These Dairy-Free Meatballs made without cheese are juicy and flavorful. Make them for an easy weeknight meal. Serve plain or with your choice of cooked pasta or spaghetti squash plus marinara sauce. This allergy-friendly recipe is also gluten-free.

skillet with dairy free meatballs ready to eat.

Dairy-free meatballs are the perfect recipe to have in your back pocket. They’re easy to make, versatile, and even picky eaters love them.

Throw them into any side dish to transform it into a filling meal and dinner is done!

Why You Need This Recipe

  • If you’re a fan of meal planning (or even if you’re not) this is the perfect recipe to double or triple since ground beef is usually cheaper in bulk. Freeze all the leftovers and in a pinch throw on cooked spaghetti squash with your favorite jarred marinara sauce for the easiest weeknight meal ever.
  • They’re gluten-free and dairy-free! Allergy-friendly comfort foods are surprisingly simple to make including these homemade meatballs.
  • They’re baked which means less mess and you can cook them all at one time. Baked meatballs are just as juicy and flavorful as pan-frying them. This is my favorite way of making this meatball recipe.

Key Ingredients

Ingredients for gluten-free meatballs

Lean ground beef packs this recipe full of protein with less saturated fat and still produces a flavorful and juicy meatball. If you’d rather use ground pork, don’t miss my recipe for Paleo Pork Meatballs.

Egg binds the ground beef and breadcrumbs together.

Gluten-free breadcrumbs keep the meatball moist by trapping all the juices in the meatball as it cooks. You can also use almond flour or almond meal to make these healthy meatballs low carb, if you prefer.

Or, if you aren’t on a gluten-free diet, feel free to use regular breadcrumbs.

Italian Seasonings and Italian herbs like oregano and garlic powder give the ground beef extra flavor. See my related post on the best substitutes for Italian seasoning.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Recipe Steps

How to make baked gluten-free meatballs

Step One

Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Step Two

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and stir together the meatball mixture.

You can use a food processor, but I think it’s much faster to just use your hands or a large spatula to mix the meat mixture.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

Step Three

Use your hands or a cookie scoop to form the meatballs and lay them on the sheet pan or prepared baking sheet.

You should have between 18 and 22 meatballs.

Step Four

Bake the meatballs in your preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the meatball reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

They should be a golden brown color, but not burned.

Remove meatballs from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. I recommend tossing them with tomato sauce (or your favorite sauce) and topping with some fresh parsley or basil.

I hope your family agrees that these are the best Italian meatballs they’ve ever had, even without the parmesan cheese. This is one of our favorite recipes!

dairy free meatballs with pasta.

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

  • Dairy-free meatballs can be served with cooked gluten-free pasta and marinara sauce or however you like to enjoy your meatballs. They go great with spaghetti squash for a lower-carb option.
  • You can make a double batch or a triple batch.
  • Feel free to use ground turkey or ground pork instead of beef. See my recipe for Ground Pork Meatballs.
  • This recipe is very versatile! Feel free to add your favorite seasonings including onion powder, red pepper flakes, or fresh herbs.
  • If you want to freeze any leftover cooked meatballs, let them cool completely and then place them in a zip-top bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and re-heat before serving.

Recipe FAQs

Are store-bought meatballs dairy-free?

Most store-bought meatballs are not dairy-free as they likely include cheese.

What can you serve meatballs with?

You can always go for the classic and serve it with spaghetti but don’t be afraid to get creative either. Meatballs taste delicious with rice, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, on a sandwich (meatball subs) or with grilled vegetables.

Can you pan-fry the meatballs?

Yes, you will need to heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add some olive oil and cook them in a single layer for about 15 minutes or until they are cooked through. Lay them on a paper towel to soak up any excess grease before serving.

Can you use a crock pot or slow-cooker?

Yes, but I think cooking them in a conventional oven is the best way so they don’t get dried out. If you do want to use a crockpot, place the meatballs with about 4 cups of marinara sauce together and cook for 3-4 hours on low heat.

Can I use ground turkey in this recipe?

Yes, but you may not need to cook them as long as beef meatballs. See my related recipe for Air Fryer Turkey Meatballs.

dairy free meatballs in pan.

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

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dairy free meatballs served in skillet.

Dairy-Free Meatballs Without Cheese

These Dairy-Free Meatballs made without cheese are juicy and flavorful. Make them for an easy weeknight meal. Serve plain or with your choice of cooked pasta or spaghetti squash plus marinara sauce. This allergy-friendly recipe is also gluten-free.

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this recipe gluten-free)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, egg, breadcrumbs, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Use a spatula or your hands to stir together.
  3. Then, use your hands to form the meatballs, laying them on the baking sheet.
  4. You should have enough of the mixture to make about 18-22 meatballs.
  5. Bake the meatballs for about 18-20 minutes or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball reads 160°F.
  6. Remove them from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
  7. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat before serving.

Notes

  1. Dairy-free meatballs can be served with cooked pasta and marinara sauce or however you like to enjoy your meatballs. They go great with spaghetti squash for a lower-carb option.
  2. You can double or triple this recipe.
  3. If you want to freeze any leftover cooked meatballs, let them cool completely and then place them in a zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and re-heat before serving.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 288
  • Sugar: 1.1 g
  • Sodium: 513.5 mg
  • Fat: 8.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21.7 g
  • Fiber: 2.3 g
  • Protein: 28.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 124.2 mg

Keywords: gluten-free beef meatballs, grass-fed beef meatballs

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.