Gluten-free | Sugar-free | No added fats or oil | Dairy-free option

Serves: 4
Cuisine: Bridget's Healthy Kitchen 
Course: Lunch | Dinner
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 - 25 minutes

Last night while my family and I sat around the dinner table, my husband Mahei declared that these were the best meatballs in tomato sauce he's ever had. Yes, my husband is my biggest fan, but he's also my number one critic and top food tester, having lost 15 kgs (33 lbs) in 1 month just by eating my food! 

My meatballs are free from gluten and sugar and have no added fats or oils. And, if you're a fan of my roasted tomato sauce, then you're going to love these, as my sauce is the main base for these delicious morsels. 

I decided to make three different variations of these meatballs to better suit different tastes and dietary requirements. So, dust off your cast iron pot or dig deep for your heavy roasting tray, and start making my healthy oven-roasted meatballs. It's a warm and comforting dish that is packed full of flavour. 

Hints, Tips & Tricks

To ensure my recipe stays free from sugar and gluten, I use my roasted tomato sauce. You will need to prepare this sauce before continuing with the meatballs. My sauce is extremely versatile, and I use it in so many other delicious recipes. I always keep a jar of it in my fridge for impromptu curries, sauces and zucchini noodle pasta dishes. You can find the recipe here.

You can use lean beef, lamb, turkey or chicken mince for the meatballs. 

These meatballs and sauce freeze well for up to 3 months. You can defrost them in the fridge overnight and then finish them off under a hot grill to melt the cheese if using. 

You can find this recipe, plus many more gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free recipes in my award-winning health cookbook, More from Bridget's Healthy Kitchen.

Recipe

Ingredients

The Meatballs

• 500 g (1.1 lb) lean beef mince (ground) lamb, turkey or chicken 
• 1 medium onion, peeled and minced in a food processor or grater
• 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp fresh turmeric root, finely chopped or 4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp low sodium tamari
• ½ portion Bridget's roasted tomato sauce (see 'Hint, Tips & Tricks' section above) 

Version 1: 2 tbsp shredded parsley leaves

Version 2: 2 tbsp shredded parsley leaves, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves + 4 tbsp coconut yoghurt or sour cream,

Version 3: 2 tbsp shredded parsley leaves + 4 tbsp mozzarella cheese 

Method

1. Preheat the oven on bake at 220C ( 430F) and place the oven rack in the top quarter of the oven. 
2. Mix the ground meat, onion, garlic, coriander powder, thyme and turmeric together. Mix through the salt and a good grinding of black pepper. 
3. Roll the mixture into 14- 16 even-sized meatballs. Pour the tamari into a large bowl and add the meatballs, and roll the balls through the tamari to coat evenly. 
4. Heat your ovenproof pot on the stovetop at medium to high temperature. Add the meatballs and cook them for a couple of minutes before rolling gently to ensure they're evenly brown. 
5. Add the roasted tomato sauce and bring to a gentle boil and then place the pot in the oven to cook the meatballs for 12-15 minutes. 

Version 1: Remove from the oven and finish with a good grinding of black pepper and shredded parsley. 

Version 2: Remove from the oven and finish with dollops of the coconut yoghurt or sour cream and the fresh herbs before adding some finely ground black pepper. 

Version 3: Top the meatballs with the mozzarella cheese and place under a very hot grill ( broiler) for 5 minutes until golden. Sprinkle over the shredded parsley and finish with a good grinding of black pepper.