I love making meatballs and my family loves eating them even more. If you are looking for a gluten-free version, this Baked Gluten-Free Meatballs Recipe With Oatmeal is one of the easiest. While you can make meatballs with gluten-free breadcrumbs, I think this recipe using oats is even better.

While my family is not gluten-free, I have plenty of friends who are, and being mindful of their allergies and intolerances is important to me. So whether you are making these meatballs for yourself and your family, or someone else, you are going to love them. They are full of big flavor and perfect for topping gluten-free pasta, making a Buddha bowl with, or just eating on their own.
If you want a simple gluten-free side, you can easily top a crockpot brown rice recipe with them! Or what about Instant Pot quinoa- this recipe could not be any easier and it is so quick to make. Instant Pot Forbidden rice is another delicious option that is so pretty!
Tips for making the perfect meatballs
- Moisture: Meatball recipes should point you in all the right directions for adding/retaining moisture to your meatballs. In this recipe, we will be using a blend of ground pork and ground beef ( I know veal is also for traditional meatballs, but it is very expensive in our area). The pork adds moisture to the meatballs as does the ratio in your ground beef. Another tip is to use some type of cheese. Last, be sure not to overbake to achieve the best juicy meatballs.
- Flavor: Adding cheese and spices to your meat mixture will take the meatballs from boring to perfection.
- Method: How the meatballs are made also makes a difference in the quality of the meatballs. Let me walk you through the simple steps.

Ingredients
- Ground beef- I prefer an 87/13 ratio for my meatballs. It still has enough fat to help with the moisture in the meatballs.
- Ground pork- Plain ground pork will work as we are adding in all the seasoning. There is no need to buy it pre-seasoned. Adding pork adds so much flavor and moisture as opposed to plain beef meatballs.
- Oats- You can either use quick-cooking oats or regular oats. I had regular oats that I pulsed in my food processor to break them up. Be sure to check that they are gluten-free oats, especially if you are whoever you are cooking them for has celiac disease. I also don't recommend using oat flour, the texture of the meatball is not the same when you do.
- Salt- Do not leave this out or your meatballs will taste so bland, I promise.
- Spices- Garlic powder, onion powder, thyme leaves, basil, oregano, and black pepper.
- Parmesan cheese- You can omit this if you need dairy-free meatballs, but I love the flavor.
- Eggs- I use these as a binder in the recipe.

How to make
- I like to make these by hand. Mixing the meat mixture in a stand mixer compacts the meatballs, making them more dense. So, roll up your sleeves and get to work.
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. With your hands, mix until they are well combined. This will take a few minutes and is pretty cold- so brace yourself for it.
- Once the meatball mixture is mixed together, roll the meatballs into the size you want, you can see I made mine pretty big. Place them on a parchment paper-lined large baking sheet.
- Move the raw meatballs to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Once they are done, you can serve them like they are.
- If you are adding them to your favorite sauce, cook for an additional 10 minutes.



How to serve the meatballs
My favorite way to serve these Italian meatballs is by mixing them with marinara sauce. You can eat them with noodles or zucchini noodles. Or you can also use them with the sauce and make meatball subs- I also love serving them this way. When I am trying to save time for dinner, I will make them in the morning, add them to the marinara in my crockpot, set it on low and walk away.
You can serve them as they are for your next meal too. These meatballs have enough flavor they can certainly stand on their own as well.
Or if you want, add them to a Buddha bowl- I use rice for a base then throw it together with my favorite vegetables.


Tips and tricks
- If you are prepping these meatballs ahead of time, you can make the meatballs, and then add them with the sauce to a slow cooker. Set it to low or warm and hold it that way until you are ready to serve.
- You can sub out the oregano, basil, and thyme for an Italian seasonings mix. It would be 2 tablespoons of Italian seasonings in place of the spices.
- To store the meatballs in the fridge, be sure to keep them in an airtight container (sealed container) or Ziplock bag. They will hold for up to 7 days.
- You can freeze the meatballs as well. Be sure to let them cool to room temperature, then store them in a freezer bag. They will hold for up to 3 months!
- These can also be cooked in a large skillet on the stove top. Heat it over medium heat then add 2 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the meatballs on all sides, which should take about 5-10 minutes. Baking is still my preferred method, but you can use this one as well.
- If you want to use lower-fat ground beef, that is fine. Just be sure you do not overbake!! They will dry out very quickly.
- If you are someone who likes to take the internal temperature of all their meat dishes, be sure to cook this one to 145 degrees.

Other gluten-free recipes
- Gluten-free chocolate chip muffins
- Gluten-free buckwheat bread
- Gluten-free grain bowl
- Crockpot Beef Stew Gluten-Free
- Mediterranean Cucumber Salad

Baked Gluten-Free Meatballs Recipe With Oatmeal
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ½ pounds ground pork
- ¾ cup oats- I grind my regular oats in a food processor.
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet, or 2 with parchment paper and set it aside.
- I like to make these by hand. Mixing the meat mixture in a stand mixer compacts the meatballs, making them more dense. So, roll up your sleeves and get to work.
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. With your hands, mix until they are well combined. This will take a few minutes and is pretty cold- so brace yourself for it.
- Once the meatball mixture is mixed together, roll the meatballs into the size you want, you can see I made mine pretty big. Place them on a parchment paper-lined large baking sheet.
- Move the raw meatballs to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- If you are adding them to your favorite sauce, cook for an additional 10 minutes
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!