A Mind-Blowing Simple Recipe for Gluten Free Meatballs

The Search for Gluten Free Meatballs Recipes

Growing up meatballs were one of my favorite foods. But as I grew up and moved out on my own cooking meatballs seemed like to much work. Fast forward a few years when I had an interest in cooking meatballs for myself, being Celiac, made meatballs seem completely out of reach without the ability to add breadcrumbs to the ground meat.

This began the search for gluten free meatballs recipes. I began experimenting trying all types of complex mixtures and additions all the while looking for a simple recipe for gluten free meatballs. Little did I know it was really an incredibly simple recipe for gluten free meatballs that would make tasty meatballs and memories of my childhood within reach.

Meatballs in Different Cultures

The origin of the humble meatball is not clearly known, with types or variations of meatballs present in the cooking of many cultures. This worldwide love of meatballs shows how a simple ball of ground meat can be adapted to the flavors of the region. The universal appeal of meatballs has also led to the use of a variety of different meats, depending on what is most commonly available or consumed in the region.

Different Types of Meat to Use in Meatballs

Working through recipe after recipe for gluten free meatballs I was amazed at the wide variety of meat that can be used in meatballs.

Beef – used alone or in a combination with pork, beef provides a hearty meaty meatball.
Pork – used to add flavor and moisture to other meats in meatballs. Pork only meatballs are great in Asian inspired soup. Or try chorizo sausage meat to make a fantastic tasting meatball that pairs beautifully with tomato sauces
Goat/Lamb – common to Mediterranean and middle eastern flavors ground goat or lamb can be used to make meatballs
Turkey/Chicken – poultry meatballs are a great way to add a new twist to your favorite meatball dishes.
Fish – fish meatballs are most often cooked and served in broth as part of a soup dish.
Veggie meatballs made from ground lentils, chickpeas, or beans, or veggie ground meat (Beyond Meat) can be made for adoption of plant-based diets.

What Size to Make Meatballs

In my search to find a simple recipe for gluten free meatballs I stumbled into yet another question, is there a correct size to make meatballs? I made meatballs the same size that my mother had when I was growing up but was that correct or just tradition?

Typically, meatballs to be used in a soup are smaller. Meatballs to be used as a main course are typically larger. With meatballs intended to be used as an appetizer in the middle. Who knew that the size of meatballs was like ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, too small, too big and just right! More important than the size of the meatball is that the meatballs be of a consistent size to provide even cooking of each meatball.

Expert Tip:
 Use a baking scoop to scoop out the meatball mixture to get consistent-sized meatballs for even cooking.

The answer to the question of is there a correct size to make meatballs, is surprisingly simple, whatever size you want to make them! That took away a bunch of pressure in the search for a simple recipe for gluten free meatballs.

Ways to Cook Meatballs

In my cooking adventure through gluten free meatballs recipes, I soon discovered that not only was there many different additions, but that there was also a wide range of methods used to cook meatballs. Some of methods to cook meatballs I tried included:

Frying pan – just the way my mother had done brown the meatballs to give a nice crisp outer layer or crust.
Deep-fried – deep frying the meatballs worked great giving the meatball a nice even crispy exterior and with a moist center. However, deep frying was messy and at times the greasy surface of the meatball would take away from the sauce or meatball dish.
Oven – on a baking sheet in the oven worked well for large batches with minimal attention after the meatballs had been formed. While this made less of a mess than deep frying, the meatballs lacked the extra texture and flavor from the outer surface being browned.
Air fryer – in the air fryer fever that took hold early in the pandemic I had read that you could make meatballs in an air fryer. While I love the air fryer for wings, and fries for meatballs it was limited to a single layer when the meatballs were raw to avoid turning into something resembling a loosely packed meatloaf.
Simmered in sauce or broth – limited to meatballs that are to be served in a soup or sauce my experimenting with this cooking style for gluten free meatballs recipes was limited to meatball soup, preferring to brown the meatballs first before finishing to cook them in the sauce or broth.

Ways to Serve Gluten Free Meatballs

Meatballs can be used in such a wide variety of dishes and styles

Appetizer

Meatballs make a great appetizer try these meatball ideas for your next party.

Sweet and sour meatballs with a chunk of pineapple on a toothpick
Mozzarella stuffed meatballs in marinara
Basic meatballs with a variety of dipping sauces on the side.

See our list of dairy and gluten free appetizers for more fantastic appetizer ideas.

In a sauce

A classic way to serve meatballs is simmered in a sauce to add richness to the meal. These are some of our favorite ways to enjoy meatballs, I am sure you will too.

Sweet and sour meatballs over rice
Spaghetti and meatballs with a rich tomato marinara sauce
Meatballs with mushrooms and gravy much like a beef stroganoff

Soup

Meatballs can add extra interest, flavor, and texture to a bowl of soup. Give these meatball soup ideas a try on the next cool rainy day.

Hearty meatball vegetable soup
Asian inspired pork meatball pho style soup

Sandwich or Pizza Topping

As such a universally loved way to prepare meat, meatballs have been used to create all types of new classics.

Use meatballs as a pizza topping
Meatball sub sandwich with marinara sauce

Recipe for Gluten Free Meatballs

The basic recipe for gluten free meatballs serves as a meatball base that can be transformed to reflect the cultural flavors of the dish where the meatball is to be used. Or left as a simple seasoned universal flavor for use in a wide variety of dishes.

INGREDIENTS

¾ pound Lean Ground beef
¼ pound Ground Pork
½ cup Gluten Free Rolled Oats
1 Egg
1 Tbsp of desired Spice blend (see below)
Milk as needed to moisten the mixture

STEPS:

Place ground meat in wide bowl.
Use your hand to create an indentation in the center of the meat to add the egg, oats and spice blend.
Mix the ingredients together by hand. Do not over mix to avoid creating a meat paste that will take away from the texture of the meatball making it tough.
Add milk to moisten the meatball mixture as needed
Wet hands to roll or lightly oil hands to prevent meat from sticking
Gently roll portions into balls
Set formed meatballs to the side until ready to begin cooking.
Cook using your preferred cooking method, browning in a frying pan is adds a nice crisp crust to the meatballs.
Use the meatballs in your favorite gluten free meatball dish.

Spice Blends Recipe Gluten Free Meatballs

Have your meatballs help you to travel the world by changing the spice blend that you use in the basic recipe for gluten free meatballs. These are our favorite spice blends for meatballs, but let your creativity flow and choose spices that you are familiar with or are local to the region of food that you are using the meatballs in.

Use the universal spice blend to make meatballs ahead. 
Lightly brown and freeze individually on a sheet pan. When frozen they can be placed in a zip-lock bag or container for later convenient addition to a wide variety of dishes.

Universal basic gluten free meatball spice blend

Garlic
Salt
Pepper

Italian inspired seasoning blend

Basil
Garlic
Oregano
Rosemary
Thyme

Tex-Mex inspired

Cumin
Garlic
Onion
Chilli powder
Paprika
Oregano
Cayenne

Make This Recipe for Gluten Free Meatballs Your Own

This basic recipe for gluten free meatballs can easily be modified to make it your own. Try adding ¼ cup of shredded cheese to the meat mixture for added flavor. Or use a small chunk of cheese to stuff the meatballs. For another way to modify this recipe for gluten free meatballs and make it your own try exchanging the ground beef with ground turkey to create lovely turkey gluten free meatballs.

How have you used this basic recipe for gluten free meatballs your own? What are your favourite modifications? What have you tried that did not work as planned? Let us know.