Rosemary Herbed Meatballs with Gluten Free Pasta

… Full-Flavored Balls of Yum!

Our little meatballs are moist and tender, making them the perfect meatballs for adding nicely seasoned and flavorful protein to your favorite pasta. By coating them in a light and slightly zingy sauce, this recipe makes a delicious comfort-food meal, which is how we’ve chosen to feature them this time. Rosemary Herbed Meatballs, naked without the sauce, are a tasty addition to any spaghetti sauce or on a gluten free meatball sandwich.

Prep time: about 10 minutes

Cooking time: about 20-25 minutes

Ingredients for Pasta:

12-16 ounce package gluten free pasta – I like to use a short-style noodle for this recipe

6 quarts water

pinch of salt

Ingredients for Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup ground oats – I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Oats and grind them in my food processor

1 egg, or egg substitute

1/4 cup almond milk – I like to use Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 small onion, finely diced OR 1 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon celery salt

fresh ground pepper, to taste

approximately 2+ tablespoons high heat cooking oil

Ingredients for Sauce:

3/4 cup gluten-free, low-sodium chicken or beef broth – I like to use Swanson’s Natural Goodness Chicken Broth

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon water

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients for meatballs and, using hands, knead gently to combine ingredients well. Using your fingers, pinch off a small amount of mixture, about the size of a melon ball. Roll into a ball. Place on a plate. Repeat process until all mix is in meatballs. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1 tablespoon oil to coat bottom of pan. Add enough meatballs to fill pan in a single layer without overcrowding. Fry on all sides until golden brown. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb excess oil. Continue process until all meatballs are cooked.  

While meatballs are cooking, combine chicken broth, onion powder, and salt in a small sauce pan. Heat over medium heat. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water and mix to slurry. While whisking the chicken broth, slowly pour in the slurry. Continue whisking until combined. Allow the sauce to come to a slight simmer, stirring periodically.  When sauce has thickened just slightly, and is smooth in texture, reduce heat to very low and let sit until ready to use. If the sauce begins to thicken too much, turn off heat. You can thin the sauce, if necessary, by adding just a bit more water or chicken broth. 

While the meatballs are cooking, fill large pot with 6 quarts water and bring to boil. Lightly salt water and add 1 teaspoon oil. Drop in pasta noodles and cook according to package directions, or until al dente.

When meatballs, pasta, and sauce are all finished cooking, in the pan you cooked your meatballs in, combine cooked meatballs, pasta, and sauce and heat to incorporate flavors and allow the sauce to coat the pasta and meatballs. Serve.   

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