Today I’ll be sharing a meatball recipe without breadcrumbs, in case you ned gluten-free meatballs, or perhaps you’ve run out. These easy meatballs are also egg free, making them very allergy friendly. In the ingredient notes, I also have info on how you can swap the protein if you need to make turkey meatballs, ground chicken meatballs, and so on.
If you’re new to egg & wheat free meatball making, know that you can still have tender meatballs that are juicy, without a panade (milk + breadcrumb combo that’s added to a meatball mixture). The key is to not overwork your meat, and really keep a close eye on your cook time.
Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nut (including Coconut), Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Top 14 Allergens, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Celery, Cinnamon, Citrus, Cooking Oil/Added Fats, Cruciferous, Latex Cross Reactive Foods (H/M), Legume, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Nightshade, Oat, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Rice, Squash & Gourd, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Friendly To: GAPs, Paleo, SCD
Compatible With: AIP Paleo, EOE, FPIES, Alpha Gal, Corn Free, Red Meat Free, Seed Free
EOE & FPIES: Use a safe-for-you ground meat. Pork and bison are both great choices.
Corn Free: Source safe/truly corn free ingredients. This recipe can be made truly corn free with the right raw materials and spices. Use bison if beef isn’t an option.
Alpha Gal & Red Meat Free: Use ground turkey or ground chicken.
AIP Paleo & Seed Free: Skip the optional cumin.
Tools to Make Meatballs Without Breadcrumbs & Eggs
Link Note: I’ve linked you to the items I personally use and love on Amazon.
- Large Bowl + Large Fork
- Garlic Press (if using fresh garlic)
- Medium Cookie Scoop
- Baking Sheet
- Instant-Read Thermometer
Egg + Breadcrumb Free Meatball Ingredients
- 900g Grass Fed Beef (32 ounces/2 lbs)
- 200g Organic Honey of Choice
- 2 TBSP Organic Onion Granules
- 3 – 4 tsp Organic Garlic (chopped or finely minced)
- 3.5 tsp Sea Salt
- 2.5 tsp Organic Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Organic Garlic Granules
- Organic Ground Black Pepper to Taste
- Optional: 1/2 tsp Organic Ground Cumin
Ingredient Notes
Beef: You can use any type of meat for this recipe including lean ground turkey, ground pork or even a meat mixture blend of beef + bacon (or another blend you enjoy).
Honey: You can swap this for organic maple syrup, however, this will absolutely shift the flavour profile.
Onion Granules: If you don’t use these, swap for 4.5 teaspoons of organic onion powder.
Garlic Granules: If you don’t use these, swap for 1/4 teaspoons of organic garlic powder.
Sea Salt: You can reduce the amount of salt used if you follow a low sodium diet. Additionally, if you want an extra pop of flavour, use smoked salt instead of sea salt.
Meatball Directions & Optional Beef & Broccoli
Place your beef (or ground meat of choice) in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients, then mix well with a large fork. Do not mix with your hands as their natural heat will start the fat melting process, which leads to a less tender meatballs.
Line a large baking tray/sheet pan with parchment paper. Allow the extra paper to go over the edges, which makes for an easier clean up. Once lined, use a small or medium cookie scoop to portion your meat, shape into meatballs, and place on the tray. Leave a little space between meatballs to promote airflow and even cooking.
If you’re feeding kids and adults, you could use the small cookie scoop to make smaller meatballs for the kids, and a medium or even a large cookie scoop for the adults.
Bake meatballs at 425f/220c for 20 minutes. Your trays are ready to come out when the meatballs are cooked all the way through. You’ll want to use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is at least 160f/71c. That’s the USDA official number for maximum safety. If you’re not pregnant, immunocompromised, or feeding the elderly or children, you can cook to your preferred internal temperature.
Caution: Do not overwork the meat. If you mix the meat mixture for a long time, you’ll end up with meatballs that are less tender and have a more dense and tough texture. You want the spices to be fully emulsified, but only mix until just combined.
Lazy/Time Saving Tip: You don’t have to shape perfect meatballs. In fact, I often scoop, give it a good press against the side of the bowl, then eject directly on to the tray. There are some scraggly edges, but I promise, it turns out just fine and no one will complain.
To Make Beef & Broccoli
The base recipe for these meatballs makes for a fantastic Asian style beef and broccoli. To make this happen, you’ll want frozen broccoli. Add a little oil to a large sheet pan and spread it around. Place your broccoli on your tray and roast in the oven at the same time as the meatballs.
Depending on the size of your meatballs, the broccoli may be done at the same time, or a little before your meatballs. When I make this, I allow the broccoli to get a little crispy before removing it from the oven. You can also cook the broccoli in your air fryer or steamer.
