Delicious GF Meatballs Al Forno
What I love about Delicious GF Meatballs Al Forno
What is Delicious GF Meatballs Al Forno? In Italian, “Al Forno” basically means “into the oven”. So, you will cook the meatballs primarily in the oven. First, you will brown them on the stove. Then, cover them in marinara sauce and cheese. Finally, they go into the oven. You will braise them at a low temperature for about 30 minutes until they cook to perfection.
This is such a delicious recipe and the cooking method leaves the meatballs so moist. I make them with half organic, lean ground beef and half organic ground pork. You can serve them alongside your favourite pairing whether it’s pasta, salad, veggies or all three.
When trying to keep carbs down, we love to serve them over roasted broccoli and then top with extra parmigiana. It’s so good and hearty that we don’t even miss the pasta. If you’re craving pasta though, these “Al Forno” Meatballs will surely make the best pairing!
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Ground beef & pork – I recommend using organic meat if you can. It has better flavour and it’s better for you. I like to use a blend of organic ground beef and ground pork. The addition of ground pork is mainly to add fat and flavour. Ground beef is good, but it’s not very fatty, so it doesn’t have much flavour.
- Almond flour – I wanted to keep these meatballs both gluten-free and grain-free. So, I added some almond flour to help bind the meat together. You will need almond flour, not almond meal.
- Garlic – You can add anywhere form 2-4 cloves of garlic depending on how much you like. I find 3 is perfect. Fresh is best!
- Onion – You can use white or yellow onion here. Mince it very fine so that it blends and melts into the meat mixture.
- Cheese – You will need both parmigiana and mozzarella cheese. If you don’t have parmigiana, parmesan works fine.
- Marinara – Marinara is what the meatballs will cook in when they go into the oven. Make sure you use a really good quality sauce. Look for one that has simple ingredients like tomatoes, olive oil, salt and spices with no added preservatives.
TIP:
The meatballs can also be prepped ahead of time to make cooking later faster and easier! They can be kept cooked or uncooked overnight in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
FAQ:
Yes, you can although the pork adds a desirable amount of fat and flavour to the meatballs which they will lack if you do all beef. If that’s your only option though, opt for fatty ground beef as opposed to lean ground beef.
Yes, you can! If you don’t have almond flour, you can substitute with 1/3 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs instead.
Yes. Simply omit the parmigiana in the meatballs and the cheeses on top for a dairy-free option.
I love to pair it with a hefty caesar salad for a lower-carb option. If you want something a little more hearty, try serving the meatballs over your favourite gluten-free pasta with a caesar salad on the side. Yummy!
No oven-safe skillet, no problem! Just sear the meatballs over the stovetop as per the recipe and then transfer to a baking dish just before you put them into the oven.
Delicious GF Meatballs Al Forno
Equipment
- 1 Oven-safe skillet
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp ghee or avocado oil for cooking
- 1/2 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 1/2 lb organic ground pork
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup white or yellow onion finely diced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped + more for serving
- 2/3 cup shredded parmigiana cheese divided
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 750ml jar marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, almond flour, garlic, onion, parsley, 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese, salt, oregano and pepper and mix thoroughly with your hands until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, make 28 meatballs and set them aside on a plate.
- Heat ghee or avocado oil in a cast iron skillet and brown the meatballs over medium heat in 3 batches, being careful not to overcrowd them. (They do not need to be fully cooked through.) Remove them to a paper towel-lined plate as you go.
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- Once all of the meatballs have been browned, drain the pan of any excess grease and wipe it clean with a paper towel.
- Add the meatballs back to the pan and cover them with marinara sauce.
- Top with the remaining 1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese and mozzarella and braise in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Turn the oven to the high broil setting and broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and brown.
- Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley and enjoy!
