These Barbecue Meatball Bowls with Avocado Sauce are a wholesome, protein-packed meal that perfectly balances smoky, sweet, and creamy flavors. Featuring juicy beef meatballs glazed in a homemade BBQ sauce, roasted vegetables, and a vibrant avocado dressing, these bowls are as nutritious as they are delicious.
Hearty, colorful, and satisfying, this dish is perfect for meal prep or a healthy family dinner that doesn’t compromise on taste.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Savory meatballs with a sweet and tangy BBQ glaze are complemented by earthy roasted sweet potatoes and a bright, zesty avocado herb sauce.
- Texture: Tender meatballs and soft roasted vegetables sit atop fluffy quinoa, all brought together by the smooth, creamy sauce.
- Time: 20 minutes prep, 30 minutes cook time.
- Difficulty: Intermediate. It involves multi-tasking: roasting veggies, baking meatballs, and blending a sauce.
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need a large oven-safe skillet to sear and bake the meatballs, plus two large rimmed baking sheets for the vegetables. A food processor is essential for blending the smooth avocado sauce. The ingredients rely on lean ground sirloin, fresh produce like sweet potatoes and broccoli, and pantry staples to create the glaze and meatball seasoning.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground Sirloin – Using lean or extra-lean ground beef (sirloin) ensures the meatballs are flavorful but not greasy.
- Sweet Potatoes – Peeled and diced into cubes, these add natural sweetness and healthy carbs to the bowl.
- Broccoli – Roasted broccoli adds a nice crunch and char. Cutting them into medium florets ensures they cook evenly.
- Avocado – A ripe avocado provides the creamy, dairy-free base for the goddess sauce.
- Greek Yogurt – Adds protein and tang to the sauce.
- Herbs – A mix of dried basil and oregano seasons the meatballs, while fresh basil and dill bring the avocado sauce to life.
- Barbecue Sauce – Use your favorite BBQ sauce as a base, which is then doctored up with vinegar and tamari for a custom glaze.
- Panko – These breadcrumbs help bind the meatballs and keep them tender.
- Tamari – Adds a gluten-free savory depth to the BBQ glaze.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Grains – Quinoa or brown rice are excellent bases, but farro or cauliflower rice work well too.
- Protein – Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for the beef if you prefer a lighter meatball.
- Greens – You can add a handful of fresh spinach or arugula to the bowl for extra greens.
How to Make Barbecue Meatball Bowls with Avocado Sauce
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Make Meatballs: In a bowl, combine the beef, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, egg, Panko, smoked paprika, oregano, basil, and minced garlic. Mix by hand until just combined. Roll into 16 balls.
- Sear and Bake: Warm two teaspoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown for a couple of minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer the skillet into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Roast Veggies: Meanwhile, place the sweet potatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet and the broccoli on another. Drizzle both with the remaining olive oil (divided) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Roast the broccoli for 20 minutes and the sweet potatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned.
- Glaze Meatballs: While everything bakes, combine the barbecue sauce, balsamic vinegar, tamari, and water in a bowl and whisk to combine. Once the meatballs come out of the oven (careful, handle is hot!), pour the sauce evenly over top of them. Place the skillet back on the stovetop and cook for a few minutes until the sauce is hot and thickens slightly around the meatballs.
- Blend Sauce: In a food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade, combine the avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, salt, and fresh herbs. Process until smooth and creamy.
- Serve: Divide the cooked quinoa (or rice), roasted sweet potatoes, roasted broccoli, and glazed meatballs between bowls. Top generously with the avocado goddess sauce. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Don’t overcrowd your roasting pans! Use two separate sheets for the broccoli and sweet potatoes. This ensures the vegetables roast and caramelize rather than steaming and becoming soggy.
Recipe Tips
- Meatball Texture: When mixing the meat, use a light hand. Overworking the beef can make the meatballs tough. Stop mixing as soon as the ingredients are incorporated.
- Timing: Start the sweet potatoes first since they take the longest. Then put the broccoli and meatballs in. This way, everything finishes around the same time.
- Sauce Consistency: If the avocado sauce is too thick for your liking, stream in a tablespoon of water or olive oil while the processor is running to thin it out.
