Delicious and Healthy Paleo Meatball Recipes

Meatballs are a beloved comfort food, versatile and satisfying. For those following a paleo or grain-free lifestyle, traditional meatball recipes laden with breadcrumbs are off-limits. However, with a few smart substitutions, you can enjoy delicious and healthy paleo meatballs that fit your dietary needs. This article explores various paleo meatball recipes, offering options for different tastes and cooking methods.

Paleo Italian Meatballs in Marinara Sauce

These meatballs are a family favorite, combining the comforting flavors of Italian cuisine with paleo-friendly ingredients. Paleo Italian Meatballs are made with a mixture of ground beef and ground turkey with Italian seasonings, all smothered in a homemade marinara sauce. This recipe offers a healthier twist on classic meatballs, ensuring you don't have to sacrifice taste while adhering to your dietary goals.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 ¾ teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried minced onions
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup almond flour
• 6 cups spaghetti sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the ground meat, eggs, seasonings, and almond flour until well combined.
3. Form meatballs about 1 1/2"- 2" in diameter. This should yield about 30 meatballs.
4. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or a nonstick sheet) at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes.
5. Pour the spaghetti sauce in a large saucepan and set it to medium heat. Add the meatballs.
6. Heat the sauce through and allow the meatballs to simmer in the sauce for 20 minutes before serving.
7. Alternatively, place the sauce and meatballs in a slow cooker set to low and allow them to simmer for 6-8 hours.

Tips for Perfect Paleo Italian Meatballs

• Meat Selection: You can use all beef, or all turkey, if you’d like. Changing the meat will change the flavor just a bit, but use whatever kind of ground meat is your favorite. Lean ground beef and ground turkey are good choices.
• Preventing Dryness: Because of the lack of fat, these meats can make the meatballs seem dry. To prevent this, make sure you don’t overcook the meatballs in the oven, and then simmer the meatballs low and slow in sauce to keep them tender.
• Binding Agent: Most meatball recipes call for breadcrumbs or some type of binding agent. But what do you use if you are on a paleo diet or doing a Whole30? Yes, you can use almond flour!
• Cooking Methods: If you’d like, you can cook these meatballs in a large frying pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Turn the meatballs and brown them on all sides. Cook for 12-15 minutes until they are thoroughly cooked and no longer pink inside.
• Serving Suggestions: They are great with zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, or spaghetti squash. We’ve also served them over baked sweet potatoes and roasted potatoes.

Greek-Style Paleo Meatballs

This recipe adds a Mediterranean twist to your meatball repertoire, incorporating fresh herbs and savory flavors.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lb. ground beef or lamb
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried mint
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
2. In a bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, parsley, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, mint, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Form into meatballs.
4. Bake until cooked through.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these meatballs with a salad of baby greens and a squeeze of lemon for a summer meal, or take them into winter comfort-food territory with some roasted root vegetables.

Quick Skillet Paleo Meatballs

For a speedy weeknight dinner, these skillet meatballs are ready in just 25 minutes.

Read also: Paleo Granola Recipes

Ingredients

• Ground beef or pork (or all beef)
• 1 egg
• Almond flour
• Seasonings (to taste)
• Oil (for skillet)
• Paleo-friendly sauce

Instructions

1. Add the meat to a large bowl along with the egg, almond flour, and seasonings.
2. Heat a large skillet over med-hi heat and once hot, add the oil.
3. Begin rolling the mixture into meatballs about 1.5 inches in diameter, and place each one in the pan.
4. Once browned, add the sauce to skillet and bring to a boil.
5. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer until cooked through.

Adaptations

This recipe is extremely adaptable. You can replace the almond flour with plain breadcrumbs (use 1/4 cup instead of 3 tablespoons) if you're not strictly paleo.

Paleo Asian Meatballs

These meatballs offer a unique flavor profile, perfect for those who enjoy Asian cuisine.

Ingredients

• Ground beef
• Finely chopped carrots
• Yellow onion
• Flat parsley
• Scallions
• Grated ginger
• Meatball seasonings (e.g., coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, sesame oil)

Instructions

1. Finely chop carrots, yellow onion, flat parsley, scallions, and prepare grated ginger.
2. Preheat oven to 410 F/210 C.
3. Combine ground beef, ingredients under “Meatball seasonings”, and the chopped vegetables. Combine and mix well.
4. Lightly grease a muffin tin with coconut oil.
5. Use your hands to gently apply some pressure to form the meatballs. Make sure the chopped veggies and the ground meat are coherent well. Form about 18 individual meatballs.
6. Bake the meatballs in the muffin tin. First side about 15 minutes. Use a small spoon to carefully flip them and bake the flip side for an additional 10 minutes.
7. In the meantime, heat ½ tbsp cooking oil in a large skillet over high heat. When hot, lower the heat to medium, add minced garlic and squash noodles. Give them a quick stir-fry until the noodles are softened yet still crisp.

