Gluten Free Italian Style Meatballs are incredibly yummy, filling, hearty and versatile. They can be an easy appetizer or finger food for a game day party. You can top them with tomato sauce and put them on pasta for a meal. Or turn them into a meatball sub sandwich smothered in marinara and melted mozzarella cheese. Oh... that sounds so good to me right now. These would be really good along side my Ridonculous Gluten Free Mac and Cheese too.
Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs are needed in meatballs to help absorb liquid as the meat cooks, which in turn keeps them tender and juicy. You can use dried, store bought gluten free breadcrumbs if you want, but I prefer to make my own using fresh bread. I think the fresh bread holds the moisture better, keeping the meatballs lighter and not quite as dense as it is with dried crumbs or oatmeal. To make the breadcrumbs, I take 2-3 slices of gluten free bread (I use Udi’s New Delicious Sandwich Bread) and pulse it in my food processor a few times. Super quick and I usually don’t have to wash my food processor out, just wipe the bread crumbs off and it is good to go.
Mix and Roll
It is such a relief sometimes when the recipe amounts to putting everything in one bowl and mixing it up. That’s all there is to it for these yummy meatballs. I use a scoop to measure out the mix so they are all equal size. This is important for them to cook evenly. Then just place them on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven. They are done in less than 20 minutes! Love it!
Complete the Meal
Gluten Free Italian Style Meatballs go really well with Buratta Salad, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Maple Glazed Bacon Wrapped Green Beans. Roasted Gourmet Potatoes and Garlicky Brussels Sprouts would be yummy too. Top it all off with a Limoncello Bundt Cake and you may need to roll yourself into bed, but you will be smiling all the way;-)
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs ground beef or turkey
- 1 ½ cups fresh ground gluten free bread crumbs - made from 2-3 slices of gluten free bread
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup worcestershire sauce - Lea & Perrins is gluten free, that is what I use
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet or two with aluminum foil.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Your hands really are the best tool for the job… gross and messy, I agree, but it must be done:-( You can always wear clean plastic kitchen gloves if you wish;-)
- Shape mixture into balls slightly larger than a golf ball and place them on the baking sheet(s) about an inch apart. I use a medium size scoop (3 tablespoons) to keep them evenly sized, but make them however you wish. I promise there aren’t any Meatball Police who will show up and haul you away for badly shaped meatballs. Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust the baking time based on the size you make them in comparison to mine.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. The cheese will start to melt out of them and they will be slightly browned. Remove and serve as appetizers just as they are, with sauce or on top of pasta and tomato sauce. So many ways to enjoy these classic meatballs!
- If you want to cook the meatballs in a sauce, I would suggest baking them first. Take them out of the oven as soon as they hold their shape (around 10-13 minutes), then add them to the warm sauce and cook for the remaining time. This will help to keep the meatballs soft, juicy and flavorful. It will also help to flavor the sauce. Win-win!
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