Name: Barbecue Meatball Bowls with Avocado Goddess Sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 1 pound (454 grams) ground sirloin or lean/extra-lean ground beef; 1 tablespoon dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 large egg; 1/3 cup Panko; 1 tablespoon dried basil; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 large garlic clove, minced; 2/3 cup barbecue sauce; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 tablespoon tamari; 3 tablespoons water; 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes; 1 bunch of broccoli, cut into medium florets; 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; Sea salt and pepper, to taste; 1 ripe avocado; 1/2 cup Greek yogurt; Juice of 1 lime; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; Big handful of fresh herbs (I used a combination of basil and dill); 4 cups cooked quinoa or brown rice

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Healthy, wholesome barbecue meatball bowls with saucy barbecue meatballs, roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, roasted broccoli, and avocado goddess sauce are the perfect meal! Packed with protein, healthy fat, fibre, antioxidants, and complex carbs, this bowl will keep you going for hours. Best of all, it is so full of flavour and colour!

high angle overhead shot of the bowl surrounded by dishes of avocado sauce and roasted sweet potato

Happy Monday! Hope everyone’s week is off to a great start!

Today I am sharing a wonderful weeknight dinner recipe: barbecue meatball bowls with avocado goddess sauce. All of the things that I love in one bowl: Roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli, quinoa, meatballs smothered in a tangy/salty/sweet barbecue sauce, and avocado goddess sauce. If you really want to take things over the top, add some grated or diced cheddar cheese to the mix. Delicious!

straight on angled shot of a barbecue meatball bowl on a light pink backdrop with a yellow towel arranged around it

If you are plant-based, feel free to swap out the beef meatballs for store-bought vegan meatballs or these black lentil walnut meatballs. The lentil walnut meatballs, while time consuming, are hearty and satisfying.

why you’ll love these barbecue meatball bowls

They’re:

-Packed with bioavailable, readily absorbed complete protein
-A complete meal with ample amounts of carbohydrates, protein, healthy fat, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
-Perfect for meal prep
-Family friendly
-Simple to prepare

overhead shot of the bowl of bbq meatballs, quinoa, sweet potato, broccoli, and avocado sauce

ingredients you’ll need for these bowls

For the barbecue meatballs:

Ground sirloin or lean/extra-lean ground beef
Dijon mustard
Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt
Pepper
Egg
Panko
Smoked paprika
Oregano
Basil
Garlic
Barbecue sauce
Balsamic vinegar
Tamari
Water

For the avocado goddess sauce:

Avocado
Greek yogurt
Lime juice
Garlic
Sea salt
Fresh herbs (such as cilantro, parsley, basil, or dill- or a combo)

For the roasted sweet potato and broccoli:

Sweet potatoes
Broccoli
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

For serving:

Cooked quinoa or brown rice

process shot of the meatballs in a cast iron skillet

process shot of the bbq meatballs in a cast iron skillet

step by step instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Start by mixing up the meatballs. In a bowl, combine the beef, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, Panko, smoked paprika, oregano, basil, and garlic. Mix by hand to combine. Roll into 16 balls and place on a plate. Warm two teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the meatballs and brown for a couple of minutes, until browned on all sides.

Transfer the skillet into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli. Place the sweet potatoes on a large, rimmed baking sheet and the broccoli on another. Drizzle the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange in an even layer. Repeat this step with the broccoli on a second large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast the broccoli for 20 minutes and the sweet potatoes for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, combine the barbecue sauce, balsamic vinegar, tamari, and water in a bowl and whisk to combine. Once the meatballs come out of the oven, pour the sauce evenly over top of them and cook for a few minutes on the stovetop, until the sauce is hot and thickens slightly around the meatballs.

Make the avocado goddess sauce: In a food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade, combine the avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, salt, and herbs. Process until smooth.

Serve: Divide the quinoa, sweet potatoes, broccoli, meatballs, and avocado sauce between bowls. Enjoy!

more healthy bowl recipes

Finally, I hope that you love these barbecue meatball bowls with avocado goddess sauce! If you make them, let me know how you enjoyed them by leaving a comment below the post. If you love this and want to see more recipes, subscribe to my email list! You can also follow me on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Enjoy!