Gluten Free Italian Style Meatballs
Tender, juicy meatballs simmered in a rich crushed tomato sauce — this is the kind of deeply satisfying Italian-American comfort food that feels like it took all day, even though it comes together in a single skillet. The secret to keeping them light and moist is a classic panade: gluten free breadcrumbs soaked in whole milk until they form a soft paste that gets folded right into the beef and pork mixture. That technique, combined with finely grated Parmesan, fresh parsley, and minced garlic, gives you meatballs with real depth of flavor and a texture that holds together beautifully without any wheat flour in sight. Searing them first in olive oil builds a gorgeous crust, and then finishing them low and slow in the sauce means every bite is infused with that savory tomato goodness. Traditional meatball recipes almost always call for regular breadcrumbs, which makes store-bought or restaurant versions a minefield — here, the swap is seamless and nobody at the table will know the difference. Serve straight from the skillet with a scatter of fresh basil, and don't forget something to soak up all that sauce. Makes 4 generous servings.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the meatballs
- ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 2 large eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For serving
- fresh basil leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, combine the gluten free breadcrumbs and milk. Stir together and let sit for 5 minutes until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the milk and formed a soft paste (a panade).
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan, eggs, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Add the soaked breadcrumb panade and mix with your hands until just combined — stop as soon as no streaks remain; overmixing will tighten the meatballs.
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