Mess for Less

  • Crafts
    • Art
    • Winter Activities
    • Spring Activities
    • Summer Activities
    • Fall Recipes and Activities
  • Kids Activities
    • Baby and Toddler Activities
    • Preschool Activities
    • Sensory Activities
    • Fine Motor Skills Activities
    • Learning Activities
      • Science Activities
  • Family
    • Pets
    • Parenting
  • Shop
  • Breakfast Recipes
  • Lunch Recipes
  • Dinner Recipes
  • Dessert Recipes
  • Snack Recipes
  • Appetizers
  • Crock Pot Recipes
  • Cooking with Kids
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Summer Activities
  • Kids
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Summer Activities
    • Kids
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
  • ×
    Home » Instant Pot Recipes

    Modified: Jul 15, 2022 · Published: Apr 25, 2019 by Vicky · This post may contain affiliate links · 5 Comments

    Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce

    413 shares
    • 20
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    These Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce could not be any easier to make. You simply mix up the ingredients, freeze the meatballs for an hour, and cook them in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes. The simplicity makes this one of my favorite Instant Pot Recipes.

    There is very little work involved, but your guests won't know that. These are delicious as part of a main course or as a party appetizer. If you are looking for more yummy meatball recipes check our Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs and our Instant Pot Orange Glazed Meatballs and our Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs.

    These Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce could not be any easier to make. There is very little work involved, but your guests won't know that. These are delicious as part of a main course or as a party appetizer. 

     

    Jump to:
    • Why these Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce are awesome
    • Meatball Ingredients
    • How to make Instant Pot Meatballs
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Related posts

    Why these Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce are awesome

    • They cook up in just 10 minutes
    • Can be used as a main course or one of the easiest party appetizer ideas
    • Perfect dish to bring to potlucks
    Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce

    Meatball Ingredients

    • ground beef
    • garlic 
    • onion powder
    • salt
    • beef broth
    • barbecue sauce

    How to make Instant Pot Meatballs

    To make these Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce, you will need an Instant Pot of course! I love a 6 Quart Instant Pot because the size is so versatile. It is big enough for a family, but not so big that your food will be swimming in there. This is the most popular size around. If you are cooking for an army, this 8 Quart Instant Pot is for you. The larger size makes it perfect for entertaining or for large family meals.

    Now it's time to assemble the meatballs. I used ground beef for the meatballs, but feel free to substitute ground turkey. Place the ground beef into a large bowl and mix well with the onion powder, salt, and garlic. Roll the meat mixture into balls. Place the balls in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and freeze them for 1 hour.

    uncooked meatballs in bowl with saran wrap

    After an hour, remove the frozen meatballs from the freezer. Pour the beef broth into the Instant Pot and add meatballs. Place lid on pot and set valve to seal.

    Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release the pressure when Instant Pot is done counting. Then, transfer the meatballs to a bowl and stir in the barbecue sauce. Feel free to use your favorite brand of BBQ sauce. There are so many good ones out there! Place the meatballs back in the pot and stir to combine the sauce with the broth.

    Tasty meatballs are a classic party appetizer. If you want to serve these meatballs for an appetizer simply provide your guests with some toothpicks so they can help themselves.

    Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce

    📖 Recipe

    Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce

    Vicky
    These Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce could not be any easier to make. There is very little work involved, but your guests won't know that.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6
    Calories 397 kcal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Video

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lbs ground beef
    • 2 tablespoons garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups beef broth
    • 1 bottle barbecue sauce

    Instructions
     

    • Place ground beef into a bowl and mix well with onion powder, salt, and garlic.
    • Roll the ground beef mixture into balls and place into a bowl.
    • Freeze for the meatballs for 1 hour.
    • Pour beef broth into instant pot. Place in meatballs.
    • Place lid on pot and set valve to seal.
    • Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release pressure when instant pot is done counting.
    • Remove meatballs to a bowl.
    • Stir in barbecue sauce. Place meatballs back in the pot and stir.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 397kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 27gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 789mgPotassium: 473mgVitamin C: 1.1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 3.2mg
    Keyword instant pot
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using online calculators. Your nutritional information may vary depending on numerous factors.

    Instant Pot Meatballs with BBQ Sauce

    Frequently asked questions

    What can I serve with these pressure cooker meatballs?

    These go great with a side of white rice, brown rice or a side salad.

    How do I store these meatballs?

    You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    What kind of BBQ sauce should I use with these meatballs?

    They will taste great with whatever BBQ sauce you have on hand. That is the beauty of the recipe, it is very versatile!

    Related posts

    • Instant Pot Orange Glazed Meatballs
    • 4 Ingredient Easy Meatballs
    • Instant Pot Hawaiian Meatballs
    • Baked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs
    • Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs
    • Must Have Instant Pot Accessories
    • Garlic Parmesan Wings in the Instant Pot

     

    More Instant Pot Recipes

    • Instant Pot Recipes
      Instant Pot Recipes
    • A bowl of mashed cauliflower rice topped with a pat of butter and garnished with parsley sits in front of a patterned Instant Pot. A red-striped cloth and butter dish are nearby, completing this delightful recipe scene.
      Instant Pot Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
    • Tortellini soup with spinach and ground sausage in a bowl
      Tortellini Soup Instant Pot
    • lasagna soup in a bowl
      Instant Pot Lasagna Soup Recipe

    Comments

      5 from 11 votes (1 rating without comment)

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. cheflolaskitchen says

      April 25, 2019 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      I'd be having my family over in the coming summer vacations and I would surely need quick and delicious recipes like this one! Thanks for this Vicky.

      Reply
    2. Beth Pierce says

      April 25, 2019 at 1:07 pm

      5 stars
      My kids love spaghetti with meatballs! I will have to make these for them to serve on their own; they sound amazing!

      Reply
    3. Edyta says

      April 25, 2019 at 12:27 pm

      5 stars
      These are amazing. I never thought I could make meatballs in my Instant Pot. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

      Reply
    4. Sophia says

      April 25, 2019 at 12:11 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! I've never thought to make meatballs in the instant pot! I always figured they would fall apart - great tip to freeze them first! Thanks!

      Reply
    5. EA Stewart The Spicy RD says

      April 25, 2019 at 11:55 am

      5 stars
      I LOVE that these can be made ahead of time! My husband and son would love them for dinner-me too! I definitely need to add these to my weekly meal plan. Yum!

      Reply
    Vicky from Mess for Less

    I'm Vicky, the founder of Mess For Less, which I started in 2011 to share easy, family-friendly recipes. With over a decade of experience as a home chef and recipe developer, I love creating meals that bring people together. I also design play and learning activities for kids, using my background as a former teacher with a Master’s degree in education. Learn more about me.

    Summer

    • Summer Art Activities for Kids
    • Free Printable Summer Placemats
    • Best Outdoor Toys for Summer
      The 20 Best Outdoor Toys for Summer
    • summer activities for kids
      Summer Activities for Kids

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy and Disclosure
    • Recipe and Safety Disclaimers
    • About Me
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for our newsletter

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Advertise

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 MessForLess

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.