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It’s been almost 2 months of my added sugar free journey. I’ve been here recreating added-sugar-free versions of all my staple meals! You guys know how much I love a good meatball. So it only felt appropriate to make these BBQ Meatballs, with an added-sugar-free homemade BBQ sauce!
I love that these are super quick and easy to make! They can be served as a toothpick appetizer or as a meal with sides. Add some air fryer French fries or roasted potatoes, and some kind of vegetable or salad and you’re good to go! Dinner ready in a pinch.
About the Ingredients
Tomato Sauce – Tomatoes are the base of this sauce. Tomato paste is commonly used, however I found it’s a little bit too thick for my taste, especially because of the minimal amount of other ingredients in this sauce! Simmering tomato sauce gives this BBQ sauce a thick, but still runny consistency. Perfect to dip fries or roast potatoes in as well!
Coconut Aminos – This gives the sauce a little bit of savory depth, a little bit of sweetness and a little bit of saltiness.
Green Onion Tips & Garlic-Infused Olive Oil – These two ingredients are probably in all of my savory dishes! Need I say more for this ultimate flavor bomb combo?
Date(s) – One single date is used to sweeten this whole batch of BBQ sauce! Since I’ve been added sugar free for awhile now, this is enough sweetness for me. If you’d like yours a little more sweet and you’re not avoiding added or refined sugar, feel free to add brown sugar or maple syrup/coconut sugar and adjust to your taste!
Smoked Paprika & Ground Ancho Chili Powder – These two ingredients give the BBQ sauce a subtle smokiness – you can’t skip it!
Hot Sauce – Hot sauce is entirely optional. It lends an extra tang and kick! I’ve tried this with both Tabasco and Valentino’s, and like both!
Interested in my other meatballs recipes? Try my classic, grain-free Italian Meatball recipe. Want something a little bit lighter? Try my Italian Chicken Meatballs. Both will also be delicious with BBQ sauce TBH!
And if you make these Added Sugar Free BBQ Meatballs, be sure to leave a comment or give the recipe a rating or tag me on Instagram! I love it when you guys try my recipes. And I’d love to know if you enjoy them as much as I do! Enjoy! 🙂
BBQ Meatballs – Low FODMAP, Gluten Free, Paleo, Dairy Free, Whole30
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking Sheet
- Small Saucepan with Lid
- Small Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup minced green onion tips
- ⅓ cup fine, blanched almond flour
- 1 tsp garlic-infused olive oil
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the BBQ Sauce
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- ¼ cup chopped green onion tips
- 1 date pitted and chopped
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp hot sauce (I like Valentina's or Tabasco)
- 1 tsp ground ancho chile powder
Instructions
Form & Bake the Meatballs
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prep a baking sheet with foil and grease to prevent sticking.
- Combine all meatballs ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly with hands, until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Using a spoon and your palms, form meat mixture into 1" to 1½" balls and place on baking sheet about 1" apart. You should have somewhere between 16-20 meatballs.
- Place baking sheet in preheated oven and cook for 18-20 minutes, until center is no longer pink. Prepare the BBQ sauce while you wait.
Make the BBQ Sauce
- Place all ingredients into a saucepan with the lid on (to prevent splatter) and bring to a gentle simmer on medium-low to low. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow dates to soften and flavors to mingle.
- Once simmering is complete, carefully transfer sauce to a small blender or food processor and blend all ingredients to break down solids.
- Return sauce to saucepan. Add meatballs to sauce and mix once complete. Enjoy!
Notes
- If using store-bought garlic-infused oil that is not certified FODMAP-friendly, make sure to use a brand that doesn’t list “garlic oil,” “garlic essential oil,” “garlic essence,” “garlic flavoring,” “natural roasted garlic flavor,” or anything similar in the ingredients list. There’s no way to know whether these ingredients are low FODMAP. More on that in this article on FODMAP Everyday.
- Dates are low FODMAP in 0.28 oz (1/3 of a date).