The meatballs release juices as they cook. You can drizzle some of the cooking juices on the broccoli just before serving to reinforce the flavors.
Frying Pan Cooking Method
My favorite way to cook meatballs is in the oven, rather than the stove top, since you don’t need to babysit. However, you will lose out on those crispy edges and deep caramelization that pan cooked meatballs normally have. The upside to pan cooking on the stovetop is that it generally takes less time, however, depending on the size of your pan, you might be there for a while. Anytime I venture to stovetop cooking, I use two or three pans to get the job done faster.
To cook this great recipe on the stovetop, start with a large frying pan. I tend to use non-stick pans when cooking meatballs, though, a metal pan will also work. Just make sure it’s properly heated before adding the meat.
Heat your pan on medium-high heat. When it’s hot/properly heated, add your cooking fat of choice. Tallow or butter are both great options in this case, and tallow helps to reinforce the beefy flavor.
Gently add your meatballs (to prevent splattering) and cook. You’ll want to rotate the meatballs every minute or so to ensure all sides of the meatballs get browned and crispy. I use tongs, but a large spoon works as well. Cook the meatballs for 8 – 10 minutes in total, or until they reach your desired internal temperature.
Meatball Storage & Reheating
You can fridge your leftovers for 5 days in an airtight container and eat throughout the week. Alternatively, leftover meatballs can be frozen. I’ve included all of the freezer deets below.
Leftover meatballs are great for snacking straight out of the refrigerator, packing in lunch boxes, having as part of a breakfast, or using them for an easy dinner. Pretty much, meatballs work for everything but dessert, and even then, I bet we could come up with some kind of dessert style meatball to fix that situation.
How to Freeze Cooked Meatballs
Allow your meatballs to cool. There are two different ways I like to use when freezing meatballs. The first is to place meatballs in a single layer on a clean sheet pan lined with parchment paper. I put the entire tray into the freezer (my favorite way). Once the meatballs are frozen solid I transfer them to a freezer-safe container that’s also an airtight container. A freezer bag works as well. Either way, be sure to remove as much excess air as possible.
The other way (a very easy way) is to transfer the cooled meatballs into a large freezer bag. I place the bag into the freezer and push the meatballs around a bit to form a single layer (to help prevent them from sticking together as one giant clump). Once they’re frozen solid I can pick up the bag and move it to where it needs to go in the freezer.
Either way, don’t forget to label the freezer bag or airtight container with the flavour and date. Using this method is a great way to meal prep as well. You can easily whip up a hundred meatballs on a weekend and have something delicious to pull from for lunches and dinners.
How to Freeze Uncooked Meatballs
Freezing uncooked meatball mixture is another great way to make easy future meals. Frozen uncooked meatballs can be cooked on sheet pan lined with parchment paper, but you can also drop them into soups and stews and as the soup simmers, the meatballs cook.
To freeze, line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Use a small or medium cookie scoop to portion the meatball mixture. Roll each portion into a neat ball, then place it on your tray. You can place the meatballs pretty close together on the tray, but try to avoid having them directly touching so they don’t stick together.
Once your tray is full, pop the whole thing into your freezer. Allow the meatballs to freeze solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Remove as much air as humanly possible (you can use the straw method if you have a straw), and label the bag.
If you really want to get all of the air out, purchase a set of freezer bags with vacuum sealers, like these.
Reheating Frozen Meatballs
You can reheat frozen meatballs from frozen. To do that, pop them on a small baking tray that’s lined with parchment paper and heat in your oven or toaster oven at 400 degrees f (205 degrees c) until they’re hot.
Alternatively, you can reheat your meatballs in your air fryer, which gives them a little crisp as well. I set my air fryer to 425 degrees f (218 degrees c) when heating frozen bison meatballs, and start with a 15 minute cook time. If you’re unsure as to where to start, refer to the manual for your air fryer. Most have a section with suggested temps and cook times.
You can also thaw frozen meatballs in your fridge overnight, then heat from thawed. This will greatly reduce the cook time, and prevent the meatballs from being overcooked.
Frozen meatballs can be reheated as part of a soup or stew, making them pretty handy. When you reach the point in your soup/stew making where you need to simmer for a long time, add the meatballs. By the time your soup is ready, your meatballs should be fully heated as well.
I don’t suggest reheating frozen meatballs from frozen on your stovetop in a skillet. This can cause the outside of the meatballs to burn before the inside has fully heated.
