Spaghetti and red sauce is something that just about everyone can agree on. It’s just delicious, and comforting, and tastes like childhood. Meatballs, however, can be a little tricky once food restrictions come into play.

My approach to food restrictions is to really nail the main part in a way that everyone can enjoy, and tailor the easier things based on diet. These meatballs have so much flavor and pair perfectly with the sauce, and they’re friendly to so many diet types. And if you’re vegan, just make the sauce and you’ll still love it! It’s all just really good and will definitely earn its spot in the rotation.

Print Recipe

Spaghetti & (Gluten, Dairy, Grain-free) Meatballs

These meatballs have so much flavor and pair perfectly with the sauce, and they're friendly to so many diet types. And if you're vegan, just make the sauce and you'll still love it! It's all just really good and will definitely earn its spot in the rotation.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: meatballs, pasta, spaghetti

Servings: 8

Equipment

• 6 qt Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Pasta Pot
• Cutting Board
• Shun 8in Chef's Knife
• Shun 5in Santoku Knife

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 2 lbs ground beef 85/15
• 19 oz ground Italian sausage
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/2 sweet onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp oregano fresh, finely chopped
• 2 tsp thyme leaves only, discard stem
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper

For the Sauce

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 sweet onion chopped
• 1 sprig thyme fresh
• 2 sprigs oregano fresh
• 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp orange zest
• juice from 1/2 an orange hand squeezed
• 2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes I prefer Cento brand
• 1 28oz can San Marzano whole tomatoes crushed by hand, Cento brand preferred
• 1 large carrot peeled, cut into 3rds
• 1-2 tbsp sugar
• TT salt
• TT pepper
• 1 handful basil fresh, chopped

Instructions

For the Meatballs

• In a pan on medium heat, sweat the onions in the olive oil. Add the oregano, thyme, garlic powder, nutmeg and allspice. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the sauteed onions into the meat. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined evenly. Be careful not to overwork it, as it can turn gummy.
• Oil a baking sheet with olive oil. Roll the mix into balls a little larger than a golf ball and place on the pan, evenly spaced out. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.

For the Sauce

• In a pan, sweat the onions with the thyme and oregano. Add the chopped garlic, tomato paste, orange zest, and orange juice. Warm through, then add the crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, carrot, sugar, salt & pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the thyme and oregano and discard. Remove the carrot and either discard or slice up and serve as a small side to your pasta (it's delicious after cooking in the sauce). Add the fresh basil and stir. Remove from heat.
• Serve the meatballs and sauce over your favorite spaghetti noodles, or a bed of spaghetti squash for those with gluten or grain sensitivities.