Gluten Free Meatballs are a healthy, 20 minute dinner the whole family will love. They're moist, juicy, and made with simple ingredients. You can bake, air fry, or pan fry these gluten free Italian meatballs for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Jump to:
- The Best Gluten Free Meatballs
- Why You'll Love These Gluten Free Meatballs
- Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Can I make these meatballs with ground turkey or ground chicken?
- How To Make Gluten Free Meatballs
- Expert Tips For The Best Gluten Free Meatballs
- What To Serve With Meatballs
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage and Reheating
- Did you love these tasty meatballs? Try one of these other healthy dinners next!
- Did you make this recipe?
- Gluten Free Meatballs
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The Best Gluten Free Meatballs
Of all the meatball recipes on my site, these gluten free meatballs might just be my favorite! They're super simple to prepare, are made with just a handful of ingredients, and cook in less than 20 minutes.
These Italian meatballs are packed with flavor, are moist and juicy, and, best of all, are completely gluten free and soy free.
This is a fantastic weeknight dinner, and is also a good one to meal prep for quick meals throughout the week. Be sure to also check out my gluten free chili and gluten free fried shrimp for more quick and healthy meals.
Why You'll Love These Gluten Free Meatballs
- They're gluten free and dairy free
- Made with pantry staple ingredients
- These healthy meatballs cook in under 20 minutes
- You can make them with turkey, chicken, pork, or beef
- They're perfectly moist and juicy
- Gluten free meatballs are a great, healthy weeknight dinner
- Serve them over pasta, use in meatball subs, or even meal prep for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Ground beef: I always prefer to use lean ground beef with a 93/7 fat ratio. You can use ground turkey, chicken, or pork though.
- Oat flour: Be sure yours is gluten free certified. I always make mine with Bob's Red Mill
- Egg: The egg helps bind the meatball mixture. If you can't have eggs, check out these eggless meatballs
- Non-dairy milk: The milk moistens the oat flour and keeps your meatballs from being dry. I usually use almond milk, but coconut milk, cashew milk, or whole milk (if you're not dairy free) will work.
- Onion: This recipe calls for grated onion in order to help with moisture and ensure the onion is fully cooked inside the meatballs. Substitute with ground onion powder if needed
- Spices: I use dried basil, salt, smoked paprika, and chili powder to add a ton of flavor. You could also use Italian seasonings or fresh garlic if desired.
Can I make these meatballs with ground turkey or ground chicken?
Yes, you can! I recommend ground turkey over ground chicken because ground chicken is leaner and tends to dry out quicker.
If you do use ground chicken, I suggest using one that is 93% lean instead of 99% lean and also adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the meatball mixture to help keep them moist.
How To Make Gluten Free Meatballs
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients, just don't overmix them
- Use a medium size cookie scoop to divide the gluten free meatball mixture into equal portions and then use your hands to roll them into balls
- Bake for 14-17 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F
- Carefully pull the meatballs out of the oven, cover in your favorite sauce, and enjoy!
Expert Tips For The Best Gluten Free Meatballs
- Keep the meat cold when making the meatball mixture because when the cold fat is cooked it releases steam and adds moisture
- Make sure your oat flour is gluten free certified
- Don't overmix the meatball mixture or they will be tough
- A cookie scoop helps ensure your meatballs are all the same size
- You can serve these in a hearty marinara sauce over gluten free pasta, or use in meatball subs
- Meal prep or freeze for quick and healthy dinners
What To Serve With Meatballs
These gluten free meatballs are fantastic over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles for a low-carb option. You can also serve them with air fryer hasselback potatoes, bacon wrapped asparagus, or over gluten free pasta or mashed potatoes for more gluten free choices. Be sure to check out this post for the 25 best sides dishes for meatballs!
Frequently Asked Questions
You'll know they're cooked when the outside is browned and the middle reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees f. You can check with a meat thermometer if desired.
Sure you can! Gluten free meatballs are a fantastic make ahead meal option. You can roll them and store in the fridge until you're ready to cook, or make and freeze them for quick weeknight dinners.
Yes, these freeze great! Cook them and let cool completely, then place into a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat, place frozen meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 300 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until warmed through.
The key is to not add too much of the gluten free panko. If you make them too dry, they're going to fall apart.
Storage and Reheating
STORING: You can store any leftover gluten free meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
FREEZING: Once cooked, let meatballs cool completely. Place them into a freezer safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
REHEATING: Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake at 300 degrees F for 15-20 minutes until warm throughout.
Did you love these tasty meatballs? Try one of these other healthy dinners next!
- Air fryer turkey meatballs
- Egg free meatballs
- Gluten free chili
- Gluten free chicken tenders
- Air fryer teriyaki chicken (gluten free option)
Did you make this recipe?
If so, I would appreciate you leaving a comment and star rating below. Also, follow me on Instagram and tag me or use #incoleskitchen so I can see what you make and share it.
PrintGluten Free Meatballs
Gluten Free Meatballs are a healthy, 20 minute dinner the whole family will love. They're moist, juicy, and made with simple ingredients. You can bake, air fry, or pan fry these gluten free Italian meatballs for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 Minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 18 Meatballs 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef (I use 93/7)
- 1 large egg- whisked
- ¼ cup grated onion
- ⅓ cup gluten free panko
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, whisked egg, grated onion, gluten free panko, grated parmesan cheese, salt, basil, garlic powder, paprika, and chili powder. Mix until JUST combined, you don't want to overwork the meat or it will get tough
- Use a medium size cookie scoop to divide the gluten free meatball mixture into 18 equal portions and then use your hands to roll them into balls
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14-17 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F
- Carefully pull the meatballs out of the oven, cover in your favorite sauce, and enjoy!
Notes
AIR FRYING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F and spray the bottom of the basket with olive oil spray
- Place meatballs in a single layer into the preheated basket and cook at 350F for 7-8 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F
PAN FRY INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a large cast iron skillet heat oil over medium heat
- Once the oil is hot, add a few meatballs making sure not to crowd the pan
- Cook until golden brown on all sides (about 2 minutes a side) and cooked fully through (about 15 minutes total)
- Keep the meat cold when making the meatball mixture because when the cold fat is cooked it releases steam and adds moisture
- Make sure your oat flour is gluten free certified
- Don't overmix the meatball mixture or they will be tough
- A cookie scoop helps ensure your meatballs are all the same size
- You can serve these in a hearty marinara sauce over gluten free pasta, or use in meatball subs
- Meal prep or freeze for quick and healthy dinners
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
Keywords: gluten free meat balls, gf meatballs, homemade gluten free meatballs
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