Are Meatballs Gluten Free?

Are Meatballs Gluten Free

Are Meatballs Gluten-Free?

Meatballs might be gluten free, it depends on their method of preparation. In general, at grocery stores and restaurants, the chances are high they’re not gluten free. However, when made at home, they can very much be.

About Meatballs

Contrary to popular belief, Italians did not invent the meatball. No one really knows where these round balls of ground beef originated. But one thing is certain, almost every culture has some version of it. There is speculation that it started as Persian Kofta, which is an ancient type of meatball from modern-day Iran.

But we can’t prove whether this is true or not. Regardless, they are all over the world and found in a host of prized dishes. Meatballs can comprise any type of meat, from chicken and lamb to beef and pork. While many recipes do include things like wheat flour and breadcrumbs, there are others that don’t.

In the event you want to try some international flavors at home, you can always replace ingredients with gluten-friendly items.

Ingredients

Meatballs can come in a variety of preparations with a near-endless array of ingredients. There are Swedish meatballs, Italian-Style, Persian Kofta and a host of others. The list below contains the basic ingredients for the more popular types of meatballs.

  • Persian Kofta: a blend of several meats with either bulger, mashed lentils or rice.
  • Polpette: an Italian-style of meatball that uses beef or veal along with garlic, parsley, cheese and eggs; these come rolled incredibly tiny.
  • American Italian Style: beef, onions, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, oregano and/or basil.
  • Swedish: also called Kottbullar, any type of ground meat with breadcrumbs soaked in cream and milk which is then served with brown gravy along with a sauce comprising lingonberries.
  • Albondigas: From the Ouled Nail of Northern Africa and brought to Spain during Islamic rule; made from ground pork, mashed potatoes or rice along with breadcrumbs, paprika, egg, garlic cloves, parsley, salt, pepper and olive oil. Spain and Mexico serve these with a spicy red wine sauce.
  • Klopsiki: A Polish meatball that blends both ground pork and beef along with butter, milk, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion and beef broth. These go in either a sour cream mushroom or tomato sauce.
  • Königsberger: This meatball from Germany incorporates beef and pork along with a Kaiser roll, butter, onion, parsley, eggs, anchovies, salt, pepper and mustard.

Nutritional Information

The nutrition facts here indicate an average, basic American-style meatball made with beef and breadcrumbs. Therefore, the style of meatball and the type of meat it comprises will determine whether these counts will be higher or lower.

Serving Size

4 medium-sized meatballs totaling 113 grams

Calories

324

Calories from Fat

227

Total Fat

25g

Saturated Fat

8.6g

Trans Fat

0.7g

Polyunsaturated Fat

3.8g

Monounsaturated Fat

10g

Cholesterol

75mg

Sodium

755mg

Potassium

336mg

Total Carbohydrates

9.1g

Dietary Fiber

2.6g

Sugars

3.9g

Protein

16g

Vitamin A

1.7%

Vitamin C

0%

Calcium

7%

Iron

11%

 

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