Make-Ahead Tips

To make the meatballs ahead, complete the entire cooking process, let cool, and store them in glass and air-tight containers.

Baked Paleo Meatballs

These meatballs are easy to make and perfect for a quick and healthy meal.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (70% - 80% lean for moist meatballs)
• Fresh parsley
• Dried basil
• Minced garlic
• Almond flour
• 1 egg or an egg alternative

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl, then use your hands to gently combine, being careful not to over-mix.
3. Use your hands to roll the mixture into meatballs, approximately 2 tablespoons each, placing them directly onto the lined baking sheet.
4. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the meatballs for 18-20 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Serve over cauliflower rice with your favorite paleo-friendly sauce or pesto.

Read also: Paleo Diet Delivered: What You Need to Know

Italian Paleo Meatballs (No Breadcrumbs or Eggs)

This recipe is designed for those with multiple dietary restrictions, excluding breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, eggs, and nuts.

Ingredients

• Ground beef, 20% fat
• Mashed cauliflower
• Small yellow onion, minced
• Fresh herbs: Minced fresh parsley (Italian, not the curly stuff) and basil
• Magic Mushroom Powder (or salt)
• Marinara sauce

Instructions

1. Arrange the top oven rack 6 inches from the broiler. Turn the broiler on high.
2. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with avocado spray and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the beef, mashed cauliflower, onion, basil, ½ cup minced parsley, minced garlic, Magic Mushroom Powder or Diamond Crystal kosher salt, oregano, and black pepper.
4. Use your hands to gently combine the ingredients until well-combined, but don’t overwork the meat.
5. Microwave a small spoonful of the meat for 30 seconds or fry it in a small frying pan until fully cooked to check for seasoning. Add more Magic Mushroom Powder and black pepper if needed.
6. Use your hands to roll out 12 evenly sized meatballs that are about 3-inches in diameter. Arrange the meatballs on the greased rimmed baking sheet, making sure they are evenly spaced.
7. Broil the meatballs for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned on top.
8. While the meatballs are broiling, bring the marinara to a boil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Turn the heat down to maintain a simmer.
9. When the meatballs are ready, transfer them to the simmering sauce. Partially cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked.
10. Top with reserved ¼ cup minced Italian parsley.

Make-Ahead and Storage

These Italian meatballs are great for meal planning! Cook them ahead of time and store the meatballs and sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Easy Oven Baked Paleo Meatballs

These meatballs are quick, easy, and loaded with flavor, making them a go-to for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

• Beef
• Turkey
• Egg
• Italian seasoning
• Salt
• Almond flour
• Coconut aminos

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine beef, turkey, egg, italian seasoning, salt, almond flour, and coconut aminos.
3. Mix until everything is completely combined- the best way to do that is with clean hands.
4. Wash your hands, then use a cookie scoop to make balls.

Serving Suggestions

They are tender, flavorful, and great for using in any recipe that calls for meatballs. You could add them to a soup, your favorite sauce, or snack on them plain.

The Perfect Paleo Meatballs

These meatballs are packed with flavor without any fillers, resulting in a light and delicious dish.

Read also: Paleo Mayonnaise Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground beef
• Sliced green onion
• Grated zucchini
• Minced basil
• Minced garlic
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Fit the processor with your metal S-blade. Place green onion, grated zucchini, basil, and garlic in the bowl of the processor and pulse to break up a bit.
2. Add ground beef, salt, and pepper, and pulse to combine.
3. Scoop mixture and roll into meatballs.
4. Place in a baking dish and pour sauce over meatballs to coat.

Tips for Perfect Meatballs

Be sure to squeeze some of the excess moisture out of your zucchini with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

General Tips for Paleo Meatballs

• Use Almond Flour: When we make paleo meatballs, we love to bake the meatballs first Then we put the meatballs in a slow cooker along with some homemade marinara sauce and let them simmer on low for several hours.
• Freezing: All you’ll do is add them to the crock pot in the morning, along with your favorite tomato sauce. One thing we love about these paleo meatballs is that they freeze well.
• Versatile Cooking Methods: Actually, you can let the paleo meatballs simmer in that marinara sauce in a covered pan on low heat for longer if you’d like.

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