Preventing Freezer Burn
Simply put: air is the enemy. When freezing meatballs, not only do you want to use a freezer-safe container, but you also need to remove as much air as possible. If you pop your frozen meatballs into a regular freezer bag and seal it up, you’ll inadvertently have quite a bit of air left behind.
You can press the bag whilst it’s almost fully closed to remove most of the air, but for even better results, use a straw. Seal the bag most of the way, insert a straw, then seal around the straw. Suck out all of the air, remove the straw, and close up the bag. You’ll notice that your bag has formed around the meatballs and very little air remains.
If you’d like a more foolproof way to eliminate the air, you can purchase freezer bags like these, or invest in something like a FoodSaver system.
More Meatball Recipes
If you’re a fan of homemade meatballs and need options without bread crumbs and egg, I’ve got you covered. Whilst these aren’t classic recipes, I think you’ll be pleased with the different combination of flavors offered.
- Ground Chicken & Pepper Meatballs (such a good meatball recipe if you want something simple and effective)
- Bison Meatballs (an easy meatball recipe that’s also truly corn free)
- Bacon Spinach Meatballs
- Chicago Style Meatballs
 |
 |
 |
 |
Meal Prep Tips
If you’re a fan of meal prep and batch cooking like I am, there are several ways that these delicious beef meatballs can serve you well. Rather than make the recipe as-is, you can scale up and make hundreds of meatballs in one go. You can freeze uncooked meatballs, or cook them all over the course of a weekend and have a freezer full of goodness at your disposal.
If you don’t have the time to make that many meatballs, you could pre-season the meat and freeze your meatball mix in a freezer baggie. Just be sure to remove as much air as possible and label the bag.
When I make meatballs, it’s not uncommon for me to make several flavors at once. I might make one batch of these, a batch of chicken meatballs, and a double batch of pork meatballs. I mean, if I’m going to get the oven, I might as well get the oven GOING. Once they’re all cooked, I freeze the extra meatballs and my kids have quite a few options to pull from.
Serving Ideas
Meatballs are delicious standalone, and honestly, are a really great snack. They pair well with a range of carbohydrates and vegetables, making it pretty easy to build a well rounded plate. If you’re looking for some different ways to serve your cooked meatballs, here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Serve with sautéed zucchini noodles (seasonings such as oregano, marjoram, and paprika would be lovely, avoid basil, thyme, and rosemary as they can clash).
- Make meatball subs (bread + meatballs + sauce/spread + slaw + optional cheese).
- Garnish with chopped fresh herbs such as parsley.
- Serve with waffles or pancakes (think chicken and waffles, but beef, and add some spice to your maple syrup).
- Serve with mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes.
- Serve on a bed of seasoned cauliflower rice (seasonings such as ancho chili and smoked paprika would be fun).
- Make a meaty salad with your meatballs + quick salad dressing.
- Serve your baked meatballs over creamy polenta or grits (rice grits are an option for those who can’t have corn, here’s an example).
- Make maple sweetened gluten free cream of buckwheat (or cream of wheat) and serve meatballs on top for a breakfast vibe.
- Serve your meatballs over a homemade Mediterranean salad for a delicious plate of fusion food.
How to Change the Flavours
Serve Your Meatballs with Custom Sauces
One of the easies way to customize a meatball (or even a burger) is to serve it alongside a tasty dipping sauce. You can choose flavours that are complimentary to the meatball, or go out on a limb and try something totally unexpected. Here are a few ideas to try the next time you make these meatballs:
Parmesan Cheese Sauce: This can be dairy based, or dairy free if you need that. Either way, I like to make simple cheese sauces in the blender with cheese + spices + dried herbs. One of my kids say my easy blender parm sauce is their favorite sauce, and they enjoy it with all sorts of meatballs. And chips.
Marinara Sauce: You can take the time to make a marinara sauce at home, or you can buy one. I get an organic one at Costco that’s allergy friendly. These meatballs pair well with marinara. If you go this route, you’re only a hop, skip, and a jump from spaghetti and meatballs. I’d just make the pasta whilst the meatballs are in the oven and call it a night.
Homemade Spicy Tomato Sauce: Homemade tomato sauces can start with tomato paste, tomato sauce, spices, and a kiss of sweetener. To make a spicy sauce, you can lean into hot sauce, or heat-bringing spices such as chipotle powder or cayenne pepper. This upside to making a spicy sauce at home is that you can control the spice level.
Creamy Honey Sauce: If you’re a fan of creamy foods, a creamy honey sauce could be the way to go. The key ingredients will be milk (or dairy free milk), butter (or dairy free butter), a little flour (AP, gluten free, etc.), and a honey of your choice. I often use a local raw organic honey when making this kind of sauce. You’ll want to use a high quality honey since the flavor will be very forward.