FAQs
- Is this gluten-free? To make it gluten-free, ensure you use gluten-free Panko breadcrumbs and verify your BBQ sauce and Worcestershire sauce are GF. Tamari is naturally gluten-free.
- Can I make this ahead? Yes! This is a fantastic meal prep recipe. Store the components in separate containers. Keep the avocado sauce in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed against the surface to prevent browning.
- Can I bake the meatballs entirely? Yes, if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can bake the meatballs on a sheet pan for 15-20 minutes, then toss them in the warmed sauce in a pan or bowl.
Serving Suggestions
- Toppings: Extra fresh herbs, toasted seeds (like pumpkin or sunflower), or a squeeze of lime add great finishing touches.
- Bowl Base: Serve over greens instead of grains for a lighter, salad-style bowl.
- Wrap: Stuff the leftovers into a whole wheat tortilla for a delicious lunch wrap.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Prep: You can chop the sweet potatoes and broccoli a day in advance. Store them in the fridge.
- Cooking: Roast the veggies and bake the meatballs ahead of time. Reheat them when ready to eat, and make the sauce fresh or up to 1 day in advance.
Barbecue Meatball Bowls with Avocado Sauce
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 Bowls 1x
Description
These Barbecue Meatball Bowls with Avocado Sauce are a wholesome, protein-packed meal that perfectly balances smoky, sweet, and creamy flavors. Featuring juicy beef meatballs glazed in a homemade BBQ sauce, roasted vegetables, and a vibrant avocado dressing, these bowls are as nutritious as they are delicious. Hearty, colorful, and satisfying, this dish is perfect for meal prep or a healthy family dinner that doesn’t compromise on taste.
Ingredients
The Barbecue Meatballs
- 1 lb (454g) ground sirloin (or lean ground beef)
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- For the Glaze:
- 2/3 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Tamari (or soy sauce)
- 3 tbsp water
The Roasted Veggies
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1 bunch broccoli, cut into medium florets
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided use)
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
The Avocado Goddess Sauce
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- A big handful of fresh herbs (basil and dill work best)
The Base
- 4 cups cooked quinoa or brown rice
Instructions
Prep
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Make Meatballs
In a large bowl, combine the beef, mustard, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, egg, Panko, basil, paprika, oregano, and minced garlic. Mix: Mix by hand until just combined (don’t overwork). Roll into 16 balls.
Sear & Bake
Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sear: Brown the meatballs for a couple of minutes on all sides. Bake: Transfer the skillet directly to the oven. Bake for 15 minutes.
Roast Veggies
Place sweet potatoes on one large rimmed baking sheet and broccoli on another. Season: Drizzle both with remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast: Roast broccoli for 20 minutes and sweet potatoes for 25–30 minutes (until tender and browned).
Glaze Meatballs
While baking, whisk together the BBQ sauce, balsamic vinegar, Tamari, and water. Simmer: When meatballs are done (careful, the handle is hot!), pour the sauce over them. Return skillet to the stovetop and cook for a few minutes until the glaze thickens and coats the meat.
Blend Sauce
In a food processor, combine avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, salt, and fresh herbs. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Assemble
Divide the quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted broccoli, and glazed meatballs into bowls. Top generously with the Avocado Goddess Sauce.
Notes
Timing Strategy: Start the sweet potatoes first as they take the longest. Then start the meatballs and broccoli. This ensures everything finishes at the same time.
Sheet Pan Rule: Use two separate baking sheets for the vegetables. Overcrowding them on one pan causes them to steam instead of roast, leading to soggy veggies.
Gluten-Free Option: Use gluten-free Panko and ensure your BBQ and Worcestershire sauces are GF certified. Tamari is naturally gluten-free.
Meal Prep: This recipe stores wonderfully. Keep the components in separate containers. To stop the avocado sauce from browning, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the sauce in the container.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner / Bowl
- Method: Roasting / Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bowl
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: meatball bowls, healthy dinner bowls, roasted sweet potatoes, avocado sauce recipe, meal prep recipes, bbq meatballs, high protein dinner
