Before I discovered my tomato allergies, I enjoyed meatballs just like my Sicilian grandmother used to make. I still make sauce for my husband, though. He’s usually happy with Italian sausage, but I can’t seem to find good Italian sausages without nitrates. Therefore, I’ve gone back to making him meatballs. He loves them and I hope you do as well.
Delicious gluten free Italian meatballs that you can serve as an appetizer or with your favorite gluten free pasta.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. Seasoned Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons dry)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb.ground dark meat chicken or turkey (or more ground pork sausage, beef, bison)
- 1 lb. gluten free pork sausage, casings removed (mild or spicy), beef, or bison
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, basil, parsley, milk, salt, pepper, eggs, garlic and onions (*see Tips).
- Add the poultry and/or meat; and using your hands, combine all of the ingredients.
- Scoop the mixture and form about 1 1/2-inch balls until the mixture is used up. Transfer the meatballs on a non-stick baking sheet (or one lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Spray/spritz the top with olive oil and bake on center shelf for 15 - 25 minutes (20 minutes was good for mine), depending upon fat content.**.
- Add the meatballs to your favorite Gluten Free Italian Spaghetti Sauce Recipe and cook until meatballs are heated thoroughly, about 10 minutes.
- Serve atop your favorite gluten free pasta and sauce topped with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. These meatballs can also be served as an appetizer after warming it in the sauce.
Tips
*When serving these meatballs as an appetizer, I add about 2 tablespoons of my spaghetti sauce to the mix to sweeten it.
**Be sure to bake the meatballs long enough to remove all of the excess fat, as leaving in the meatballs causes them to fall apart easily. This may vary depending upon the fat content of your ground meat/poultry. Use your judgement or sample the meatballs. Just don't allow them to get too brown.
Allergens vary when using sausage and which breadcrumbs you use.