Baked Meatballs Recipe (No Breadcrumbs) - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is a healthy substitute for breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

If a recipe for meatloaf or meatballs calls for bread crumbs, you may have success swapping it out for rolled oats or oat flour. Oats by weight are also lower in calories, provide more complex carbohydrates, and are a richer source of dietary fiber than bread crumbs, making them a nutritionally sound substitute.

Instead of frying, I have a really easy recipe that I use to make baked meatballs. As you may already know, baking is a lighter and healthier cooking process than frying because in baking you miss all the fat and calories of the frying oil.

Filler ingredients like breadcrumbs or flour are important too because they stop the meatballs becoming dry. The breadcrumbs absorb the juices from the meat as it cooks, trapping them within the meatball. Again quantity is important here; too much and your meatball will be more like stuffing or a dumpling.

Almond flour (sometimes sold as almond meal) has a coarse texture and a nutty flavor, making it a great gluten-free substitute for bread crumbs. You can use it in meatball or meatloaf mixture, but we especially like using it to dredge meats like pork chops to create a crispy exterior.

Rolled Oats

Oats are the perfect substitutes for breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf.

Crushed Chips Or Pretzels

Look to your pantry for that bag of chip crumbs no one will eat. They are perfect for when you need to substitute in a pinch. They're crispy and crunchy and add lots of texture to a dish. Flavored chips may also add zing to your topping.

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

Covering them with foil can help when reheating, but you will still want to remove it during the last few minutes of cook time in the oven. How do you keep meatballs moist when baking? The key is in the preparation! Make sure to handle the meat mixture as little as possible and mix the ingredients just until combined.

What if you don't have bread crumbs for meatloaf? ›

Breadcrumbs are not to be used everywhere, they should never replace the main navigation or on-page navigation of a website, such as that of a header or sidebar. Many basic sites will only need main navigation.

Quinoa flakes are a fantastic replacement for breadcrumbs, particularly for those seeking a gluten-free option. Quinoa is packed with essential amino acids, protein, and fibre. To use quinoa flakes as a breadcrumb substitute, pulse them in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs.

Crushed-up Ritz crackers make a great substitute and add an extra burst of buttery flavor and moisture to your dish that regular breadcrumbs can't quite match.

Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

You can use cornstarch or tapioca starch as a natural substitute for breadcrumbs. Using ⅓ cup will help your meatball hold their shape, and if you need extra binding, add an additional egg (or egg white).