Gluten-Free Meatballs (Quick & Easy)
Whether you need a quick meal to bring together for dinner, are planning an upcoming potluck, or want to prep some options for future meals, this gluten-free meatball recipe is right for you. Most of the ingredients are in your kitchen, and it’s a very diverse recipe that can be changed and spiced up based on your taste buds or dietary needs.
I often make these for hockey tournament weekends when we’re trying to save some money with a team potluck. If we have any leftovers, my son requests them for his lunches. I now make these in double batches and freeze them for later.
You and your family will enjoy these and not even know they are gluten-free meatballs. They are juicy and flavorful!
Bring it all together
There’s so much flavor to bring together, and what more straightforward way to do it than to throw it all in one bowl?
Fridge Ingredients:
- Ground Beef (or pork, turkey, or even a beef/pork mixture is excellent)
- Parmesan cheese
- I prefer the shredded over grated (powder), but both work well
- Egg
Pantry/cabinets Ingredients:
- Onion and garlic powder
- Dried parsley
- Crackers (preferably Breton Gluten-Free crackers)
- Other options can also be found here: 5 Favorite Gluten-Free Crackers
Bring on the marinara and pasta if you want to make it a meal! I use Thrive to get many of my pantry items as it’s easy and takes the thinking out of ‘is this gluten-free or not’. If you aren’t already a member, you can get a discount via this link: Thrive Market.
Gluten-Free Kids
You can always use a blender or food processor to break the crackers into crumbs. OR, you can…
Put those kids to work, or act like a kid yourself. Place the crackers in a plastic bag, make sure it’s sealed tightly and with minimal air in the bag, then shake them and break them like crazy.
My son had a blast dancing around, slamming the bag on the counter, squishing it with his hands, and participating in the process. Plus, it made us both laugh a lot.
The other way to get them involved is (with clean hands) letting them mix all the ingredients in the bowl with their hands. Squish the flavors throughout the meat and mix well. Now it’s time for some rolling.
Rollin'
To make the meatballs somewhat even in size, I use a dinner spoon or a small ice cream scoop and roll them in my hands.
Space them about 1-2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Placing the meatballs on parchment paper will help keep the mess minimal, reduce the potential of the meatballs sticking to the cookie sheet, and help even the baking.
Pop them in the oven at 375° and bake for 18 minutes, or until they reach 160° in temp.
Final Touches & Options
Serving Meatballs
Once the meatballs have been cooked, add them to a saucepan with some gluten-free marinara sauce. I love this one from Thrive.
Simmer for ~5 – 10 minutes. You can do longer, as it allows the flavors to come together. The meatballs are already cooked, so you don’t have to worry about how long they cook.
Serve with some pasta, or you can dip the meatballs in marinara. Grab some GF rolls and enjoy your meatball subs again, gluten-free style.
Additional Cooking Options
These are quickly cooked in the crockpot or pressure cooker to avoid turning on the oven. I do this often for potlucks.
- Crockpot – Add the meatballs and sauce to the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8.
- Pressure Cooker – One recommendation if you have the saute/sear options is to throw the meatballs in on medium-high to brown them before adding the sauce. You can turn down the temperature to simmer or seal and use the pressure cooking option for ~10-15 minutes.
Quick & Easy Gluten-Free Meatballs
Equipment
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 Large Cookie Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Oven
- Mixing Bowls/Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground beef (Other options: turkey, chicken, beef/pork mixture)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup Breton Gluten-Free crackers crushed
- 2 Tbsp Dried parsley
- ½ tsp Onion powder
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste (recommend at least ½ tsp each)
- 1 Egg
- 25 oz Gluten-free Marinara (optional)
- Gluten-free Pasta Spaghetti, Ziti (optional)
Instructions
Preparation Time
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper
Bringing It All Together
- Using a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients together1 lb Ground beef, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 Tbsp Dried parsley, ½ tsp Onion powder, ½ tsp Garlic powder, Salt & pepper, 1 Egg, ½ cup Breton Gluten-Free crackers
- Note: Works well to take off your rings and mix them with your clean bare hands
- Roll the mixture into meatballs, sizing ~1-1.5 inch
- Line them on the parchment paper, ~1 inch apart from each other
Baking & Dishing it Up!
- Bake, uncovered, for 18 minutes or until 160° in temp
- Serve warm alone or with marinara sauce25 oz Gluten-free Marinara, Gluten-free Pasta
Notes
Enjoy life and eat well!
K 😉
