Do you need a quick 30 minute ground beef dinner recipe? If you’re a eating a gluten free, dairy free, grain free, or paleo diet (or any mix of these), then this easy meatball recipe is for you! These meatballs are easy to put together, deliciously moist (as in, not dry ;)), and kid-friendly…even for the picky eaters! What’s not to love?
These meatballs are my family’s ultimate meatball. My family and friends have so many eating restrictions, with MANY various intolerances and needs. Some eat dairy-free, some eat gluten free, some eat grain free… these meatballs can actually be eaten by them all (except my vegetarian/vegan family and friends…obvi).
Why a grain-free meatball?
In my own home, with my immediate family, we can’t eat gluten. We limit dairy, too, because one of my kiddos has shown a sensitivity. That nicks any meatball recipe that calls for breadcrumbs or milk.
I used to make meatballs with gluten free oats, but then I learned that oats should always be soaked before eating to help break down phytic acid. Phytic acid, from my understanding, blocks our bodies from getting all the nutrients in the oats, and research shows eating high levels of phyic acid is linked to cavities (check out this book if you don’t believe me). Say, what?!
Maybe you are trying to heal your teeth. Maybe you’re working towards gut health. If that’s you, or if you’re just trying to eat a gluten free or grain free diet, I gotta share this meatball recipe with you.
Easy 30 Minute Meal? Yes, please.
As a mama of four kids, I need some quick dinner options. If you’re a parent, I know that you do too!
Having a kid-friendly recipe that only takes about 30 minutes to whip up makes dinner time really simple. Any other mom out there attest to the chaos that is the hour before dinner?! It’s like children lose their minds. It can be an all-out circus-on-fire at times. This meatball recipe and a jar of premade spaghetti sauce can be a lifesaver.
Instead of using oatmeal or another grain, this recipe uses potato. You can use any kind of potato you want or have on hand, but I’ve personally come to use either russet or sweet potato.
The meatballs will be sweeter if you use sweet potato, but if you’re ok with that, it’s a great option!
Bonus: Because this recipe uses potato in it, it extends the meat in a filling way. Which saves a bit of money while still making your belly, and your family’s bellies, happy.
Related post: Ways to save money on meat every month
You will need a food processor or beefy high-powered blender to make this recipe. Something like this one. I don’t like having a lot of appliances in my small kitchen, but a food processor is one I’m REALLY happy I have and totally earns it’s place.
To keep it grain free, you can serve these meatballs on zoodles (noodles made out of zucchini if you’ve managed to miss the craze). Since we DO eat rice around here, I serve this over brown rice noodles from Trader Joe’s. They’re my favorite because they only contain brown rice and water. That’s it.
I hope this recipe helps you have a smooth and easy dinner time. 30 minutes. Go.
Grain Free Easy meatballs
An easy 30 minute meatball recipe that is completely grain free but packed with flavor, making it perfect for a gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo diet. 30 minute ground beef dinner recipe? It's this simple.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground meat
- 1 cup peeled and diced potato (about 2 small russet potatoes)
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 egg
- 1 T dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with an s blade or high powered blender, add potato, onion, and garlic. Process until smooth and fully blended. If there's a lot of liquid, strain through a tea towel and discard liquid
- In a medium size mixing bowl add the ground beef, egg, pureed potato mixture, and seasonings. Stir to combine fully, or use hands to mush it all together (some people love it, some people hate it)
- Grease a 14" cast iron skillet or glass baking dish
- Roll meatball mixture into balls (they do shrink, so our preference is 2-3 tablespoons worth to make each ball), placing them almost touching around the edge of pan or dish and then filling it in
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until done on the inside. This can vary wildly depending on the size of the meatballs, so check them often and adjust the time accordingly. I find a meat thermometer to be an invaluable tool for this process!
- Once meatballs are cooked, add spaghetti sauce to the pan and heat together before serving. It makes it easy and saves using another pan for the sauce! You can do this on the stove top if using a cast iron skillet
- Enjoy!
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