Meatballs

Low FODMAP beef and pork meatballs with gluten-free breadcrumbs, Parmesan, scallion greens, parsley, and basil, simmered in low FODMAP marinara.

Prep 20 min

Cook 35 min

Serves 6

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 cup (about 60 g) gluten-free breadcrumbs (plain, rice-based, no inulin or chicory root)
• 1/2 cup lactose-free milk
• 1 pound (450 g) ground beef (85/15)
• 1/2 pound (225 g) ground pork
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (about 40 g) finely grated Parmesan, plus more to finish
• 1/4 cup scallion greens, finely sliced (green tops only)
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil, for browning

To Finish

• 3 cups low-FODMAP marinara sauce (about 1 batch)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn, to garnish

Instructions

Soak the Breadcrumbs

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free breadcrumbs and lactose-free milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes, until the crumbs swell and absorb the milk into a soft paste. This is a panade; it keeps the meatballs tender.

Mix the Meatballs

1. Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, Parmesan, scallion greens, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper to the soaked breadcrumbs.
2. Mix gently with your hands until the ingredients are just combined. Stop as soon as everything is evenly distributed; overworking makes the meatballs dense.
3. Scoop heaping tablespoons (about 35 g each) and roll into balls between your palms. You should get about 30. Set them on a tray.

Brown

1. Warm the garlic-infused oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Working in two batches so you don't crowd the pan, add the meatballs and brown on all sides, turning every 2 minutes, for about 6 to 8 minutes total per batch. They don't need to cook through here.
3. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate.

Simmer in Marinara

1. Pour the marinara and water into the same skillet. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
2. Return all the meatballs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Cover and cook over low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, turning the meatballs once halfway through, until they reach 165°F (74°C) in the center.

Serve

1. Taste the sauce and adjust salt. Transfer to a serving dish or plate straight from the skillet.
2. Finish with torn basil and extra grated Parmesan. Serve over gluten-free pasta, polenta, or on a split gluten-free roll.

Tips & Substitutions

• Use plain rice-based gluten-free breadcrumbs. Check the label for inulin, chicory root, onion powder, or garlic powder; "Italian-style" or "seasoned" crumbs usually include at least one.
• Lactose-free milk for the panade. Lactose-free cow's milk is the closest swap for regular milk; unsweetened almond milk works too, though the flavor is thinner.
• Split the meat between beef and pork. Pork adds fat and softness, and straight 85/15 beef works if pork is hard to find. Skip pre-seasoned ground meat and bulk Italian sausage, which usually contain onion or garlic powder.
• Scallion greens only, no bulbs. The 1/4 cup here is dark green tops only; the white bulb is high in fructans. Don't grate garlic into the mix, since its fructans end up in the meat and sauce.
• Bake instead of pan-fry if you want. Arrange on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes, then finish in the marinara for 10 minutes. It is less hands-on, but you lose some of the fond.
• Double the batch and freeze. Freeze fully cooked meatballs (simmered to 165°F / 74°C), cooled, on a tray and then bagged, for up to 3 months. Reheat them in simmering marinara until they are 165°F (74°C) in the center.

Why This Works

A milk-and-breadcrumb panade keeps the texture tender. Crumbs soaked in lactose-free milk trap moisture and fat as the meatballs cook, so they don't tighten into rubbery balls. Lactose-free milk swaps in cleanly because lactose is the high-FODMAP part of regular milk.

Rice-based gluten-free breadcrumbs. Standard and seasoned breadcrumbs bring wheat and often onion or garlic powder. Plain rice crumbs do the same binding job without either.

Parmesan is naturally low-lactose. Aged hard cheeses keep very little lactose, and Monash lists Parmesan as low-FODMAP at 40 g. The 40 g in the mix works out to about 7 g per serving, plus a light shower at the table.

Scallion greens, herbs, and infused oil replace the onion and garlic. Fructans are not fat-soluble, so strained garlic-infused oil carries the garlic flavor without them. Browning in that oil and then simmering in marinara builds the flavor twice.

Storage

Refrigerate meatballs in their sauce in a sealed container for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water, or in the microwave, until the meatballs reach 165°F (74°C). Freeze in 2-cup portions (meatballs plus sauce) for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.