Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs: A Deliciously Healthy Comfort Food

If you've ever craved an extra serving of sweet and sour sauce, this keto sweet and sour meatballs recipe is tailor-made for you. It's a healthy and delicious twist on a classic comfort food, perfect as an appetizer or a satisfying meal when paired with cauliflower rice or other keto-friendly sides.

Why Choose Keto Sweet and Sour Meatballs?

These meatballs are not only delicious but also fit seamlessly into a ketogenic lifestyle. The ketogenic diet, often called keto, is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that shares similarities to paleo, Whole30, and Atkins. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. On keto, you’re supposed to get at least 70 percent of your calories from fat, 15 to 25 percent from protein, and 10 percent from carbohydrates.

This recipe allows you to enjoy the familiar flavors of sweet and sour without derailing your ketogenic goals.

The Versatility of Ground Meat

Ground beef is a versatile meat and a source of complete protein. The amount of protein and fat in ground beef will be dictated by which variety of ground beef you buy. To make these keto sweet and sour meatballs extra flavorful and tender, consider using two types of ground/minced meat.

Keto Meatball Recipe

Here's how to make the keto meatballs:

Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Pork (or additional beef)
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• ⅔ cup Crushed Pork Rinds (a game-changer instead of breadcrumbs!)
• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Large Eggs (or "flax eggs" for an egg-free option: 3 tbsp ground flax seeds + 6 tbsp warm water, set aside to thicken)
• 1 Tbsp Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce
• ¼ cup Heavy Cream (or full-fat canned coconut milk for dairy-free)
• ½ tsp Onion Powder
• 1 ½ tsp Sea Salt
• ¼ tsp Pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and line a broiler pan with foil and grease it with oil. If you don't have a broiler pan, simply place a greased cooling rack inside of a baking sheet.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the crushed pork rinds, eggs (or flax eggs), heavy cream (or coconut milk), and seasonings. Allow to sit for 1-2 minutes so the pork rinds can soak up the cream/milk.
3. Add the ground meat and mix by hand, being careful not to overmix.
4. Roll the meat mixture into 1 ½ inch meatballs and place on the prepared broiler pan. Do not roll the meatballs too tightly, or they'll be tough and rubbery!
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until just cooked through.
6. Crank the oven to broil, and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the tops start to caramelize. Set aside.

Keto Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe

Now, let's create the delicious sweet and sour sauce:

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (or oil of choice)
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• ¾ Cup Monk Fruit/Allulose Sweetener (or other keto sweetener, see notes below)
• ½ Cup Distilled White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
• ¼ Cup Sugar-Free Ketchup
• 1 tsp Garlic Salt
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Aminos (or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce)
• 1 Tbsp Tapioca Flour + 2 Tbsp Water (or arrowroot flour)

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sweetener, vinegar, ketchup, garlic salt, and coconut aminos. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
3. Add the onion and sauté until softened.
4. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce mixture and bring to a simmer.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the tapioca flour and water to create a slurry.
6. Slowly whisk the slurry into the simmering sauce until it thickens.
7. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and toss to coat.

Cooking Options

You can cook these keto meatballs in a few different ways:

• Oven: Preheat your oven to 180C/350F. I recommend baking your meatballs on the middle rack of your oven to ensure even distribution of heat. Bake for 15 minutes (turning once so they brown all over), or until cooked into the center.
• Frying: Gently fry in oil on all sides until cooked into the center.

Sweetener Notes

For the low-carb sweetener, any keto sweetener will work. However, erythritol tends to crystallize and doesn't dissolve as well as other sweeteners. So, if you use an erythritol-based sweetener, make sure it's powdered. Powdered sweeteners measure differently than granulated, so if you choose this option you may need to add a few extra tablespoons. I personally prefer xylitol or an allulose/monk fruit blend because they dissolve beautifully and leave zero aftertaste! Allulose can also be used; however, it's not quite as sweet as other sweeteners.

Ingredient Substitutions

Sometimes, for various reasons, you may need to replace an ingredient used with something else. This could be due to dietary restrictions or even the availability of the ingredients at that time.

• Tomato Sauce: A spoonful of watered-down tomato paste or even sugar-free ketchup could be used in place of tomato sauce.
• Coconut Aminos: Coconut aminos can be expensive or hard to find sometimes. When I am out of aminos, I tend to use beef stock with a pinch of sweetener as a replacement. It doesn’t taste quite the same, but it will work.
• Xanthan Gum: This is used to thicken the sauce instead of cornstarch or cornflour. Any thickening agent will work, so feel free to use your favorite.
• Mustard: Do you have a weakness for spicy mustard and sweet and sour sauce? Why not add a squirt of mustard (no sugars) to your sweet and sour sauce? It’s like a combo of both.

Looking for an ingredient substitution that’s not listed above? Did you try something different that you absolutely loved?

Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide

Serving Suggestions

• Kid-Friendly: Serve the sauce on the side of your meatballs to allow your children to dip as much or as little as they want.
• Sides: These meatballs go great with a side such as cauliflower rice and a side salad for dinner or as an appetizer.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

• Meatballs: The meatballs themselves are easy to make and can even be made ahead and frozen. On the day you want to make this recipe, just pull them out to thaw, then all you have to do is make the sauce and heat the meatballs!
• Freezing: Meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 - 6 months WITHOUT sauce because the sauce doesn't freeze well. To freeze: 1) Place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 2) Freeze until frozen. 3) Transfer to a freezer baggie and freeze for 3 to 6 months.
• Reheating: Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat with the sauce in a slow cooker on low or in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
• Sauce: The sweet and sour sauce that has NOT been mixed with the meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze these meatballs and sauce for up to 90 days in the freezer. When you are ready to reheat the meatballs just toss it all in a skillet with a spoonful or two of water. Then cover, and cook on medium heat until the meatballs are defrosted.

Additional Tips and Variations

• Spice it up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little heat.
• Add vegetables: Include chopped bell peppers and onions in the sauce for added flavor and nutrients. If you are not a big fan of the peppers or onions in your sauce, you can omit them, but they do help add to the bulk of the sauce.
• Slow Cooker Option: These are one of those simple slow cooker appetizers or great for a busy weeknight meal. In this recipe, you simply add the ingredients to the slow cooker, set it and forget it. Then stir around and set your slow cooker to low for 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Common Questions about Keto Meatballs

• Can I eat frozen meatballs on keto? It depends on how many grams of net carbs are in the meatball nutritional information. Avoid added ingredients such as flour, wheat, potato starch, breadcrumbs, and sugar (yes, there is often added brown sugar in meatballs).
• Can you have Ikea meatballs on keto? Ikea beef/pork meatballs have 6g net carbs per 100g. Ikea vegetable meatballs have 16g net carbs per 100g. The meatballs may be keto if you only eat a few, but you’ll probably want to avoid their high-carb sauces.
• How long do you cook frozen meatballs in sauce? The cooking time for frozen meatballs will depend on the number and size of meatballs. The larger the meatball, the longer the cooking time.
• Should I defrost meatballs before cooking? You can place the frozen meatballs and the sauce in a baking dish and cook, covered, in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the meatballs.
• Can I cook frozen meatballs in the Instant Pot? Place the frozen meatballs and sauce in the Instant Pot. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Natural pressure release, stir, then serve.
• What can I use instead of breadcrumbs in meatballs? You can use an egg or ground pork rinds to bind meatball ingredients together. If you've never used crushed pork rinds instead of breadcrumbs, it's a game-changer! Simply place some pork rinds in a large, resealable baggie and finely crush them with a mallet or rolling pin.

Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto

tags: #keto #sweet #and #sour #meatballs #recipe