These Gluten-Free Teriyaki Meatballs are a quick, no-stress dinner for busy nights. Made with a homemade teriyaki sauce that’s completely wheat-free, they’re juicy, flavorful, and ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for rice bowls, meal prep, or a simple family dinner.
"Meatballs are a go-to for easy dinners that I know everyone will eat at our house. These are a winner and we will definitely be making them again!" - Dana
Dinner doesn’t need to be complicated to be good. These gluten-free teriyaki meatballs are one of those back-pocket meals I rely on as a mom. Served as teriyaki meatballs and rice, they make the kind of bowl dinner everyone can customize, which is exactly why meals like this (and the ones inside my Busy Mom's Cookbook) get made on repeat in my house.
What makes this recipe work is how practical it is: the sauce is homemade (no mystery ingredients), the meatballs prep quickly, and everything holds up well for leftovers or meal prep. I’ll often pair them with rice and veggies like I do with my teriyaki chicken and broccoli, or rotate them in with other gluten and dairy-free dinner recipes when weeks get busy. Whether you’re feeding picky kids or just trying to get dinner on the table before activities, this is one of those recipes that feels easy and dependable.
Why This Recipe Works
Allergy-friendly: Made without wheat ingredients, this simple gluten-free meatballs recipe is naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, though it can be made paleo as well.
Texture and taste: The recipe utilizes potato starch and arrowroot powder to bind the ingredients together, offering the option of gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos to maintain allergy-friendliness without compromising flavor.
Meal prep: The meatballs can be made in advance and even frozen to make busy nights easier.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Gluten-free meatballs are obviously a switch up from the norm because they don't use bread crumbs, along with these grape jelly and chili sauce meatballs. However, they hold together well and have a delicious, sweet and salty balance.
- Lean Ground Beef: The leaner the beef, the less grease you'll have when you bake it. You could also switch it up and make teriyaki turkey meatballs, too.
- Potato Starch: This is what replaces the bread crumbs. Potato starch will absorb the grease and hold the gluten-free meatballs together. Know that gluten-free breadcrumbs and tapioca starch will also work.
- Seasonings: You'll need fresh ginger and garlic to bring out the teriyaki flavor. This is also the base for this gluten-free Thai crispy chicken.
- Gluten-free Soy Sauce or Tamari: Double check that you have a gluten-free soy sauce (many actually contain wheat as a hidden source of gluten) or use Tamari in its place.
- Coconut Palm Sugar: Technically, any sweetener or sugar will work here for the homemade teriyaki sauce.
Easy Variations
Protein: Though ground beef is used, these meatballs can be made with ground turkey, ground chicken, like in these ground chicken meatballs, or even a blend of pork and beef.
Make them paleo: To make the teriyaki meatball recipe paleo-approved, you'll need to use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce as well as arrowroot powder in place of potato starch. Coconut palm sugar already works on a paleo diet, so you're good there.
Spicy: If you enjoy a kick of heat, add chopped jalapenos to the mix (like in these spicy ground turkey meatballs) or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
How To Make Gluten-Free Teriyaki Meatballs
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients for the gluten-free meatballs into a bowl.
Step 2: Portion the meatballs with your hands and lay them on a raised baking sheet. Bake until cooked through.
Step 3: In a small pot combine all ingredients except arrowroot powder.
Step 4: Bring to a rolling boil and whisk in the arrowroot powder until no clumps remain. Reduce and simmer until it thickens.
Step 5: Remove the meatballs from the oven. Serve over rice with a side of veggies!
Expert Tips
Make the sauce fresh: Homemade teriyaki sauce has the best flavor and texture right after it’s made. Once refrigerated, it naturally thickens and can turn slightly gel-like (totally normal thanks to the starch). If that happens, just warm it gently and stir to use it for dipping things like air fryer meatballs.
Meatball cooking hack: If you make meatballs often, a silicone pyramid baking mat is a total game-changer. Instead of sitting in grease (or having to pre-cook it off), the meatballs cook elevated while the fat drains away. I’ve tested every method over the years, and this is hands-down my favorite.
Overbaking: These meatballs finish cooking quickly. Pull them as soon as they’re cooked through. This keeps them juicy and prevents that dry, rubbery texture that gives meatballs a bad rep.
How To Serve Them
These gluten-free teriyaki meatballs are perfect for building quick, flavorful bowls:
- Serve over rice, quinoa, or herbed cauliflower rice for a paleo option.
- Add sautéed or oven-roasted veggies.
- Drizzle with extra homemade teriyaki sauce and top with something crisp like pickled daikon.
- Pair with other 30-minute, gluten- and dairy-free dinners like this Dominican ground beef.
How To Meal Prep Meatballs
Make weeknights easier by prepping the gluten-free meatballs and rice in advance. I always keep cooked grains like rice or quinoa in the fridge (perfect for these meal-prep friendly wraps).
Store them: Cooked gluten-free meatballs can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or sauce.
Freeze them: Freeze the meatballs raw on a baking sheet, then transfer to a sealed container. They’re great for batch cooking and perfect for postpartum meal prep.
