Creamy Garlic Pasta with Chicken Meatballs (Dairy Free, Gluten Free).

Creamy garlic pasta with tasty chicken meatballs is a delicous and cozy dinner. This is an easy and comforting meal that your family will love!

Winter weather puts me in the mood for comfort food. Pasta, potatoes, stews, and soups are all very cozy and comforting on cold days.

The other night, I decided to mix things up a little bit and make some creamy garlic pasta with chicken meatballs. This was a dish that my family loved! My oldest son said it reminded him of something he would order in a restaurant.

When we first eliminated dairy from our diet, I was sure that we would never have a good, creamy pasta sauce ever again.

That hasn’t been the case at all! From gluten free vegan macaroni and cheese to creamy sun dried tomato pasta, we have had plenty of opportunities to enjoy rich and satisfying pasta dishes.

How do you make a dairy free cream sauce?

It’s easy to make a roux with vegan buttery spread, dairy free milk, and gluten free flour. You simply melt the vegan buttery spread in the pan, then add the flour, and stir while it cooks for a few minutes (you want to remove the raw flour taste). Then you add the dairy free milk of your choice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until it thickens.

I added some Daiya mozzarella shreds to make this a cheese sauce. You can do that if you like, or use any non-dairy cheese that works for you.

You could also leave the cheese out and just season it a bit more with garlic, salt, and pepper.

Can I use a different dairy free milk for this cream sauce?

You can use any dairy free milk that works for your needs. Oat milk, rice milk, or any other neutral tasting milk should work just fine in this recipe.

Can I use regular dairy in this recipe?

Yes, if you aren’t dairy free, go ahead and use regular dairy milk and shredded cheese in equal amounts. You can also use any brand of dairy free cheese that works for your dietary needs.

Can you make meatballs without eggs?

Yes, meatballs can be made without eggs. I used potato in this recipe to bind the meatballs together, and it worked out really well. These held their shape nicely during frying and then baking.

Can I use a different meat in this recipe?

Sure. you can use ground turkey, ground beef, or even ground pork if you like! Any ground meat will work well to make these gluten free meatballs.

If you are vegan, you can try my recipe for vegan meatballs. I think they would go very well with this creamy pasta.

More comforting dairy free dishes:

• Dairy Free Ground Beef Stroganoff
• Vegan Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
• Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

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Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Garlic Pasta (Gluten Free, Dairy Free).

Chicken meatballs with a creamy sauce and gluten free pasta make a tasty, allergy friendly dinner that's sure to be a favorite.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 685 kcal

Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 pound ground chicken breasts
• 1 shallot finely chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
• ¾ cups cooked potatoes I used two Yukon Gold potatoes that had been baked, and I mashed them with a fork.
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

For the pasta:

• 8 ounces gluten free penne
• ¼ cup vegan buttery spread
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ cup gluten free flour blend
• 3 cups dairy free milk I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ¾ cup Daiya mozzarella shreds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the chicken meatballs:

1. Place the ground chicken, shallots, cilantro, cooked potatoes, and spices in a large bowl and use your hands to mix it all together. Pour the olive oil in a large skillet. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

2. Heat the oil in the skillet. Form the meat mixture into meatballs and place them in the skillet when the olive oil starts to sizzle. Cook over medium heat, turning with a spatula so that they are browned on all sides.

3. Once the meatballs are browned, transfer them to a ceramic casserole dish. Bake at 375 degrees until they are cooked through - about 15-20 minutes. The meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. 

4. While the meatballs are in the oven, cook the gluten free pasta according to the directions on the package, then drain.

Make the creamy garlic sauce:

1. In a medium sized pot, melt the vegan buttery spread. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until it becomes fragrant.

2. Add the gluten free flour, and stir well. Cook for a few minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.

3. Slowly add the dairy free milk and continue to stir until the sauce starts to thicken.

4. Add the dairy free mozzarella shreds and salt and pepper, and stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the sauce.

5. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir. Place some creamy pasta on each plate, and top with the cooked meatballs.

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes about 16 meatballs. Serving size is about 4 meatballs and 2 ounces of pasta.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Meatballs with Creamy Garlic Pasta (Gluten Free, Dairy Free).

Amount per Serving

Calories

685

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

35

g

54

%

Saturated Fat

 

8

g

50

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Cholesterol

 

98

mg

33

%

Sodium

 

1375

mg

60

%

Potassium

 

818

mg

23

%

Carbohydrates

 

65

g

22

%

Fiber

 

4

g

17

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

28

g

56

%

Vitamin A

 

610

IU

12

%

Vitamin C

 

6

mg

7

%

Calcium

 

43

mg

4

%

Iron

 

3

mg

17

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.