If you are looking for sweet, savory, or spicy Gluten-Free Meatball Appetizers, I have some ideas for you. Each tantalizing recipe is sure to impress you, your family, and your friends! I love the bold, rich flavors that each dish provides.
Next time you have a party or go to a potluck, you should whip up some juicy homemade meatballs. They will be the meal’s star, and you will be pleased by how easy they are to throw together. You can even make these ahead of time for a quick meal idea.
I gathered all kinds of meatballs for this collection of gluten-free meatball recipes. They can be made with any ground meat or vegan meat, and there are many flavors to choose from.
Tips For Success:
- Mix the meatball ingredients in a large bowl so the seasonings are spread through the meatballs…this will ensure flavor in every bite.
- You always want to make sure that the meatballs are cooked all the way through before serving them. The easiest way is to use a meat thermometer, and check the temperature.
- Be sure to make enough sauce so the meatballs stay tender.
You can also try some of my other popular gluten free appetizer recipes if you want to serve more than just meatballs!
Best Ways to Cook Meatballs
- Hands down, one of my favorite ways to make meatballs in an Instant Pot. Don’t own a pressure cooker yet and have no idea where to start? This Instant Pot is a life changer! You can program it to cook so many different foods like meatballs, soup, yogurt, and even baked potatoes.
- Often, you can make easy meatball appetizers right in your slow cooker. Take a look at this Crock Pot. if you are shopping around. It has 7 quarts so you can serve lots of people. It also has a high, low, and warm setting to fit what you are cooking. You will save time and have fewer dishes to wash, which is a win-win!
- The Air Fryer is a good way to make meatballs that are juicy on the inside and slightly crisp on the outside! It cooks your meatballs in record time, too!
- The oven is probably the most popular way to cook meatballs.
- You can also simmer meatballs in the sauce to cook them!
What bread crumbs are gluten-free?
You can use any gluten free bread crumbs you choose, but I wanted to tell you about my favorite ones. Ian’s breadcrumbs have a fantastic flavor and are easy to work with. Jeff Nathan Creations brand is another option for panko-style bread crumbs. If you are like me, you like having several options around. Schar breadcrumbs taste so good that you won’t believe they are gluten-free.
You can also make your own homemade Gluten Free Bread Crumbs at a fraction of the cost!
Let’s break down all these deliciously easy meatball appetizers by meat type. Any of these gluten free meatball recipes can be made with any meat, so if you like a recipe in the turkey meatball section but you only have ground beef…you can easily use the ground beef!
What is the best internal temperature for meatballs?
You want the internal temperature to be 165º F inside the meatballs. You can spot check a few meatballs with this digital thermometer. I love this brand and mine has lasted for over two years without any issues.
What are bread crumb substitutes for meatballs?
There are all sorts of delicious things you can use instead of bread crumbs when you make meatballs. Here are some of my favorites:
- Tortilla chips
- Crushed gluten-free crackers
- Ground pork rinds
- Rice crumbs – These used to be available at Trader Joe’s for a time, but now you have to order them online.
Can you make meatballs egg-free?
Many meatball recipes include eggs to help meatballs stick together and keep the meatballs tender and juicy while cooking. There are several ways to make meatballs egg-free. Use Just Egg, a liquid egg replacer. Another way is to use ricotta cheese or plain yogurt instead of the egg. I used ricotta in this Egg-Free Gluten-Free Meatballs recipe.
Should you sear meatballs before adding them to the sauce?
Searing is totally optional, depending on how you like your meatballs, and which recipe you are following. Some recipes below include both searing first, cooking them through first, and putting them into the sauce raw and letting them cook in the simmering sauce.
The Best Gluten-Free Meatball Recipes:
This post was updated from an older December 2018 post with more meatball tips for cooking.
Have a tip?
We would love to hear if you have a great gluten-free meatball tip. Let me know what you use to make them, bread crumbs, crushed crackers, panko, or what? Please leave a comment. Thank you!
So many delicious gluten free meatballs! They are the perfect party appetizer!
Thank you Taylor 🙂
I want to make each and every meatball recipe in this post! Excellent variety!! YUM!
I am so glad you are a fellow meatball fan. They are perfect for game day too!
I want to try every single one of these meatballs. they all look so delicious. Meatballs are such a great appetizer, but I love to have just meatballs and a salad for supper too.
I love the idea of serving them on a salad!
Looks like I’ll be set working my way through all of these delicious options! These will be perfect for game day!
Enjoy Sabrina 🙂
Wow, that’s a whole lotta ways to eat meatballs! Happy New Year! 🙂
We are big-time meatball appetizer fanatics 🙂