Keto Meatballs

These easy keto meatballs are baked in the oven and ready in under 30 minutes for a savory appetizer, main course, side dish or snack.

Total carbs 1g each. This recipe makes 16 meatballs.

There are carbs in meatballs. A traditional meatball made with breadcrumbs can have between 3 to 12 grams of carbs per meatball. If you are looking for low carb meatballs, try this keto meatball recipe. It is easy to make and great for meal prep. You can make them ahead of time and eat them throughout the week or freeze them for later. And, because they contain no bread, they are also naturally gluten-free.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what goes into making keto meatballs:

This is a meatball recipe without breadcrumbs. The rest of the recipe uses the same basic ingredients as regular meatballs. Some recipes use almond flour instead of breadcrumbs, but this recipe does not.

• egg
  An egg is used to bind the ingredients together.
• ground meat
  This is a recipe for ground beef meatballs, but you may use any ground meat that you like. Feel free to make keto pork meatballs or keto turkey meatballs. If you use chicken, turkey or pork, you will need to add additional cook time.
• Italian seasoning (optional)
  These are Italian keto meatballs. Leave out the Italian seasoning if you want to make keto meatballs for teriyaki meatballs as an appetizer or Swedish meatballs.
• salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese
  Parmesan cheese adds umami to the meatballs and helps to bind the ingredients together. You can make these keto meatballs with mozzarella cheese or no cheese at all.
• garlic
  Grated or minced fresh garlic will work here. You can also substitute with garlic powder.
• onion
  Add a good amount of grated raw onion. This recipe calls for grated onion, instead of chopped, since the meatballs will be baked for the least amount of time possible. We don't want to overcook the meatballs or they will dry out. Grating the onion keeps the meatballs juicy, and saves time since you don't have to pre-cook the onions. Don't use chopped raw onions as they won't cook through and you wouldn't want raw, crunchy bits of onion in the meatballs.
• fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, oregano and marjoram
  Add a good amount of chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, to add flavor and fiber otherwise the meatballs will be too dense without the breadcrumbs.

How to Make Keto Meatballs

Follow these simple steps to make 16 tasty, juicy, keto meatballs:

Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix the meatball ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the egg, ground meat, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, garlic, onion and herbs. Knead ingredients together by hand or with a stand mixer.

Form meatballs: Use an ice cream scoop to portion out meatball mixture. The scoop yields a ¼ cup of meatball mixture and will measure out exactly 16 meatballs. Scoop meat into your hand and loosely form it into a ball shape.

Bake meatballs: Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Alternatively you can just oil the baking sheet. Bake in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes.

Watch How To Make Keto Meatballs

Serving Suggestions

You can enjoy these meatballs straight up as an appetizer or snack dipped in low-carb marinara sauce.

As an entree these meatballs pair well with cooked spaghetti squash topped with marinara sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese to complete your keto meal.

You can also try them with low-carb teriyaki sauce or bbq sauce as an appetizer. Or make keto meatballs and gravy for keto Swedish meatballs.

Storing Keto Meatballs

Store in the fridge

These meatballs are best hot out of the oven. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container (after they have cooled) in the fridge for up to a week.

Store in the freezer

You can have meatballs ready for a quick weeknight meal by storing them in the freezer. Store raw meatballs by arranging in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave a space between each meatball so that they don't touch. Freeze until they are solid. This takes about an hour. Transfer them into a freezer bag, seal, label with the date and freeze for up to 2 months.

To use, thaw meatballs in the bag in the refrigerator overnight.

Can I freeze leftovers?

You can freeze fully cooled leftovers. Store the meatballs in a freezer bag for up to 4 months . To use, either thaw meatballs in the bag in the refrigerator overnight or reheat them in the microwave or in a pot of sauce.

Things You’ll Need

• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• baking sheet
• cutting board
• knife
• grater
• mixing bowl
• spatula
• ice cream scoop
• tongs
• serving platter

Frequently Asked Questions

Print