You guys know how I feel about meatballs, right? Well I’m also a huge fan of cooking things on a sheet pan. So I decided to bring these two favorite things of mine together to make these Sheet Pan BBQ Meatballs, complete with roasted peppers and onions, and big slices of sweet pineapple. This meal is delicious, easy, and packs up well for meal prep! WIN.

Use Two Sheet Pans for Best Results

While you can do this all on one sheet pan, you’ll definitely get better results using two pans. Why? Because the peppers and onions caramelize better when they have room to breathe. If they’re too crowded, the steam will get trapped they’ll just get kind of soft instead of having those nice brown flavorful edges. Of course, if convenience is your priority, you may choose to use one pan.

Can I Use a Different Meat?

Absolutely! These meatballs work great with ground pork, beef, or chicken instead of the ground turkey listed in the recipe below.

Do I Need to Line The Sheet Pans?

This is really up to you. I ended up lining the sheet pan I used for my meatballs with parchment paper and left the sheet pan with the peppers, onions, and pineapple unlined. Lining the sheet pan makes clean up a lot easier, but you do get less caramelization since the vegetables are not in direct contact with the hot pan. So, if you prefer easy clean up, go ahead and line both pans. If you prize flavor over convenience, leave the pan (or pans) unlined.

How to Make Sheet Pan BBQ Meatballs – Step by Step Photos

Begin by preheating the oven to 400ºF. Combine 1 lb. ground turkey, one large egg, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce (save the remaining ¼ cup for later), ¼ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, and ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until evenly combined.

Divide and shape the meat mixture into 16 meatballs. I do this by first dividing the mixture into four portions, then dividing and shaping each of those portions into four meatballs. Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Set them aside.

Slice one yellow onion and one red bell pepper into ¼-inch wide strips. Place the peppers and onions on a second baking sheet and drizzle with 1 Tbsp cooking oil. Toss to coat in the oil, then season with ⅛ tsp salt.

Move the peppers and onions over to one side of the baking sheet. Remove the pineapple slices from the can and blot them dry with paper towel. Place the pineapple slices on the other half of the baking sheet with the peppers and onions. Transfer both sheet pans to the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

While the meatballs, peppers, onions, and pineapple are cooking, begin the rice. Add 1 cup long grain white rice to a sauce pot with 1.5 cups water. Place a lid on top, turn the heat on to high, and bring the water up to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and let the rice simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let the rice rest, undisturbed and lid in place, until the rest of the meat is finished.

After having roasted for 15 minutes, remove the sheet pan with the peppers, onions, and pineapple from the oven. Give the peppers and onions a stir. Use a brush to lightly coat the pineapple with 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce. Return the sheet pan to the oven.

Remove the sheet pan with the meatballs and use the brush to lightly coat them with the remaining 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce. Return the sheet pan to the oven. Finish roasting both sheet pans for an additional 10 minutes.

After the final 10 minutes you should have some nice caramelization on the peppers and onions and the meatballs will be cooked through.

Fluff the rice with a fork, then add ¾ cup rice to each bowl or meal prep container. Divide the peppers, onions, BBQ meatballs, and pineapple slices between each bowl or container. Top with sliced green onions and serve, or refrigerate until ready to eat (3-4 days).

What a delicious meal!!

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