Easy Meatballs Without Breadcrumbs (5 Ingredients)

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The perfect everyday meatball for any occasion! These simple meatballs without breadcrumbs have only 5 basic ingredients and can be mixed up in just a few minutes. I love making these in large batches to freeze for extra easy meal prep in the future.

Oats Instead of Breadcrumbs

We rarely have bread or bread crumbs on hand, but we always have oats. Oats are my favorite binder to add to meals like meatball and meatloaf to hold everything together (along with an egg) and give them the perfect texture.

Plus, oats are going to add more nutrients than bread crumbs and be gluten free if that’s needed.

Instead of using straight up oats in these meatballs, I like to use my blender to turn it into an oat flour. Using oat flour gives these meatballs just the right consistency.

Making oat flour is quick and easy. Just add the desired amount of oats (I use these rolled oats) to the container of a blender. Blend until a powder or flour is formed. It doesn’t need to be perfect; a few larger pieces will be just fine.

5 Simple Ingredients (With Substitutes)

These easy meatballs without breadcrumbs are a staple for us because I always have the ingredients on hand. They are the perfect protein addition to any meal!

Ground Beef – A lean, ideally grass fed, ground beef is our favorite. However, you can sub any ground meat to make meatballs without breadcrumbs. Ground pork, chicken, or turkey would work great as well!

Garlic Cloves – We are always swimming in garlic that we’ve grown, but if you don’t have fresh cloves, you can always sub jarred or garlic powder.

Oat Flour – You can buy already ground oat flour or it’s really easy to make yourself (as described above). A good substitute for oat flour is almond flour.

Egg

Sea Salt

How to Make Meatballs Without Breadcrumbs

Begin by gathering all of your ingredients (ground meat, garlic, oat flour, egg, and sea salt).

In a mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Get in there and use your hands if you wish!

Form the meatballs into 1.5-2” balls. If you have a cookie scoop, those work really well for portioning and forming meatballs. Otherwise, I like to use a tablespoon and then form the meatballs with my hands.

Place the finished meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.

How to freeze meatballs?

I prefer to freeze already baked meatballs. After they are finished cooking and cooled, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Freeze in a single layer so they don’t get frozen together.

To reheat from frozen, using an oven or a microwave, heat until they are warmed all the way through.

Can you make other variations of these easy meatballs without breadcrumbs?

Absolutely! This is my favorite recipe because I really appreciate how simple they are (and tasty). Because they are on the plainer side, they can be added to any meal. Throw them in tomato sauce or cream sauce with noodles. Add it to soup or serve it along side roasted vegetables or a stir fry. Put them in a barbeque sauce and serve them that way.

However, this recipe is also extremely versatile and the possibilities really are endless. Add cheese, different herbs, and use different sauces. Feel free to doctor them up any way that you’d like!

Can you scale this recipe?

For sure! I almost never make a single pound of ground beef in these meatballs. Instead, I like to double, triple, or even quadruple it to freeze the extras for future meals.

Easy Meatballs (No Breadcrumbs) Recipe

Yield: Approximately 18 Meatballs

Ingredients:

– 1 lb ground beef
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1/3 cup oat flour
– 1 egg
– 1 tsp sea salt

Directions:

1. Gather all of the ingredients and mix together until everything is fully incorporated.

2. Using a tablespoon or a cookie scoop, form into roughly 1.5-2” meatballs.

3. Place meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet.

4. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.

Serve and enjoy or freeze for later!

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For more dinner recipes you’ll love:

• Cheesy Meatloaf without ketchup or breadcrumbs
• Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Creamy Cheeseburger Soup

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