Gluten-Free Meatballs (Dairy-Free)

These Gluten-Free Meatballs are tender, flavorful, and so easy to make! Ready in just 20 minutes, these meatballs are the perfect addition to your weeknight rotation.

Jump to:

• What I Love about these Gluten-Free Meatballs
• Ingredient Notes & Possible Substitutions
• Notes on Breadcrumbs
• How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs
• How to Make Paleo Breadcrumbs
• How to Make Gluten-Free Meatballs
• Storage
• Freezing Meatballs
• Meal Prep Tip
• Serving Suggestions
• Dietitian Notes
• Recipe Tips
• Try These Other Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes
• Did you try these Gluten-Free Meatballs?
• 📖 Recipe

These tender and flavorful meatballs are so simple to make and such an enjoyable comfort food. By prepping them and freezing them raw, you can be pull from the freezer anytime and have a homemade meal ready in minutes. Try this recipe for the best gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Looking for other great meatballs recipes? Try these Easy Keto Turkey Meatballs, these Wagyu Beef Meatballs, or these Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs.

Notes on Breadcrumbs

Although store-bought breadcrumbs will work, I highly recommend making homemade gluten-free breadcrumbs. The taste and texture is far superior, and they are functionally better and do not clump together when wet like the store-bought varieties.

If using store-bought breadcrumbs: Choose high-quality gluten-free breadcrumbs, and if you are using breadcrumbs that are not already finely ground (like Panko breadcrumbs) I recommend running them through a food processor until they are fine so that they can distribute better throughout the meat mixture. If you don't have a food processor, you can place the breadcrumbs in a Ziploc bag, seal it, and run a rolling pin over it several times until it is the desired texture.

How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs

Gluten-free breadcrumbs are really easy to make and only require about 30 minutes. Find the full recipe plus all the tips and tricks here: The Best Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs

Ingredients

• 4 cups gluten-free bread, cut into 1-inch cubes 3-5 slices (white bread or sourdough works best, but any variety can be used)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Drizzle the olive oil over the bread and then sprinkle with the Italian seasoning (if using) and the sea salt. Toss with a rubber spatula until all the bread is lightly coated.
4. Spread the bread out onto the prepared baking sheet. Avoid crowding. Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the bread is crispy (similar to croutons).
5. Transfer the bread from the baking sheet into a food processor, and process until finely ground.

Breadcrumb Storage

Store leftover breadcrumbs in a glass airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 2 months (as long as no moisture enters the container).

How to Make Paleo Breadcrumbs

I love making these paleo breadcrumbs for meatballs! They help the meatballs stay juicy and offer a great grain-free and lower-carb alternative to conventional breadcrumbs without sacrificing flavor. I've also tested conventional store-bought gluten-free breadcrumbs in this recipe, but I strongly recommend using these Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs or making these paleo breadcrumbs below.

I use a Simple Mills Artisan Bread Baking Mix to make these paleo breadcrumbs. Here is how to do it:

1. Using a Simple Mills Artisan Bread Baking Mix, bake 2 loaves using the flatbread instructions on the box.
2. Preheat the oven to 250 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Once baked, allow the loaves to cool slightly then break them up into bite-size pieces on the lined baking sheet. If you do not want leftover breadcrumbs, you could use half of 1 loaf to yield enough breadcrumbs for this recipe.
4. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the bread is adequately dried out.
5. Place the dry bread pieces in a food processor and process until fine breadcrumbs are achieved.
6. Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 weeks.

How to Make Gluten-Free Meatballs

Make Panade

Combine the egg, bread crumbs, beef stock, minced onion, chopped parsley, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and dried oregano in a large mixing bowl. Stir together with a rubber spatula until it is well mixed.

Mix in Meat

Add the ground to the mixing bowl and mix together using clean hands until the bread crumb mixture is evenly distributed throughout the beef.

Form Meatballs and Bake

• Use a 1-ounce scoop to divide the meatball mixture into 22-24 meatballs. Roll the meatballs between your hands until smooth and place on a baking sheet, ensuring they have about 1-inch of space between them.
• Place sheet pan in the oven and broil for 7-8 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F. Remove from the oven.

Making Meatballs in Air Fryer

• If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat the air fryer to 375 F for about 4 minutes. form the meatballs and place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Avoid overcrowding by leaving about 1 inch of space between each meatball. Work in batches if needed.
• Place the meatballs in the air fryer and air fry for about 8-12 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of at least 165 F (10 was perfect for my air fryer, but cooking time will vary based on how close the meatballs are together and the type/size of the air fryer). Repeat until all of the meatballs are cooked.

Storage

Store leftover cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 3-4 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or air fryer until warmed through.

For longer storage, freeze meatballs. See the instructions below.

Freezing Meatballs

Freezing Cooked Meatballs

I prefer to freeze the meatballs raw because they taste fresh and only take a few extra minutes to cook. You can freeze leftover cooked meatballs in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 1 month, but I feel like they do not reheat as well. Simply thaw in the fridge for 12 hours and reheat, or reheat from frozen in the microwave or air fryer until warmed through.

Freezing Raw Meatballs

Freezing these meatballs raw is my favorite because they taste fresh and can be cooked from frozen or thawed. To freeze, form the meatballs and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are partially frozen. Transfer to the a freezer-safe airtight container lined with parchment paper. If you have space, you can add another layer of meatballs in the same container by separating it with an additional sheet of parchment paper. Place the container in the freezer and freeze for up to 1 month.

To cook: Either thaw the raw meatballs in the fridge for about 12 hours or cook from frozen. Cook thawed meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and broil for about 8 minutes, or air fry at 375 F for about 10 minutes. Frozen meatballs will require an extra minute or two in the oven air fryer to reach an internal temp of 165 F.

Meal Prep Tip

I am the meatball queen (never thought I would self-proclaim that, but here we are) and I am here to tell you that freezing raw meatballs and pulling them from the freezer is the perfect meal solution for busy people trying to feed their family or get their protein in. It makes for a supremely quick weeknight meal or healthy lunch.

To do so, freeze the meatballs according to the instructions above. When you are ready to eat them, pull as many meatballs from the freezer as you want to eat and cook in the air fryer for about 11 minutes at 375 F or broil them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 8-9 minutes (or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F).

Serving Suggestions

These meatballs are moist, flavorful, and so comforting. They can complement a variety of dishes. Use them to add some substance to a soup, serve them with pasta and your favorite sauce, present them with a marinara dipping sauce for an appetizer, or put them on a gluten-free meatball sub.

Try adding these meatballs to this Creamy Paleo Tomato Basil Soup, or this Keto Tomato Soup. Or use them with this simple Whole30 Marinara Sauce.

Gluten-Free Noodles

I love serving these meatballs with spiraled zucchini, Jovial Gluten-Free Capellini or Jovial Grain-Free Spaghetti made with cassava, but you can use your favorite gluten-free pasta!

Try These Other Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes

Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:

📖 Recipe