Gluten and Dairy-free Honey-Teriyaki Meatballs are a perfect appetizer for anyone with food allergies. When it comes to appetizers, they are often a food allergists’ worse nightmare. There’s a guessing game that goes on inside your head. Hmm, looks thick, probably flour. Ooh, that stuffed mushroom looks good, filled with fake crab meat. Yum, how about one of those meatballs, you guessed it, full of Panko crumbs. And the list goes on and on, all the while you’re left munching on carrot and celery sticks. You learn to not even attempt to ask if they are gluten-free because most often they’ve been purchased from Costco and the box has long been thrown away in order for the hostess to have you think she slaved all day in the kitchen! You won’t have to slave all day to make my Honey Teriyaki Meatballs, and the best thing is they are gluten and dairy-free! Just make sure if you take them to a party, you snag a few, because I guarantee your friends will not guess they are allergy friendly!

Gluten & Dairy-free Honey-Teriyaki  Meatballs
Gluten-free panko crumbs make these honey-teriyaki meatballs hold together.

I used pasture-fed organic beef and sweet Italian sausage in these meatballs, but you could use chicken, turkey, or even bison meat. They are fast and easy, roll ’em and pop them in the oven for 25 minutes, and voila, you have a delicious gluten & dairy free appetizer! I found gluten-free panko crumbs at Whole Foods, and they can be purchased on Amazon as well.

Gluten-free Meatball Mixture
Making up a batch of gluten & dairy-free meatballs makes a fabulous appetizer for any kind of party.

I used a cookie scoop to try to keep the rolled honey-teriyaki meatballs somewhat uniform in size but you could use a large spoon just as easy. Spread them out about an inch or two apart before placing them in the oven for 20 minutes. After they’ve baked, remove from the oven, spread the remaining honey-teriyaki sauce on the meatballs and return them to the oven for a remaining five minutes.

Coating honey-Teriyaki Meatballs
Give the cooked meatballs a nice thick coating of honey-teriyaki sauce.

I love to cook, whether it’s appetizers or a full five course meal. But your food is only as good as it looks. The presentation of your food takes it from being ordinary meatballs into extraordinary meatballs. Beings we’re heading in to the Christmas season, I decided to place my gluten & dairy-free Honey-Teriyaki Meatballs on a bed of fresh parsley formed in the shape of a Christmas tree. The meatballs just happen to look like ginormous Christmas balls but I think it works!

GFDF_Meatball_Pin
Pin me to your favorite gluten & dairy-free Pinterest board!

Heading to a holiday party this year? Whip up a batch of gluten & dairy-free Honey-Teriyaki Meatballs to bring along and you won’t feel left out of the party.

Directions for making Gluten & Dairy-free Honey-Teriyaki Meatballs:

Gluten & Diary-free Honey Teriyaki Meatballs

Serves 20
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Total time 45 minutes
Dietary Dairy-free, Gluten-free
Meal type Appetizer
Misc Serve Hot
Occasion Christmas
The perfect appetizer for anyone who is gluten and dairy-free. An easy make-ahead recipe or right before the party, and they won't know they're gluten-free!

Ingredients

teriyaki

  • 1/4 cup Tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey (raw)
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

meatballs

  • 1lb hamburger beef (grass fed)
  • 1/2lb sweet Italian sausage
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion (finely diced)
  • 1 bunch Italian parsley (1/4 cup chopped- remaining for garnish)
  • 3/4 cups GF Panko crumbs (or GF bread crumbs)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

meatballs (Optional)

  • 1 Large egg (use if you are not allergic)

Directions

Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.
teriyaki
Step 2
In a small saucepan add all ingredients for teriyaki sauce: tamari, water, rice vinegar, palm sugar, honey, ginger, garlic, cornstarch. Heat over medium heat stirring constantly until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and divide sauce in half.
meatballs
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl combine hamburger beef, Italian sausage, chopped parsley, diced onion, egg, pepper and gluten-free panko crumbs until fully combined. Add half of the divided teriyaki sauce to the meatball mixture. Combine.
Step 4
Roll meatballs in 1 1/2 inch diameter balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Baste remaining teriyaki sauce onto the cooked meatballs. Return to oven for 3-5 minutes.
Step 5
Place a bed of Italian parsley leaves down on a serving tray in the shape of a tree. Place meatballs in shape of tree on top of the parsley. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and place a toothpick in each meatball. Serve hot.

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