Meatball subs are a beloved comfort food, but the traditional version is loaded with carbs. This article provides several keto-friendly approaches to enjoying the flavors of a meatball sub without the guilt. Whether you're looking for a quick appetizer or a satisfying meal, there's a keto meatball sub recipe here for you.
Keto Meatball Sub Cups
These keto meatball sub cups are perfect as finger food for parties. Each gluten-free cup is like a mini meatball sub with a tasty bread cup, marinara sauce, meatballs, and cheese.
Ingredients:
- For the Fathead Dough:
- Mozzarella cheese
- Cream cheese
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Egg
- Coconut flour
- For the Filling:
- Small frozen Italian meatballs (Aldi's are mentioned, about 1g net carbs per meatball) or homemade keto meatballs
- Low carb marinara sauce (Aldi’s Specialty Selects Marinara is suggested, with 5g net carbs per half cup)
- Mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a mini muffin tin very well to prevent sticking.
- To make the fathead dough, add the cream cheese, mozzarella, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to a microwave-safe bowl. Cook for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, add the coconut flour and egg. Mix well.
- Take the cheese out of the microwave and mix again to ensure the melted cheese mixes together. Next, add in the egg mixture and mix again. You might have to use your hands to make sure everything is well incorporated. Now you have fathead dough to make the cups.
- Take a bit of the dough and form into a cup inside the muffin tin.
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for about 10 minutes.
- When they are done baking, place a teaspoon of marinara sauce in the cups, then add a meatball to each one. Next, top with more marinara sauce and a little mozzarella cheese. Place them under the broiler to melt the cheese.
- When the cheese is golden brown, they are done. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Keto Friendly Meatball Sub Sandwich
This recipe uses keto-friendly sandwich rounds or pizza crust as a base for a more traditional sandwich experience.
Ingredients:
- 2 Sandwich Rounds (keto-friendly) or a Pizza Crust
- 2 meatballs (use a keto meatball recipe)
- ½ cup marinara sauce
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp parmesan (freshly grated parmigiano reggiano is recommended)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Place the two meatballs in a small baking dish. Cover with sauce and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella.
- Bake for 20 minutes total. After 10 minutes, place the Sandwich Rounds directly on the oven rack and let them crisp up while the meatballs continue to simmer in the sauce.
- When the cheese is melted, sauce is starting to bubble, and the Sandwich Rounds are a toasty golden brown, they’re all ready to take out of the oven and assemble into a sandwich.
- Remove the Sandwich Rounds from the oven and place on a plate. Remove the meatballs from the oven and place one meatball on each Sandwich Round. Top with the shredded parmesan or parmigiano reggiano and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Hearty Meatball Sub on Low Carb Bread
This recipe focuses on creating a satisfying sandwich using low-carb bread and your choice of sauce.
Ingredients:
- Low carb bread
- Meatballs (cooked)
- Marinara sauce, garlic aioli, or mayo
- Provolone cheese
- Onion (cooked)
- Basil
Instructions:
- Slather marinara, bbq, mayo, or aioli on bread halves.
- Put provolone cheese on top and put back in the oven for 2 minutes until cheese has melted.
- Top with onions, meatballs, and basil.
Low-Carb Meatball Subs with Mozzarella Dough
This recipe features a mozzarella dough crust, creating a fully enclosed meatball sub experience.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Ingredients:
- For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- For the Dough:
- 1 1/2 cup super fine almond flour
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (grain free and aluminum free)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups finely grated, part-skim mozzarella cheese
- For the Assembly:
- 4 tablespoons spaghetti sauce (check the carb content)
- 4 slices provolone cheese, cut in half
- 2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon grated or finely chopped provolone cheese (optional)
Instructions:
- Make the Meatballs: In a medium mixing bowl, mix the ground beef, garlic, basil, oregano, pepper, and salt. It's easiest to use clean hands for this. Divide the mixture into about 16 equal portions. Form each portion into a ball shape. Heat a large well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. If you do not have a well-seasoned skillet, or choose to use meat with a low-fat content, you may need to spray the pan with coconut oil before the next step. Add meatballs to the skillet and cook on medium high. Do not allow the meatballs to touch. If your skillet is too small to cook all of your meatballs without touching, cook them in batches. Brown all sides of the meatballs, then turn the heat to low and continue cooking until done in the middle. Remove meatballs to a plate and set aside.
- Make the Dough: Preheat oven to 375º Fahrenheit. Have two pieces of parchment paper, about 20 inches long, and a rolling pin available. Set up a double boiler. A saucepan with mixing bowl that fits on top works perfectly for this purpose. Fill the lower part of the double boiler with 1-2 inches of water and place over high heat. Bring water to a boil, then turn to low heat to keep it simmering. In the bowl for the double boiler (not over heat), whisk together the almond flour, xanthan gum, salt, oregano, and baking powder. Stir in the egg. Mixture will appear mealy. Stir in the cream cheese and the mozzarella cheese. This will not combine with the rest of the ingredients at this point. Place the bowl containing the mixture over the simmering water. Stir constantly until cheese melts and the mixture becomes dough-like. Be careful not to burn yourself from the escaping steam or the hot bowl. I use a silicone oven mitten to hold the bowl for this step. Turn dough out onto one of the pieces of parchment. Knead a few times to thoroughly mix the dough. Pat dough into a rectangular shape and cover with the second sheet of parchment paper. Roll dough into a rectangle about 10" X 14". Slide the parchment containing the dough onto a cutting board. If necessary, trim off the rough edges using a serrated knife or a pizza cutter. Cut the dough in half crosswise, then in half lengthwise to create 4 equal sections. Slide the parchment containing the dough onto a cookie sheet.
- Assemble the Subs: On each section, place two halves of the provolone cheese, then arrange 4 meatballs lengthwise over top. Spoon one tablespoon of spaghetti sauce over the the 4 meatballs on each rectangle. Pinch the edges of the short sides together.
Tips and Considerations
- Meatballs: To minimize carbs, consider making your own meatballs. Ground beef or ground pork can be used. Adding pepperoni to turkey meatballs can boost flavor and moisture.
- Marinara Sauce: Be mindful of the carb content in marinara sauce. Look for brands with lower sugar content, such as Aldi's Specialty Selects Marinara.
- Fathead Dough: Fathead dough is a versatile low-carb bread substitute made with mozzarella, cream cheese, eggs, and coconut or almond flour.
- Mozzarella Dough: Mozzarella dough can be tricky to work with, but it creates a stretchy, low-carb dough perfect for breadsticks, sticky buns, pastries, and tortilla chips.
- Almond Flour: Use finely ground almond flour for best results.
- Oat Fiber: Oat fiber is an insoluble fiber that contains zero carbs and helps with the texture and structure of the recipe.
- Serving: Because the marinara can make the bread soggy, assemble the sandwiches just before eating.
Variations and Additions
- Spice: Add hot pepper flakes for heat.
- Freshness: Garnish with fresh parsley or basil.
- Cheese: Experiment with different cheeses, such as parmesan or provolone.
- Sauce: Try different sauces like BBQ sauce, garlic aioli, or pesto.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
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