urbanfoodie

*20-something, filipina american urbanite
(Minneapolis via NYC, SF, & the Chicagoland area)
*creator, consumer, and all-around enthusiast of food
Mar 9
Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs “Impossible!” you must be thinking. Traditionally, spaghetti and meatballs are a gluten fest from the semolina flour of the pasta to the breadcrumbs in the meatballs. As I’m learning, with some flexibility, ingenuity, and (unfortunately) a little bit of $, it’s possible to modify the recipes for a number of dishes that contain big and small amounts of gluten.  Last week, my friend was telling me about some homemade meatballs she made, and I was struck with a craving. This recipe here is inspired by this one from Epicurious. Instead of using regular bread for the fresh breadcrumbs in this recipe, I toasted up and then processed a few slices of gluten-free bread that were starting to get moldy and relegated to the freezer. I also didn’t have milk or pine nuts on hand, so I used almond milk and walnuts. For the meat, I used a mix of 2:1 beef to pork. My co-op sells convenient 1.5 lb “meatloaf” packages of beef and pork together. In the sauce, I added anchovies and tomato paste to really amplify that savory umami flavor. For the pasta, I’ve found that quinoa pasta holds a better al dente like chew when compared to rice/soy pasta which tends towards mushy. Of course, you can always use regular pasta, which is way cheaper. I also ate the rest of the meatballs and sauce with quinoa and then the plain meatballs themselves in a salad. If you have some rolls around and cheese, this would make a tasty meatball sandwich too! I grew up in a culture and house where it is not cool to toot your own horn, but I have to say - these meatballs and this sauce are freakin’ amazing. I ate some combination of them for a full week with no complaints. Oh, and Happy Meatball Day! Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs Sauce 2 Tbs. olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 2-28 oz cans of diced or whole tomatoes 4 Tbs chopped fresh basil, or if you’re being frugal and basil is out of season, using Muir Glen’s canned tomatoes with Basil work well 1-2 anchovies 1/2 Tbs. tomato paste Meatballs 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (make it gluten-free w/ GF bread) 4 Tbs. milk (or soy or almond milk) 1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 c. chopped onion a handful of fresh parsley, chopped 1 large egg 1-2 cloves fresh garlic 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper 1 lb. ground beef, 1/2 lb. pork 2 Tbs. walnuts 1/2 tsp. salt 1 lb. spaghetti (I recommend quinoa pasta for gluten-free options) To make the sauce: Saute onions and garlic in the olive oil. Add anchoves and tomato paste, breaking up the anchovies. Add tomatoes, bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add herbs. To get a nice slightly chunky sauce, use a hand blender, food processor, or regular upright blender to work the sauce to desired consistency. Return to sauce pan until ready for the meatballs. To make the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine milk with the breadcrumbs and let absorb for 5 minutes. While that is absorbing, either finely chop the onions and garlic and chop walnuts and parsley. Or make use of kitchen gadgets if you have them and combine the first two in the food processor to make a minced mixture and then chop the walnuts and parsley in the processor separately. Combine all the ingredients together with the meat and mix with wet hands until just thoroughly mixed (but not overworked). Form 1-1/2 in. diameter meatballs with your hands, careful not to pack them too tightly (no one likes a too-tight meatball, right?). In a parchment lined or lightly greased baking pan or baking sheet (warning, the oil will ooze out, which could be a mess on a flat sheet), lay out the meatballs. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until lightly browned. If you want to use the meatballs for different dishes in the week, lay some aside so that they are separate from the sauce. Add the rest of the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over pasta with some sprinkled cheese on top.  

Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs

“Impossible!” you must be thinking. Traditionally, spaghetti and meatballs are a gluten fest from the semolina flour of the pasta to the breadcrumbs in the meatballs. As I’m learning, with some flexibility, ingenuity, and (unfortunately) a little bit of $, it’s possible to modify the recipes for a number of dishes that contain big and small amounts of gluten. 

Last week, my friend was telling me about some homemade meatballs she made, and I was struck with a craving. This recipe here is inspired by this one from Epicurious. Instead of using regular bread for the fresh breadcrumbs in this recipe, I toasted up and then processed a few slices of gluten-free bread that were starting to get moldy and relegated to the freezer. I also didn’t have milk or pine nuts on hand, so I used almond milk and walnuts. For the meat, I used a mix of 2:1 beef to pork. My co-op sells convenient 1.5 lb “meatloaf” packages of beef and pork together. In the sauce, I added anchovies and tomato paste to really amplify that savory umami flavor. For the pasta, I’ve found that quinoa pasta holds a better al dente like chew when compared to rice/soy pasta which tends towards mushy. Of course, you can always use regular pasta, which is way cheaper. I also ate the rest of the meatballs and sauce with quinoa and then the plain meatballs themselves in a salad. If you have some rolls around and cheese, this would make a tasty meatball sandwich too! I grew up in a culture and house where it is not cool to toot your own horn, but I have to say - these meatballs and this sauce are freakin’ amazing. I ate some combination of them for a full week with no complaints.

Oh, and Happy Meatball Day!

Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs

Sauce

  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-28 oz cans of diced or whole tomatoes
  • 4 Tbs chopped fresh basil, or if you’re being frugal and basil is out of season, using Muir Glen’s canned tomatoes with Basil work well
  • 1-2 anchovies
  • 1/2 Tbs. tomato paste

Meatballs

  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (make it gluten-free w/ GF bread)
  • 4 Tbs. milk (or soy or almond milk)
  • 1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 c. chopped onion
  • a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 large egg
  • 1-2 cloves fresh garlic
  • 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. ground beef, 1/2 lb. pork
  • 2 Tbs. walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb. spaghetti (I recommend quinoa pasta for gluten-free options)

To make the sauce: Saute onions and garlic in the olive oil. Add anchoves and tomato paste, breaking up the anchovies. Add tomatoes, bring to a boil and then let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add herbs. To get a nice slightly chunky sauce, use a hand blender, food processor, or regular upright blender to work the sauce to desired consistency. Return to sauce pan until ready for the meatballs.

To make the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine milk with the breadcrumbs and let absorb for 5 minutes. While that is absorbing, either finely chop the onions and garlic and chop walnuts and parsley. Or make use of kitchen gadgets if you have them and combine the first two in the food processor to make a minced mixture and then chop the walnuts and parsley in the processor separately. Combine all the ingredients together with the meat and mix with wet hands until just thoroughly mixed (but not overworked). Form 1-1/2 in. diameter meatballs with your hands, careful not to pack them too tightly (no one likes a too-tight meatball, right?). In a parchment lined or lightly greased baking pan or baking sheet (warning, the oil will ooze out, which could be a mess on a flat sheet), lay out the meatballs. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until lightly browned.

If you want to use the meatballs for different dishes in the week, lay some aside so that they are separate from the sauce. Add the rest of the meatballs to the sauce and bring to a boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes. Serve over pasta with some sprinkled cheese on top.  

gluten-free | meatballs | italian | recipes | Comments (View)
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