Gluten free Meatballs in Almond Sauce are a Spanish tapa that works on a party table and on a regular weeknight. Ground almonds, known to gluten free cooks as almond flour, thicken the sauce and also hold the meatballs together, so there’s no need for breadcrumbs. Smart cooks save a recipe like this that earns its place for both occasions.
Adventurous cooks want to try amazing classics from around the world. This Spanish tapa can be part of a big, or small, gluten free tapas menu anytime of year. Two easy tapas to start with are Shrimp in Garlic Sauce and Manchego Cheese with Quince Paste. That makes three winning appetizers you can serve year round.
Ingredients
Most of this list is everyday pantry food. The two worth a closer look are the ground almonds and the gluten free beef stock.
- Ground beef & ground pork - This is a winning combination that makes juicy meatballs.
- White wine - This contributes to the Spanish flair of the dish so I wouldn't skip it. If you're not a wine drinker I see small bottles of wine, often just 1 cup, at the liquor store.
- Onion, garlic & carrot - Similar to a French mirepoix, the aromatic vegetable base for many Spanish dishes is called sofrito and varies slightly from recipe to recipe. The whole garlic cloves in the sauce add extra deliciousness.
- Gluten free beef stock - When you're new to gluten free I recommend leaning into cooking with whole foods as you learn to read labels. Very quickly you'll want to find gluten free stock. Fortunately there are brands with a certified gluten free logo that you'll learn to recognize and appreciate.
- Ground almonds/almond flour - Look for ground almonds in the baking aisle, or almond flour in with the gluten free flours. Both are made from blanched almonds so should be white or ivory coloured with no flecks. Almond meal is not the same, it is made from almonds that still have the skin on and the dark brown flecks are visible.
- Frozen peas - These are a staple in my freezer for many recipes that wouldn't be complete without them.
- Green onions - While they are a part of the recipe I would not make a special trip to the store if I had all the other ingredients.
- Parsley - I'd go out of my way to buy fresh parsley for a party but for everyday cooking at home I use dried. The calculation is always 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs equals 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
See recipe card for complete ingredient list and exact amounts.
Instructions
Prepare a foil or parchment lined baking tray and use a portion scoop to efficiently make even sized meatballs. The meatballs can be frozen at this stage and ready when you need them. This results in juicier meatballs compared to cooking and freezing them in advance.
Baking meatballs in the oven is also an option but I recommend cooking a dozen or so in the pan on the stove to ensure you get some juicy brown bits in the sauce.
Substitutions
Ground beef and pork - I love this combination but you can make this recipe with either one for a slightly different flavour.
Ground almonds/almond flour - This is important in the sauce but the first amount, used in the meatballs, can be substituted with fresh gluten free breadcrumbs. Savvy cooks save every piece of precious gluten free bread, half a bun or even bread that was slightly disappointing. Collect these leftovers in the freezer and use them to make fresh breadcrumbs when needed.
White wine - Although I always use it you can substitute with additional beef stock.
Serving Tapas or Weeknight Meatballs
For tapas, put a frilly toothpick in each meatball and serve them on a platter. When we were in Spain, bars worked out your bill by counting the toothpicks left on your plate. For dinner, serve them straight from the pan in their sauce.
Get The Tools
Portion scoops are perfect for efficiently making 80 meatballs, scooping batter into muffins tins, making cookie dough balls all the same size and so much more. Buy the Set of 3 portion scoops, you'll never regret it. I like the heavy duty metal scoops with a thumb-grip for quick and easy portioning.
Top Tip: Eating Out Safely (Eat Before You Go)”
For people who 'eat before you go' to avoid risky situations with no safe options, I recommend making a point of eating something delicious. Instead of grabbing a bar or stuffing yourself with crackers eat real food you enjoy, like these tasty meatballs. Then you will leave the house satisfied and can enjoy the party without looking at the food you can't have.
Recipe FAQs
Spanish tapas, sometimes called the little dishes of Spain, are small snacks or shareable appetizers. They highlight the flavours of Spain and are served on small plates, often with toothpicks. Tapas can bring exciting new flavour combinations to your table.
When you're new to gluten free (start here), I recommend leaning into cooking with whole foods. To ease the pressure of learning to read labels make this one decision; serve a gluten free dinner every night for everyone. Here are 10 recipes to start or add to your list.
If you make these, tell me whether they went on toothpicks or the dinner table. Leave a star rating and a comment below, since it helps other gluten free cooks find recipes that work.
Meatballs in Almond Sauce (gluten free)
Equipment
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- ¾ cup ground almonds* (first amount) See notes
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 eggs
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
ALMOND SAUCE
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 cup white wine
- 10 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1¾ cups gluten free beef stock
- ¼ cup ground almonds (second amount)
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Make Meatballs
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil and set aside.
- Put first amount of ground almonds in a bowl and pour wine on top. Let soak while you prepare the remaining meatball ingredients.
- In a large bowl evenly combine ground beef, pork, eggs, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper. Add soaked almonds and stir just until combined.
- Using a small scoop form cocktail size meatballs onto lined baking tray. Makes about 80 meatballs.
- Heat oil in large pan with high sides over medium-high heat. Sauté meatballs until well browned on all sides. Work in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan, remove meatballs as they are done.
Oven Cooking Method
- Alternately, meatballs can be cooked on a baking tray in a 400℉ oven for 15 minutes without turning. When I do this I like to cook at least a dozen meatballs in the pan on the stove, as directed above, to ensure I get some of the juicy brown bits into my sauce.
Make Almond Sauce
- Add onion and carrot to the pan, sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Add white wine and whole garlic cloves stirring to scrape up the brown bits. Boil until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Stir in beef stock and ground almonds.
- Add cooked meatballs along with the peas, green onions, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Serving
- For tapas arrange meatballs on a tray and put a frilly toothpick in each one. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
More Tapas Recipes
Serve these meatballs as one of several tapas and make Prosecco Berry Sangria for a real celebration. Plan your next culinary adventure exploring the flavours of Spain.
Steshni Corea
Again great sauce would try this with a vegan meatball version for sure!