I thought my meatball days were over since all the recipes I knew included eggs and wheat as a binder. You would think by now I would know there is a work around to almost any culinary conundrum, but I truly had given up hope. That was, until I saw these meatballs that used quinoa as the perfect, allergy-free binder.
WHY WE LOVE THESE EGG-FREE ASIAN MEATBALLS
We’re huge fans of quinoa. My boys love to snack on plain quinoa, cooked in chicken broth topped with a little olive oil and sea salt.
So, I was ecstatic to find another recipe using it. Not only do these flavor bombs have pork, but they also have quinoa making them a protein powerhouse!
These are a fabulous appetizer that are wonderful for holiday parties. I also plan on busting these out during our Chinese New Year celebrations.
But, these make it into our typical dinner rotation too, often being served with rice and broccoli. We gobble these Asian quinoa meatballs up, and almost fight over any leftovers. I’ve even started doubling the recipe because my son loves to take the leftovers to school lunches.
If I haven’t convinced you how savory and flavor packed these are–just know this: I hate touching raw meat. So, for me to put my hands in raw meat means that these are SOOO worth it.
HOW ARE THESE MEATBALLS EGG-FREE?
Typical meatballs use eggs as a binder. It was a happy accident that I realized quinoa, once cooked, becomes a bit sticky and binds to the meat. So, it’s a double-win: extra protein and it helps the meat form balls and stay together. Who knew? I know it seems crazy to use quinoa as a egg-replacer for meatballs, but try it and see it yourself! I wouldn’t recommend it for baked goods, but it works wonders in meatballs.
These meatballs also don’t use any cheese, or breadcrumbs making them super allergy-friendly by being gluten, dairy, egg, and nut free!
HOW DO I SERVE THESE EGG-FREE ASIAN MEATBALLS?
I’ve served them plain, with toothpicks as an appetizer. They’ve been a hit at Superbowl parties.
I also like to serve them as shown in the picture as an entree served over rice with broccoli. I buy the frozen broccoli, put it on the same cookie sheet and bake it altogether. The broccoli gets a wonderful flavor from the juices that comes from the meatballs. It’s a sheet pan wonder (as seen in the photo).
DO I HAVE OTHER ALLERGY FRIENDLY ASIAN DISHES?
Why yes I do! Since we can’t go out to eat at a typical Asian restaurant due to things like cashew chicken, wheat in the soy sauce and other allergen cross-contact worries, I’ve learned to make a few at home. Skip tipping (unless you want to tip yourself, haha.)
- Gluten free teriyaki chicken and vegetable stir fry (with a soy free option!)
- Gluten free Lo Mein (with vegan and other allergy friendly options!)
- 30 Minute Korean Chicken and Broccoli
- Gluten Free Black Pepper Chicken
- Gluten Free Instant Pot Bacon Ramen Noodles
DO I HAVE OTHER EGG-FREE MEATBALL RECIPES?
Yes, I do! I also have a recipe for egg-free teriyaki meatballs here.
Also–if you’re looking for that classic, Italian meatball that is also gluten, dairy and egg free, check out my allergy friendly instant pot cookbook where you’ll find the recipe there!
WHAT MEAT DO I RECOMMEND?
A great shortcut is using Jimmy Dean regular sausage. It already has some flavorings and spices, so it makes for an even easier recipe!
WHAT IF I CAN’T HAVE SESAME?
I’d suggest using olive oil instead. If you can, use sesame oil as it’s more for the flavor than the fat content with that unique taste sesame oil gives.
Do you have a video showing how to make these Asian Quinoa Meatballs?
Yes, I do! I like to use TikTok because their videos are short and succinct. This general overview should give you a good idea of how to make these Asian Quinoa Meatballs that are gluten, dairy and egg free. I also have the video saved to my Instagram Highlight Bubbles. Enjoy!
@allergyawesomenessHow to make meatballs w/out breadcrumbs or eggs ##learnontiktok ##tiktokpartner ##gfree ##greenscreen♬ original sound – Megan Lavin
Gluten, Dairy & Egg Free Asian Quinoa Meatballs (Nut Free Too!)
Flavor bombs packed with Asian swagger. Perfect as an appetizer or as a meal with sides. A breadcrumb and egg-free meatball!
Ingredients
- 1 package Jimmy Dean regular ground pork (1 pound)
- 1/3 cup rinsed quinoa
- 2/3 cup chicken broth (use homemade or one that meets your allergy requirements)
- 3 cloves garlic (or 1.5 teaspoons jarred garlic)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1 Tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce (if you can't do soy, use coconut aminos)
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray of choice.
