The idea of meatballs is a great meal or appetizer. It is kind of like a mini meatloaf that is in a ball shape. You can mix up the flavours that you put into it. This recipe for zesty lemon and thyme meatballs has a classic flavour combination, and it tastes lovely rolled into a little bite-sized meatball.
I make this meal gluten-free by making my own gluten-free bread crumbs. You know how you pay $5+ for a loaf of gluten-free bread? And then that ridiculously expensive loaf of bread starts to get hard before the week is even over? I feel your frustration.
When that happens, I throw the almost stale bread into a freezer-safe zip lock storage bag and freeze it. Then whenever I need breadcrumbs, I throw a few slices into my food processor to pulse them up into bread crumbs. Gluten-free bread is expensive, so you must make the most of every slice! This is a good tip for even those of you who are gluten eaters!
I like to serve these Lemon Thyme Meatballs over my Creamy Lemon Risotto. It is a great pairing and an excellent switch-up from pasta.

Tangy Lemon Thyme Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (minced beef)
1 large egg
⅔ cup bread crumbs - gluten-free
2 cloves garlic - grated
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
¼ cup soy sauce - gluten-free
2 small green onions (scallions or green shallots) - finely chopped
1 medium lemon juice - juiced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
- Use a small ice cream scoop to ensure the same beef in every meatball, and roll each scoop into a ball shape.
- Place all the meatballs on a sprayed baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the meatballs are well browned.
- Serve over risotto, and enjoy!