Meal prep them: Prep the meatballs and rice ahead of time for quick assembly. I like to keep a batch of cooked grains like quinoa or rice in the fridge, just like I do for these quinoa and veggie wraps. It cuts dinner down to 15 minutes or less.
Gluten-Free Teriyaki Meatballs FAQs
Since you're not using bread crumbs, you still need to ensure there is some sort of flour that binds the ingredients together and absorbs the grease. Potato starch, tapioca flour, arrowroot powder, or a combination of coconut flour and arrowroot powder work well in most gluten-free meatball recipes.
Adding eggs to a gluten-free meatball recipe is a personal choice. Eggs do help to bind the ingredients together; however, they also make meatballs much denser. If using other binders, you don't always need to add eggs.
You can cook meatballs ahead of time and reheat them. However, you'll want to reheat the meatballs at a low temperature to avoid them drying out.
If you cook them in the slow cooker a lot of grease will mix into the teriyaki sauce and change its texture. Personally, I would bake them first and then keep them warm in the slow cooker until you need them.
Easy Gluten-Free Teriyaki Meatball
Video
Equipment
- Pyramid silicone mat
Ingredients
For the teriyaki meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ⅛ cup potato starch
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1.5 inches fresh ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon soya sauce
For the teriyaki sauce
- ⅓ cup soya sauce
- ⅛ coconut palm sugar
- ½ water
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1.5 tablespoons arrowroot powder
Assembling the bowls (optional)
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 bell peppers thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ⅓ cup chopped green onions
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Combine the ground beef and the rest of the ingredients for the meatballs into a bowl and use your hands to mix well. Make sure it's mixed together well.
- Using your hands, portion and roll the mixture into balls roughly 1 inch wide and place them on your baking sheet. The mixture should make 18 meatballs (roughly).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from the oven.
- While the meatballs are cooking, make the sauce by combining all ingredients together in a small saucepan except for the arrowroot powder
- Heat over medium to high heat. When the mixture starts to boil, whisk in the arrowroot powder and ensure no clumps remain. Reduce heat to medium-low until the sauce is the consistency you desire (it will thicken after about 5-8 minutes)
- If using, now is the time to saute your vegetables. Preheat a skillet with the avocado oil over medium heat. Add the peppers when hot and saute them. Toss them in the sesame oil and cook until cooked through but still firm.
- Assemble the bowls. Place ¾ cup of rice into each bowl and top with veggies, meatballs and sauce, finally add the green onions if using.
Notes
- The serving size/ nutritional breakdown does not include any of the ingredients for the rice bowls. Only the sauce and gluten-free meatballs.
- Double-check your soy sauce to confirm it's gluten-free as most contain wheat. In its place, Tamari or coconut aminos is a great substitute!
- This recipe has not been made with gluten-free breadcrumbs, so I can't comment on the portion/amount you would need to swap.
- Store leftover meatballs once cooled in the fridge separately from the sauce.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby S says
These make the best meal prep recipe! You can keep them in the fridge or frozen for when you need them.
Dana says
Meatballs are a go-to for easy dinners that I know everyone will eat at our house. These are a winner and we will definitely be making them again!
fitasamamabear says
Right?! They're just so awesome with kids!
Aarika says
This teriyaki bowl looks yummy! I don't eat beef. Do you think this will work ground turkey or tofu? Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe.
fitasamamabear says
It would totally work with ground turkey! The sauce is what makes it so I think it would be just as tasty!
Emily Morton says
This sounds so yummy! I think I'm going to substitute brown rice and give it a try this week sometime!
fitasamamabear says
It's a tasty one! I'm a sucker for meatballs though lol
Lisa says
This sounds delicious and is right up my ally! Totally making this!
XO-Lisa
fitasamamabear says
Enjoy them and let me know!
Kate says
Love single bowl Asian dishes! I definitely need to make this some weekend! It looks delicious.
fitasamamabear says
Anything in one bowl is definitely amazing! Hope you enjoy it!
Shell says
These look super delicious and easy to make !!! I need to try out your recipe this weekend!!
fitasamamabear says
Thanks Shell! I love them so I hope you do too- keep me posted!
Bianca says
This looks super simple and delicious! I never have teriyaki sauce in the house, but i think i have all of these ingredients in the cupboard.
fitasamamabear says
It's so simple to make the teriyaki sauce! I hope you enjoy them 🙂
Nita says
Looks great and something that can be tackled easily. Do you think I can freeze these for another day?
fitasamamabear says
You can! I have some in the freezer right now lol I make them but don't cook them, then in a ziplock I make the sauce and put it all in a bag. Thaw and pop in the oven!
Daneisha Smith says
These meatballs look and sound so good! I'm definitely trying out this recipe! I've been looking for some new ones to try anyway!
https://officiallychic.com/
fitasamamabear says
I love these meatballs! Honestly I end up eating them all day long lol- I hope you enjoy them!
thatssodarling says
The meatballs look like they'll be perfect for the upcoming football season!
fitasamamabear says
Oh that's a great way to use them- you can't go wrong with a sports game and meatballs 😉
Shileen says
Ooooh yuuuum! Looks and sounds amazing! And definitely appears to be easy!
fitasamamabear says
It`s not a tricky recipes and it smells amazing!