Cowboy Meatballs

· Cooking · By ReportWire
Cowboy Meatballs

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Cowboy meatballs bring big, bold flavors to a classic dinner favorite! Packed with cheesy goodness and spices, they’re simmered in a smoky BBQ sauce with crispy bacon and a little kick from Rotel. So delicious you’ll want to scoop up every last drop.

Skillet with cheesy, saucy cowboy meatballs.

Saddle Up for a Family Favorite

  • Easy for Busy Nights: These meatballs come together with simple steps and can be made ahead, making dinner hassle free.
  • Comfort Food Everyone Loves: This is the kind of cozy meal that brings everyone to the table. Both kids and adults love these.
  • Great for Sharing: Serve them over mashed potatoes, with a side of air fryer broccoli, or add them to your next game day spread. They’re an easy meal for family dinners, parties, or potlucks.

Ingredients for Cowboy Meatballs

Overhead shot of labeled cowboy meatballs ingredients. Overhead shot of labeled cowboy meatballs ingredients.
  • Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko keeps the meatballs light and tender, but crushed saltine crackers or regular breadcrumbs work well too.
  • Bacon: Don’t pour out the bacon grease! Browning the meatballs in the drippings adds rich, smoky flavor and gives them a delicious crust.

How to Make Cowboy Meatballs

Meatballs are always a hit in my house! My family loves my Swedish meatballs (a reader favorite, too!), but these cowboy meatballs were a major success. My kids have already asked me to make them again!

  1. Combine: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, finely diced onion, egg, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  2. Mix and Roll: Mix until combined and roll into 12 large meatballs or 20 small meatballs.
  3. Cook Bacon: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the chopped bacon. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.
  4. Sear Meatballs: In the same skillet, add the meatballs and cook for 7-8 minutes. Turn occasionally until browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
  5. Make Sauce: Add Rotel, tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, and chicken broth to the skillet and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.
  6. Simmer and Serve: Add the cooked bacon and meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce is slightly reduced. Garnish Cowboy Meatballs with shredded cheddar cheese and sliced green onions and serve.
Meatball ingredients all added to a mixing bowl. Meatball ingredients all added to a mixing bowl.
Scooped and shaped meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Scooped and shaped meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bacon pieces cooking in a skillet.Bacon pieces cooking in a skillet.
Meatballs cooking in the bacon grease. Meatballs cooking in the bacon grease.
Sauce ingredients combined in the skillet. Sauce ingredients combined in the skillet.
Cooked meatballs added to the cooked down sauce. Cooked meatballs added to the cooked down sauce.

Alyssa’s Pro Tips

Meatballs: Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized meatballs, and mix the meat just until combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense and tough.

Must Have Tools For This Recipe

  • Large Skillet: Gives the meatballs room to brown and the sauce space to simmer.
  • Cookie Scoop: Keeps the meatballs evenly sized for even cooking.
  • Sharp Knife: Quickly chops the bacon, onion, cilantro, and green onions.

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  • In a large bowl, combine 1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ cup finely diced onion, 1 large egg, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix until combined and roll into 12 large meatballs or 20 small meatballs.

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 6 slices chopped bacon. Cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.

  • In the same skillet, add the meatballs and cook for 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on both sides and cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

  • Add 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel, 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce, 1 cup BBQ sauce, and ½ cup chicken broth to the skillet and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.

  • Add the cooked bacon and meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce is slightly reduced. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and sliced green onions and serve.

Storage Tips

  • In the Refrigerator: Store cooled meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
  • In the Freezer: Freeze uncooked or cooked meatballs in a single layer, then store in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag for up to 3 months.
  • Make Ahead: Prepared uncooked meatballs can be refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.

Calories: 549kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 36gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 2188mgPotassium: 912mgFiber: 3gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 1290IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 177mgIron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Close up shot of a spoon with a cowboy meatball and the cheesy sauce. Close up shot of a spoon with a cowboy meatball and the cheesy sauce.

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Alyssa Rivers

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