Korean BBQ Sauce: If you’re a fan of spicy Korean food, know that these meatballs would pair excellently with a Korean dipping sauce. I’d lean into gochujang as a driving force if you’re making the sauce at home. However, a lot of stores sell Japanese and Korean BBQ sauces these days, so you could grab one off the shelf. You could also pick up some kimchi whilst you’re at the store and serve it on the side. OHU!!! Or make Korean BBQ meatball subs. Oh man!! Can you see it?? The bread, meatballs, Korean BBQ sauce, a slaw, and a little kimchi… yeah, we need to make that happen.
Garlic Butter Sauce: This can be as simple as melted butter + minced garlic or dehydrated garlic + fresh chopped herbs such as parsley.
Give the Spices a Little Boost
An easy way to change these meatballs whilst giving them an extra layer of flavor is to add liquid smoke and organic ground mushroom powder to pump up the umami flavor. With this recipe, 4 – 6 drops of liquid smoke should be enough, and I’d use 3 – 4 TBSP of an organic mushroom powder (example). There are loads to choose from these days, both organic and conventional. You can also make mushroom powder at home from dried mushrooms in your spice grinder.
Convert These to Italian Meatballs
Rather than tweak spices, you can also completely swap my spices for Italian seasoning and serve your meatballs with this white gravy recipe. You can top with chopped fresh parsley for a more herbaceous note.
Answering Your Questions About This Meatball Recipe Without Breadcrumbs
Is this considered a keto meatball?
he great news is that this meatball recipe is suitable for those on keto, low carb, grain free, Paleo, and gluten-free diets. So, if you end up enjoying the flavour, make it again, but make a double or triple batch so you have leftovers to pull from in your freezer.
Can I cook these meatballs in an air fryer?
You can absolutely cook these simple meatballs in your air fryer. You’ll combine the meat mixture, and use your cookie scoop to portion the meat. Rather than place the meatballs on a baking sheet, you’ll place them in your air fryer basket instead.
Depending on the air fryer you have, you can purchase pre-made parchment sheets that have holes (as to not impede the airflow). That can be super handy, and make cleanup a little easier. Refer to the manual of your air fryer for the suggested temperature, time, and setting for meatballs. Also, don’t skip using your instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature before serving.
Are these healthy meatballs?
It’s important to remember that the term healthy isn’t a regulated term. Each person you ask will have their own nutritional needs and goals, plus their awareness of health and opinions.
Personally, I’d say that yes, these are healthy meatballs. I call for organic grass fed beef which has a much better nutritional profile when compared to factory farmed, grain fed beef. This recipe also taps into basic ingredients you can pronounce which is a huge tick in the healthy column if you ask me.
Now, there are some people who feel that if a recipe contains red meat, it’s automatically not healthy, however, I think that’s a pretty narrow scope. Humans have been eating meat for thousands of years and when we look at red meat through an anthropological lens, it’s a traditional food that’s been nourishing civilizations for centuries.
Ultimately, you’ll have to do a deep dive on food, define your personal opinions and values on the topic, and then you’ll be able to determine what you’d count as healthy recipes.
Could I make this recipe with ground veal?
In theory, yes. It’s not a protein I’ve worked with, but you can certainly give it a go. Veal is typically a pretty lean meat, so you’ll want to add at least 2 Tablespoons of some kind of fat to your meatball mix. Rendered animal fat will add more flavour (tallow, lard, etc.), so use that if you can.
Based on what I know about veal, the fat isn’t *so* different from ground beef, so in that regard, you should be OK. However, it is a more gamey meat. If you’re not used to eating that flavor profile, manage your expectations. You could also combine ground beef with ground veal to ease yourself into the gamey nature of veal.
Would this recipe taste good with ground lamb?
You can absolutely make lamb meatballs with these ratios. You’ll want to mind the fat content. The grass fed beef that I use isn’t a lean ground beef. If you only have access to lean meat (or extra lean meat), add a little olive oil (2 – 3 TBSP per pound/450g) to help make up for the lost fat content. You can also add lamb tallow or another animal fat for a great layer of flavour.
Are these meatballs good for serving at a party?
Whilst I may be biased, I think you could serve these to a crowd, and be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t enjoying them. If you’ll be serving a crowd that includes children, you may want to pull back on the ground ginger a bit, as it can register as spicy to those who don’t eat it often. Even though there’s a small amount in the recipe in the grand scheme, I don’t want anyone fanning their mouth and seeking relief from the heat at your shindig.
