These delicious bacon cheeseburger meatballs are the perfect combination of gooey cheese, a savory burger, and the ease of meal prepping. They’re sure to be a hit with the summer barbecue circuit (and your busy schedule)!
Okay, everyone - summer is officially on its way! It’s been a long road but the telltale signs are peeking through the clouds and that can only mean one thing: it’s time for bacon cheeseburger meatballs.
Oh, is that not a staple for you? It certainly should be, and you’ll know why as soon as you taste them. Whether you serve them as an appetizer at a tailgate, a side at the holiday party, or the main course at dinner, they’re going to be the star of the show.
You also have the added bonus that they are great for meal prepping and throwing together in a hurry!
Don't forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- This recipe calls for lean ground beef, but you can substitute that for any ground meat of your choice.
- Diced dill pickles. I would just like to emphasize how delicious they are. It may seem unusual, but they are SO good at complementing all of the flavors in these meatballs. Swap for relish if you don't have pickles on hand.
- Bacon - you can cook the bacon yourself, or buy pre made bacon bits to save time and effort!
- Your favorite burger toppings. The recipe creates the meatballs themselves, but don’t forget to think about your favorite burger toppings. Lettuce, tomato, and hard-boiled egg would be a great addition if you wanted to make these meatballs into skewers.
- Cool your mixture before rolling. They will roll much better if they’re really cold, so put them in the fridge for about 15 minutes beforehand.
How to make your Meat Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs
These meatballs are so simple to make, and you’ll find you probably have the ingredients required already in your pantry or in the freezer.
First, you’ll need to mix the ground beef, bacon, spices, and egg mixture until well combined, and then cool it in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
Once it’s cooled and at a good texture to roll, you can start rolling the meatballs, adding the cheese cube, and shaping the meatballs around them.
You’ll be able to roll about 20 meatballs with the measurements I’ve supplied, and the final step is to bake them! About 20-25 minutes will do it and you’ll be on your way to the gooey burgery snack in no time.
Serving Suggestions
These can be served in many ways depending on your mood and the occasion. I personally like them with rice as a meal prep bowl, or on lettuce cups for a little low-carb meal.
It’s also delicious (and great for a party appetizer) to make these into skewers with your favorite burger toppings. You can stack lettuce, tomato, and (more) bacon on top of the meatball to make these an appetizer everyone will be obsessed with.
There’s no shortage of things you can do with these meatballs:
- Crispy Air Fryer Dill Pickles: Imagine serving your meatballs alongside these fried pickles, or even use the pickles as a part of your skewer!
- Air Fryer Curly Fries: A classic side for a burger.
- Mojito Fruit Salad: A light sweet treat perfect for the warmer weather.
Let me know how you enjoy your bacon cheeseburger meatballs by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram!
Of course! To freeze, follow the recipe directions up to the baking step. Freeze the meatballs raw on a sheet pan and then once they’re frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag.
Yes, they reheat well but the cooking time will nearly double since you’re baking them from frozen. If you need a quicker reheat option you can reheat them in the microwave, but I will say that’s not the best option because they will come out a bit more dry than you’d like.
Any ground meat of your choice! Whatever you choose doesn’t change the recipe.
If your mixture is too wet you can add a little bit of flour at a time until it’s at a good consistency. If it’s too dry, add a tiny splash of milk 1 tsp at a time.
Bacon Cheeseburger Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 lb lean ground beef or sub for any ground meat of choice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- ¼ cup diced dill pickles
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 20 cheese cubes
- 5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion powder, flour, diced dill pickles, salt and pepper. Be gentle and don't over mix.
- If your mixture is too wet to work with, add flour in 1 tsp increments to tighten the mixture up. If your mixture is too dry, add milk in 1 tsp increments to loosen it up.
- If you have the time, put the mixture into the fridge for 15 minutes to get nice and cold to make it easier to roll the meatballs. Not a necessary step, though.
- Form fairly large meatballs and place a cube of cheese on the meatball and then reform it around the cheese.
- Place the meatballs on a sheet pan and bake for 20-30 minutes until cooked fully.
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