In a small saucepan, bring the chicken broth to boil, add in rinsed quinoa and cover. Lightly simmer for 10 minutes, or until it has popped and is soft. Allow to cool enough to handle with your hands.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ground pork, garlic, onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha to taste. Add in the quinoa once cooled. Using a wooden spoon or clean hands, stir until well combined. Roll the mixture into 1 1/4-to-1 1/2-inch meatballs, forming about 18-20 meatballs. (I like to use a cookie scooper for this so that they're uniform.)
Place meatballs onto the prepared baking dish and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until all sides are browned and meatballs are cooked through.
Notes
*Our allergies, while severe and that get re-tested frequently, are such that we can go strictly by what's on the label. I do not call companies to see what things are derived from, or call manufacturers to see about potential cross contact. If your allergies require you to do so, please do your own homework. I cannot assure you of any ingredient's safety, only you can do that. I simply share what works for our family
**If you are going to feed this to someone with food allergies, and you yourself do not have food allergies, I HIGHLY recommend having them check every single brand and ingredient you are using, to ensure they're OK with each part of the recipe. And, to make sure you've talked to them about how to avoid cross contamination in your kitchen.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 25Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g
DON’T FORGET TO PIN IT, SO YOU DON’T LOSE IT. WHILE YOU’RE THERE, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY OTHER EGG-FREE PINS!
egg-free-asian-quinoa-meatballs-recipe-pinterest-pin-by-allergy-awesomeness
Hi! I’m Megan, a mom to four kids, two with multiple food allergies & one with EOE. I’m a published cookbook author who constantly tweaks recipes to make them allergy-friendly—it’s an addiction. I’m also a member of the Allergy Advisory Council for Certified Free From Foods, where I help advocate for safer labeling and standards. I share every recipe & tip with the hope that they help you as you manage your food allergies & dietary restrictions. You can still be awesome, even with food allergies!
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Grilled Island Chicken with Lime, Cilantro and Coconut Rice & Beans (GF, DF, Egg, Peanut, Tree nut Free)
Why I Wrote “An Allergy Mom’s Lifesaving Instant Pot Cookbook”
Gluten Free Dairy Free Italian Pork Sliders
Gluten Free Black Pepper Chicken & Green Beans
Grilled Spicy Honey Chicken
Stir Fry Chicken Recipe
Amanda
Have you ever tied to freeze these, once assembled, then thaw and cook? Or cook from frozen?
Megan Lavin
Hi Amanda, I haven’t. I would assume you would cook them, then freeze them–much like stores do with theirs, so you’re only reheating them, versus worrying about cooking the meat enough after having been frozen. If you try it, let me know!
Karen
Do these need to be served warm?
Megan Lavin
Yes 🙂 Enjoy Karen!
Tiffany
I would need to leave out garlic, sesame oil, and Sriracha. Any substitutes ideas for the garlic and sriracha? I would also have use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, which is good stuff I might add.
It looks yummy!
Megan Lavin
Yes, coconut aminos are the best. I wouldn’t worry about making up for the sriracha, unless you really want some heat, add some red pepper flakes. As far as the garlic, I don’t know of any substitutions, but it would probably be fine without it.
Lisa J Grimsley
Have you ever tried these using ground beef? My son-in-law has Celiac Disease and an intolerance to dairy, so we’re always looking for recipes for him. However, he doesn’t like pork. Can’t wait to try these.
Megan Lavin
I haven’t since my son is allergic to beef, but I imagine they’d taste great! If you try it, let me know!
Joel Cooney
With a soy/wheat allergy, I’ve had to make my own “substitute” soy sauce. Close but still not quite. Any recipes for soy sauce that doesn’t include soy, wheat, or peanuts?
Megan Lavin
Coconut aminos are a great soy sauce substitute, as mentioned in the recipe
Lauren
Hi! I just found you and love your blog.! Grateful for people like you who can help me navigate meals a little bit better! Are these freezer friendly? If so, would you thaw in fridge and reheat in skillet?
Thank you!
Megan Lavin
Hi Lauren! Happy to have you here. Yes, these are freezer friendly. You can see the directions in this post: https://allergyawesomeness.com/allergy-friendly-freezer-meals/
Cookie
This sounds delicious! One thing I noticed in your ingredients list is that you listed soy sauce…did you mean gluten-free soy sauce? Regular soy sauce has wheat in it. Other than that, I can’t wait to try these meatballs! Thanks for this recipe! 🙂
Megan Lavin
Hi Cookie! Yes, ALWAYS gluten-free soy sauce. Sorry, I mentioned that in an earlier post that that is all I use, but I should probably mention that in each post. Thanks, and enjoy!