Gluten Free Meatballs
Not only are these meatballs gluten-free and dairy-free but they are easy to make in your slow cooker with only 5 ingredients and a few minutes of your time! Make the gravy for an even more delicious meal!
It’s no secret that I love to make (and eat!) meatballs given the sheer volume of meatball recipes here on my site.
But it occurred to me that I have yet to post a gluten-free meatball recipe, until now. This is a recipe I’ve tested with gluten-free panko breadcrumbs in place of the regular. I like these for the way they most resemble regular breadcrumbs soaked in milk and don’t give that grainy and nutty flavor that can come from making gluten-free meatballs with almond flour.
This recipe is fairly simple and utilized a basic spice blend for flavor, but you can certainly swap out the spices to customize to your own preferences.
Ingredient Notes:
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I used a mix of ground pork and ground beef for added flavor, but feel free to use just one or the other
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There are several brands of gluten-free panko breadcrumbs and they are generally easy to find at most grocery stores
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You can use regular or dairy-free milk like almond or cashew to soak the breadcrumbs
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This is the herb and garlic seasoning I used, but feel free to use another brand or try a different flavor combo
- I used dairy-free cream to finish off the sauce, but you can leave this out as well
Preparation Notes:
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Allow 5-10 minutes for the breadcrumbs to become fully soaked
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Use your hands and mix the ingredients well but gently
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Overworking the meat mixture could create tough meatballs
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The sauce will appear separated but once you remove the meatballs you can whisk to combine
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If desired you can also strain the gravy before serving
Equipment Notes:
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I used a casserole slow cooker to make the meatballs in a single layer but you can also stack them in a regular slow cooker
Related Recipes:
Serve these up with my delicious Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes for one amazing meal!
How to prep ahead:
- Make the meatballs and place uncooked on a parchment lined baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours and then transfer to a freezer bag
- Thaw fully before cooking
How to store leftovers:
Let cool completely then store in air tight containers in fridge up to 3 days
Gluten Free Meatballs
Not only are these meatballs gluten-free and dairy-free but they are easy to make in your slow cooker with only 5 ingredients and a few minutes of your time! Make the gravy for an even more delicious meal!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/4 cup gluten free panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup dairy free milk
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons herb and garlic seasoning
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons dairy free cream
Instructions
- Mix together breadcrumbs with milk and set aside for 5-10 minutes to soak
- Add soaked breadcrumbs to ground meat, egg and seasoning in a bowl and mix gently with hands until combined
- Form into 14-16 equal sized meatballs and place in slow cooker
- Mix together tapioca flour with an equal amount of water until smooth and then mix with broth and tomato paste
- Pour over meatballs and cover
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8
- Remove meatballs and set aside
- Add dairy free cream to sauce in slow cooker and whisk until smooth
- Serve meatballs topped with sauce
Notes
You can use regular or dairy-free milk like almond or cashew to soak the breadcrumbs
I used dairy-free cream to finish off the sauce, but you can leave this out as well
To prep ahead: Make the meatballs and place uncooked on a parchment lined baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours and then transfer to a freezer bag and thaw fully before cooking
Let leftovers cool completely then store in air tight containers in fridge up to 3 days
I used dairy-free cream to finish off the sauce, but you can leave this out as well
To prep ahead: Make the meatballs and place uncooked on a parchment lined baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours and then transfer to a freezer bag and thaw fully before cooking
Let leftovers cool completely then store in air tight containers in fridge up to 3 days
Nutrition
Calories: 411kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 30gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 326mgPotassium: 580mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 188IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @slowcookergourmet or tag #slowcookergourmet!
Important nutritional disclaimer
These were easy and amazing. I used canned coconut whipping cream because I couldn’t find the Silk brand mentioned in this recipe. These cooked faster than 6-8 hours in my slow cooker. 4 hours on high was all it took. Will definitely make again.