Craving Mexican flavors while sticking to your keto diet? Look no further than these delicious and easy-to-make keto enchilada meatballs! They capture the essence of classic enchiladas in a fun, bite-sized form, perfect as an appetizer, a satisfying main course, or a meal prep staple.
Why You'll Love These Keto Enchilada Meatballs
- Keto-Friendly: These meatballs are designed to fit seamlessly into your ketogenic lifestyle, using low-carb ingredients without sacrificing flavor.
- Flavorful: Packed with savory spices, fresh herbs, and a rich enchilada sauce, these meatballs deliver an authentic Tex-Mex taste.
- Easy to Make: With simple steps and readily available ingredients, you can whip up a batch of these meatballs in no time.
- Versatile: Enjoy them as an appetizer, a main course, or even freeze them for future cravings.
- Customizable: Adapt the recipe to your liking by using different ground meats, cheeses, or toppings.
Ingredients for Keto Enchilada Meatballs
The beauty of this recipe lies in its flexibility. Feel free to adjust the ingredients based on your preferences and what you have on hand.
- Ground Meat: 1 pound of ground chicken, turkey, beef, or a combination. Using leaner meat, such as ground turkey or chicken, instead of fattier options like beef or pork, is recommended.
- Enchilada Sauce: Use a can of your favorite red enchilada sauce. You can substitute it with a homemade enchilada sauce.
- Cheese: ½ cup of Mexican blend cheese or a keto-friendly alternative. If Mexican blend cheese doesn't work for you, feel free to reach for a dairy-free alternative.
- Aromatics & Spices: Fresh garlic, chopped cilantro, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Egg: One egg to bind the ingredients.
- Breadcrumbs: Use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed. This recipe is naturally low carb except for the breadcrumbs!
- Olive Oil: For cooking the meatballs in a skillet.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Meatball Mixture
In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat, finely chopped bell pepper, minced jalapeño, diced white onion, freshly chopped cilantro, taco seasoning, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Alternatively, in a large bowl, mix together ground beef, garlic, egg, cilantro, bread crumbs, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.Don’t overmix or the meatballs will be tough.
2. Form the Meatballs
Shape the mixture into 2-inch meatballs using a tablespoon or cookie scoop. Place the formed meatballs on a plate. The recipe should make around 14 meatballs from 1 pound of ground beef.
3. Cook the Meatballs
Heat olive oil in a large 10-inch iron skillet or oven-proof pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meatballs. Sear first. To get that little bite of texture on the outside of the meatballs, you need to griddle or sear them first. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes, or about 10-12 minutes in total, until the meatballs are browned on all sides and fully cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F.
Read also: Easy Keto Enchilada Sauce
When cooking meatballs, it's important not to overcrowd the skillet or pan. Leaving enough space between them ensures they cook evenly and develop a nice crust. If the pan is too crowded, it may steam instead of sear, resulting in a less desirable texture.
4. Add Sauce and Cheese
Pour in the enchilada sauce, coating the meatballs. Don’t overmix. Top with the Mexican blend cheese.
5. Bake (Optional)
Preheat the oven broiler to high.Place the skillet in the preheated oven and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serving Suggestions
These keto enchilada meatballs are incredibly versatile. Here are a few serving ideas:
- As an Appetizer: Serve them on a platter with toothpicks for a party-friendly snack.
- As a Main Course: Serve over cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles for a complete keto meal.
- With Toppings: Top with sour cream, sliced jalapeños, fresh cilantro, guacamole ,cotija cheese, and diced tomatoes. You can use salsa instead of diced tomatoes.
- In a Skillet: Create a Keto Enchilada Meatball Skillet by melting cheese over the meatballs in a skillet and topping with your favorite garnishes.
Variations and Substitutions
- Meat: Experiment with ground turkey, chicken, or a combination of meats.
- Cheese: Use Monterey Jack, cotija, or a dairy-free alternative.
- Spice Level: Adjust the amount of chili powder and jalapeño to your preferred heat level. Want to mix up the flavors? Try swapping ground chicken for ground turkey or beef. If you're craving a bit of extra heat, toss in some more jalapeños.
- Sauce: Make your own homemade enchilada sauce or use a store-bought version.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Storage: Allow the leftovers to cool completely before storing them. Place them in an airtight container or a sealable plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you have leftover sauce, it's best to store it separately from the meatballs.
- Freezing: To freeze, arrange the cooled leftovers in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in the freezer until they are firm. Once firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheating:
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake until heated through.
- Stovetop: Place them in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
Instant Pot Instructions
For a quicker cooking method, you can use an Instant Pot:
Read also: Low-Carb Enchilada Soup
- Combine the ground meat and spices together in a bowl and mix well.
- Use a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop to form meatballs.
- Place meatballs in the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot and add 1 cup water or bone broth.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, checking that the seal is in place and the vent is closed. Press the "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" button and adjust the time to 12 minutes on high pressure.
- When it beeps, immediately release pressure. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked meatballs to a separate bowl. Leave the cooking liquid in the pot.
- Press the "Saute" button and bring the cooking liquid from the meatballs to a simmer.
- Whisk in the spices and tomato paste, stirring until combined.
- Whisk in the water + arrowroot slurry. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens.
- Finally, return the cooked meatballs to the Instant Pot and gently stir to coat in the enchilada sauce.
Tips for the Best Keto Enchilada Meatballs
- Don't Overmix: Overmixing the meatball mixture can result in tough meatballs. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Sear for Flavor: Searing the meatballs before adding the sauce adds a delicious depth of flavor and texture.
- Use Quality Ingredients: Opt for high-quality ground meat, fresh herbs, and your favorite enchilada sauce for the best results.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the meatball mixture before forming the meatballs and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Get Creative with Toppings: Don't be afraid to experiment with different toppings to create your perfect enchilada meatball experience.
Read also: Low-Carb Chicken Enchiladas