to the meatballs.
While my family loves to eat these for dinner alongside roasted veggies or rice, they’re also perfect to serve at a party or when watching a game. You can even prep the meatballs the day before then smoke them the following day.
Whatever you decide, these meatballs are going to be a hit all around.
Why these are the best BBQ turkey meatballs
- They’re easy to make, requiring just one bowl to mix everything together.
- You can easily swap out another ground meat for the turkey, making this recipe really versatile.
- Kids (and adults) love them! The flavor is mild and slightly sweet, which is perfect for little ones or anyone with a pick palate.
Meatball Ingredients
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- Ground turkey – don’t use ground turkey breast, as that is too lean. Use the ground turkey that is 93% lean.
- Bacon – A smoky bacon works best, but any will do. If paleo or Whole30, make sure it’s compatible.
- Spices – onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and kosher salt. For best results, make sure your spices are fresh as they tend to become more bland with age & exposure to air.
- Coconut aminos – this lends just the slightest bit of tang and sweetness.
- Almond flour – use a finely ground version (I like Bob’s Red Mill).
- BBQ Sauce – use whichever is your favorite. My family loves Matty’s organic BBQ sauce by Tessemae’s (which is naturally sweetened).
Before you scroll through, there is important information throughout this post.
How to make BBQ turkey meatballs
(Note: please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the complete written instructions.)
What to serve with BBQ meatballs
Looking for dinner ideas to go with barbecue turkey meatballs? Check out these serving suggestions!
- Roasted veggies (my turmeric roasted cauliflower is a good option)
- Grilled veggies (grilled onions or grilled zucchini would both work well)
- White rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice
- Noodles – gluten free, paleo, or spiralized veggie noodles
- A simple side salad
- Mashed potatoes (like my Instant Pot mashed potatoes)
Questions about smoking meatballs?
Check out these answers to commonly asked questions about how to smoke meatballs.
Do you need breadcrumbs in meatballs?
No, you don’t need breadcrumbs in meatballs, though you do need something to bind the meatballs together. This recipe uses almond flour to help bind the meatballs.
How long to smoke meatballs?
This recipe smokes the meatballs for 30 minutes to incorporate some of the smoky flavor, then cooks them the rest of the way on high heat. The total cook time is 35-40 minutes.
How do you know when turkey meatballs are done?
You’ll know when turkey meatballs are done with their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. You can measure it with a meat thermometer – we’ve used a Thermapen for years and love it. You can also read up on this post of how to take use a meat thermometer when grilling.
How do you store leftover meatballs?
Place the meatballs in an airtight container and store them in the fridge. They will keep for 3-5 days.
Recipe tips and substitutions
- It’s best to use frozen bacon as it’s easier to chop into smaller bits and less likely to get stuck in a food processor. Even quickly putting it in the freezer while your grill or smoker heats is better than trying to chop up sticky bacon as is.
- You can substitute any other dark ground meat for the ground turkey in these meatballs. Ground beef, pork, or dark meat chicken would all work just fine.
- You can easily double, or even triple, this recipe. The cooking time will be the same, you just have to make sure you have enough room on your grill for all the meatballs.
- If you don’t have coconut aminos and aren’t paleo or Whole30, you can sub a gluten free worcestershire sauce for them.
- This recipe works with different types of meat like ground beef or ground pork. If you want to try ground chicken, use dark meat (chicken thighs) not white meat (chicken breast).
- You can cook these meatballs in the oven, though they won’t have as much smokey flavor. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Take them out, brush the BBQ sauce on them, then return to the oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Check out these other great recipes for smoked meats
- Traeger Smoked Chicken Breast (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Smoked Pork Tenderloin (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Smoked Pork Chops (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Spatchcock Smoked Chicken (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
- Smoked Pork Loin (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)
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BBQ Smoked Turkey Meatballs
Equipment
- Wood pellet grill or smoker
- A food processor
- A large mixing bowl
- A basting brush
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2.5 oz bacon frozen
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- ¼ c almond flour
- 2 tbsp BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Set your Traeger (or other wood pellet grill or smoker) to 250 degrees F. Use a large sharp knife and cutting board to cut the bacon into roughly half inch pieces. Place them in a food processor and pulse until they’re chopped into small bits. Pour them into a large mixing bowl.
- Add in the ground turkey, spices, coconut aminos, and almond flour. Mix everything together with your hands until just combined, making sure to not overmix.
- Separate the mixture into 4 equal portions, then take one portion and divide it into fourths. Roll each fourth into a ball and set on a plate or cutting board. Repeat with the other four sections until you have 16 meatballs.
- Place the meatballs on the smoker with tongs, the shut the lid and cook for 15 minutes. Put the BBQ sauce in a small bowl & use a pastry brush to spread the sauce over the meatballs, cooking another 15 minutes when done. Increase the heat to 350 degrees F and cook the meatballs until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (another 5-7 minutes). Remove from the grill and serve!
Notes
- It’s best to use frozen bacon as it’s easier to chop into smaller bits and less likely to get stuck in a food processor. Even quickly putting it in the freezer while your grill or smoker heats is better than trying to chop up sticky bacon as is.
- You can substitute any other dark ground meat for the ground turkey in these meatballs. Ground beef, pork, or dark meat chicken would all work just fine.
- You can easily double, or even triple, this recipe. The cooking time will be the same, you just have to make sure you have enough room on your grill for all the meatballs.
- If you don’t have coconut aminos and aren’t paleo or Whole30, you can sub a gluten free worcestershire sauce for them.
- This recipe works with different types of meat like ground beef or ground pork. If you want to try ground chicken, use dark meat (chicken thighs) not white meat (chicken breast).
- You can cook these meatballs in the oven, though they won’t have as much smokey flavor. Place them on a foil-lined sheet pan and cook in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Take them out, brush the BBQ sauce on them, then return to the oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
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