Looking for a kid-friendly, low-carb food that's also a favorite way to add protein to a meal? Keto Italian meatballs are a go-to recipe if you're looking to make meatballs without bread crumbs. This recipe uses simple ingredients and is a low-carb version that's no different! Italian-style meatballs have the best flavor for Italian-inspired pasta dishes, and the great thing about this recipe is you can change it up based on what you have in your spice cabinet.
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Why Choose Keto Meatballs?
Traditional meatballs are often made with breadcrumbs or oatmeal, making them unsuitable for a strict keto diet. However, by switching the breadcrumbs to almond meal or cheese, you can easily make the best keto meatballs that fit perfectly into your low-carb lifestyle. These meatballs are not only delicious but also tender, flavorful, and made with minimal ingredients.
Ingredients for Keto Meatballs
Here's what you'll need to create these delectable keto meatballs:
- Ground Meat: 1 lb of ground beef (80/20 grass-fed recommended for best meat-to-fat ratio). You can also use ground pork, ground chicken, ground turkey, or a combination of ground meats.
- Breadcrumb Substitute: Use almond flour.
- Egg: 1 large egg to bind the ingredients.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan adds real Italian style flavor.
- Italian Seasoning: Adds that classic meatball flavor.
- Garlic: Use a whole head of garlic, finely minced.
- Heavy whipping cream: Conventional meatballs call for milk, but heavy whipping cream does the same thing with fewer added carbs.
- Low-Carb Sauce (Optional): Pick up a bottle of sugar-free tomato sauce at your local grocery store.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. If using almond flour cracker crumbs, combine them with heavy whipping cream and let sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Add the remaining ingredients and break up the ground meat with your hands. Mix thoroughly.
- Mix Well: Use a fork to mix the ingredients into the meat, then finish mixing with your hands, kneading the meat mixture to incorporate all of the ingredients. Mix until well-combined. A potato masher can be helpful to mix the ground beef and other ingredients together thoroughly.
- Form Meatballs: With a large cookie dough or ice cream scoop, spoon out 2-tablespoon-sized portions of the meat mixture into your hands. Gently roll it so it's perfectly round. You should get about 48 to 52 meatballs from this recipe. A #40 cookie scoop (1 ½ tablespoons) is the perfect size.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the meatballs on the baking tray, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the meatballs for 18-20 minutes, or until they are 160°F (71°C) when checked with a meat thermometer. If you make the meatballs smaller than about 2 tablespoons, they will not need to bake as long. Depending on their size, they should be done after about 8-10 minutes.
- For Browned Tops (Optional): If you want more browned tops, you can remove the meatballs after 10 minutes and then brush the tops with a little bit of olive oil. Return the tray of meatballs to the oven and bake another 2-3 minutes.
- Serve: Take meatballs out of the oven and spoon about a tablespoon of Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce, or another no-sugar-added sauce, over the meatballs. Serve over roasted spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or roasted veggies. Keto-Friendly Pasta - like Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Noodles. You can also purchase low carb pastas like Miracle Noodles or Spaghetti Squash.
Cooking Methods
- Baking: Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18-20 minutes.
- Air Fryer: Cook the meatballs at 400°F (200°C) for 8-11 minutes in the air fryer.
- Stovetop: If you prefer cooking the meatballs in a frying pan on the stovetop, pan fry them in a little bit of avocado oil over medium heat. Cook them for 2-3 minutes, turn, then repeat until they're cooked through.
Tips for the Best Keto Meatballs
- Add Moisture: To prevent the meatballs from drying out, sneak in some veggies into your meat mixture. Mushrooms and Zucchini are perfect, as they release a lot of moisture as they cook. You can also add grated zucchini or diced mushrooms to add moisture.
- Don't Overmix: Form meatballs gently, no need to tightly pack each meatball or overwork the meat-otherwise they might crumble when cooked.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: Use a cookie dough or ice cream scoop to ensure that each meatball is the same portion and bakes evenly.
- Check Internal Temperature: The internal temperature of the meat, measured with an instant-read thermometer, is the best and most precise way to tell that the ground meat is fully cooked. It should register 160°F.
Serving Suggestions
- Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs: Serve with traditional noodles or a healthier, low-carb option like zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
- Appetizers: Serve low carb meatballs alongside some veggie tots.
- Soups and Curries: Add to soups, curries, or other dishes for a protein boost.
- Keto Meatball Casserole: Bake them into a casserole.
- Big Mac Salad: A delicious version of the classic big mac sandwich, this Big Mac Salad is comfort in a bowl. It offers all of the flavors of a traditional big mac but in a healthy low-carb recipe without the bun.
- Beef Enchiladas: Enchiladas with ground beef, melty cheese, and a mildly spicy, savory sauce will quickly become a family favorite meal.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Allow to cool before placing into an airtight container.
- To Freeze Cooked Meatballs: Let them come to room temperature after baking. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe, airtight glass storage container or a large Ziplock bag (remove as much air from the bag as possible). To Cook Remove as many meatballs as you would like for a meal. Cook from frozen or let thaw, then cook as desired. Store the frozen meatballs in an airtight container for up to 6 months. You can cook directly from frozen or thaw them and then cook.
- To Freeze Uncooked Meatballs: Form the meatballs from the meat mixture and place it on a parchment paper-lined baking tray or plate. Freeze for at least 2-3 hours. Transfer the meatballs to a large Ziplock bag and remove as much air as possible.
- Reheating: If your meatballs are cooked, simply allow them to defrost, then heat them in the microwave or oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through. If they're uncooked, you can cook them from frozen by adding a few minutes of baking time to the overall cook time. You can reheat in the microwave or in a 350 degree oven.
Nutritional Information
Our low carb meatball recipe has 0 grams of net carbs. If you add a Keto tomato sauce, the net carbs will rise to 3 grams. These meatballs have 2.6g of carbs and 1g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1.6g net carbs per serving of 5 meatballs.
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