BBQ Meatball Sweet Potato Tots
If you are having friends over to watch your favorite team, you need fun game day appetizers like BBQ Meatball Sweet Potato Bites. Grab a bag of frozen meatballs and nestle them inside crisp and cheesy baked sweet potato cups. These saucy little snacks are easy to make, and you can even use gluten free meatballs.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
When most people talk about game day snacks, they are thinking about tailgating during football season. But what about March Madness? Yes, basketball season deserves fun party appetizers too. And these BBQ Meatball Sweet Potato Bites are perfect – they look like basketballs being dunked into the net!
But they taste so good that you’ll be adding them to all of your party menus! First, you start by making mini sweet potato cups that are crispy outside, soft inside, and nice and cheesy. Then just pop a meatball and some barbecue sauce on top. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors that will be a slam dunk with your friends and family!
Sweet Potato and Meatballs Come Together Into a Fun Party Snack
Here’s why you’ll love them…
- Uses a shortcut. Yes, while the sweet potato cups are made from scratch, you get to use a little help from the grocery store to streamline prep. Just pick up a bag of frozen meatballs!
- And only a few ingredients. But those simple sweet potato bites are made simply with sweet potatoes, egg whites, cheddar cheese, and a little salt. Then just top them with those meatballs brushed with your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Easily made gluten free. You can find gluten free frozen meatballs in the grocery store, and that’s all you need to swap to make these into a gluten free appetizer.
Recipe Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make these meatball sweet potato bites, with a few ingredient notes. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Sweet potatoes. You are going to peel and shred them, then use a kitchen towel to squeeze the shreds out really well to remove as much moisture as possible. This helps the bites stick together.
- Shredded cheddar cheese.
- Egg whites.
- Salt.
- Frozen meatballs. You can use your favorite brand, and they can be beef, pork, or turkey. If you need to, choose a brand that is gluten free, such as the Cooked Perfect, Rosina, and Jones Dairy Farm (at the time of writing. Always check updated information on labels and comapny websites).
- Barbecue sauce. Use any that you love, and it can be store-bought or homemade, like my Bourbon BBQ Sauce.
Then serve them with your favorite party snacks and some of your favorite dips, like these…
BBQ Meatball Sweet Potato Bites
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 24 frozen meatballs (beef, pork, or turkey, gluten free if needed)
- 1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and coat a mini muffin tin (with 24 cups) really well with nonstick cooking spray.
- Wash, dry, and peel 1 pound sweet potatoes. Shred the sweet potatoes using a box grater or food processor with a shredding blade attachment.
- In two to four portions, using a kitchen towel, squeeze all excess liquid out of the sweet potatoes. Take your time and really squeeze out as much as you can to ensure the cups hold together.
- In a bowl, combine the squeezed sweet potatoes, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 2 large egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix thoroughly with a fork,
- Divide the mixture between the muffin cups and press down firmly, really packing it in tightly. Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and press 24 frozen meatballs down firmly, one into each cup. Brush 1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce over the meatballs.
- Return to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cups are browned and crispy on the bottom.
- Remove from the oven and allow to col in the pan for several minutes before carefully loosening with a butter knife and popping the bites out of the muffin tin. If a couple break a little, just put it back in the tin to cool for a couple more minutes, or press it together on the plate and it’ll stay together as it cools slightly.
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I love the uniqueness of this recipe! I’m not usually a fan of sweet potatoes but my family is and I’m thinking this is going on the Easter list! Thanks for linking up with Delicious Dishes Recipe Party!
I pinned this lish looking appetizer! Can’t wait to try this soon! Thanks!
–G
gingerwroot.com
These look super yummy!!! Thanks for sharing at the Monday Funday Link Party – Emily!
These look so yummy. I have a much less healthy similar recipe, but I love all the sweet potatoes in this, and my boys love them so I think this would be a winner. Thanks!
These look great! But where I live they don’t sell this brand (Australia). Can you tell me are they fully cooked? Frozen? Just trying to figure out what I need to sub them with. Thanks
^ sorry the above comment I’m referring to the meatballs! Slightly important detail omitted!!
LOVE these for game day, or easy weekend entertaining dish!
These are SO fun!