Frugal -BBQ Meatballs with Cheese Grits

Posted on July 22, 2026

These BBQ Meatballs with Cheese Grits are the ultimate comfort food mashup — juicy, smoky pork meatballs glazed in tangy BBQ sauce served over a bed of rich, buttery cheddar grits. It's a Southern-inspired weeknight dinner that comes together in just 40 minutes with minimal fuss. Every bite delivers bold flavor and satisfying warmth that the whole family will love.

Frugal Dinner

Ingredients

BBQ Meatballs:

1 lb. ground pork

1 large egg

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 cup BBQ sauce, divided

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Cheese Grits:

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups milk

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 cup quick cooking grits

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2

Add the ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, 2 Tbsp BBQ sauce, salt, smoked paprika, and garlic powder to a bowl. Use your hands to mix the seasoning into the pork until everything is well combined.

3

Divide and shape the pork mixture into 16 meatballs about the size of ping pong balls. Place the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.

4

Transfer the meatballs to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

5

While the meatballs are baking, prepare the cheese grits. Combine the chicken broth, milk, and garlic powder in a medium saucepot. Place a lid on top and bring it up to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching.

6

Once boiling, stir in the quick cooking grits and salt. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the grits simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

7

Remove the grits from the heat and stir in the butter and pepper. Next, stir in the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time, until fully melted into the grits.

8

Once the meatballs have finished baking, add them to a clean bowl and pour the remaining BBQ sauce over top. Stir to combine. The heat from the meatballs will warm the BBQ sauce. If your BBQ sauce is cold from refrigeration, you may want to heat the meatballs and sauce in a saucepot over low for a few minutes.

9

To serve, place about one cup of the cheese grits in the bottom of a bowl. Top with four meatballs and some of the BBQ sauce. Enjoy!

Key Points About Ingredients:

• Quick-cooking grits cut down stovetop time significantly — look for brands labeled 'quick' or '5-minute' grits, not instant, for the best creamy texture.
• Using smoked paprika in the meatball mixture adds a subtle BBQ-adjacent depth of flavor even before the sauce is added.
• Stirring shredded cheddar into the grits one handful at a time ensures it melts smoothly without clumping or becoming grainy.
• Reserving most of the BBQ sauce (about 14 Tbsp) to toss with the finished meatballs means the coating stays sticky and glossy rather than baking on and drying out.
• Ground pork is naturally higher in fat than beef, which keeps these meatballs exceptionally moist and tender after baking.
• Combining chicken broth and milk as the grits liquid adds savory depth and creaminess that water alone cannot achieve.

Key Nutritional Insights:

• Each serving provides roughly 35g of protein, making this a muscle-supporting, filling dinner option.
• The cheese grits contribute a meaningful amount of calcium per serving thanks to both the milk and shredded cheddar cheese.
• Ground pork provides a good source of B vitamins, particularly B1 (thiamine) and B12, which support energy metabolism.
• This dish is relatively high in sodium due to the BBQ sauce, broth, and added salt — those watching sodium intake can opt for low-sodium broth and a reduced-sugar BBQ sauce.
• The saturated fat content is moderate-to-high given the pork, cheese, butter, and whole milk — a lighter swap would be part-skim cheddar and 2% milk.

• Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size1
• Amount per serving
• Calories720
• Standard DV% Daily Value*
• Total Fat38 g72 g52.78%
• Saturated Fat18 g20 g90%
• Trans Fat0.5 g
• Polyunsaturated Fat4 g
• Monounsaturated Fat13 g
• Cholesterol185 mg300 mg61.67%
• Sodium1420 mg2300 mg61.74%
• Total Carbohydrate55 g275 g20%
• Dietary Fiber2 g28 g7.14%
• Total Sugars22 g
• Added Sugars18 g50 g36%
• Sugar Alcohal0 g
• Protein35 g50 g70%
• Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)120 mcg20 mcg600%
• Calcium420 mg1300 mg32.31%
• Iron3 mg18 mg16.67%
• Potassium680 mg4700 mg14.47%
• Vitamin A820 mcg900 mcg91.11%
• Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)2 mg90 mg2.22%
• Vitamin E (Tocopherol)1.5 mg15 mg10%
• Vitamin K8 mcg120 mcg6.67%
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)0.7 mg1.2 mg58.33%
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)0.5 mg1.3 mg38.46%
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin)6 mg16 mg37.5%
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)0.5 mg1.7 mg29.41%
• Folate38 mcg400 mcg9.5%
• Vitamin B12 (Cobalamine)1.8 mcg2.4 mcg75%
• Biotin9 mcg30 mcg30%
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)1.2 mg5 mg24%
• Choline145 mg550 mg26.36%
• Phosphorus520 mg1250 mg41.6%
• Iodine55 mcg150 mcg36.67%
• Magnesium48 mg420 mg11.43%
• Zinc4 mg11 mg36.36%
• Selenium38 mcg55 mcg69.09%
• Copper0.2 mg0.9 mg22.22%
• Manganese0.4 mg2.3 mg17.39%
• Chromium8 mcg35 mcg22.86%
• Molybdenum18 mcg45 mcg40%
• Chloride420 mg2300 mg18.26%
• * The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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