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Home » dinner ideas » Keto Meatballs

Keto Meatballs

By Sachi | Published Oct 7, 2021 | Updated Jan 16, 2022 | 1 Comment

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Keto beef meatballs in a spaghetti squash shell topped with marinara sauce and grated Parmesan cheese

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.

Keto meatballs served in 2 halves of cooked spaghetti squash
Keto meatballs are great served with low-carb spaghetti squash!

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

Keto meatball ingredients
Keto meatball 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.

Mixing meatball ingredients by hand
Knead ingredients together using your hands 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.

meatballs on a baking sheet next to a mixing bowl with an ice cream scoop to measure out exactly 16 meatballs
Form meatballs with an ice cream scoop to measure out exactly 16 meatballs

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.

Keto Meatballs Arranged on Baking Sheet
Keto meatballs arranged on baking sheet ready to go into the oven.

Watch How To Make Keto Meatballs

Keto Meatballs Recipe - only 1 gram of carbs per meatball!

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

Can I use almond flour instead of breadcrumbs in meatballs?

Some recipes use almond flour instead of breadcrumbs, but this recipe does not.

Can you eat marinara sauce on keto?

Yes, in moderation. Since commercial sauces can have added sugar, be sure to check the package labels for carb counts or make your own sauce.

Print
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Keto beef meatballs in a spaghetti squash shell topped with marinara sauce and grated Parmesan cheese

Keto Meatballs


★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Sachi
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 16 meatballs 1x
  • Diet: Diabetic
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Description

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.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, grated
  • 1 egg
  • ½ onion, grated
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Alternatively, you can use an oiled baking sheet. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Arrange meatballs onto a baking sheet. 
  5. Bake meatballs in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes.

Notes

  • Avoid overcooking the meatballs. Overcooked meatballs become hard and dry quickly. Try cooking them for 15 minutes to start.
  • You can make these meatballs ahead of time and eat them throughout the week or freeze them for later.
  • You may use any ground meat that you like. If you use chicken, turkey or pork, you will need to add additional cook time.
  • If you have an egg allergy, it is ok to skip the egg. 
  • Mix in grated raw onion. Don't use chopped onion or you’ll end up with crunchy, uncooked bits of onion in the meatballs. If you must use chopped onion, sauté or microwave it first.
  • Use an ice cream scoop. It yields a ¼ cup of meatball mixture and will measure out exactly 16 meatballs.
  • To keep it low-carb and keto-friendly serve these over cooked spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: keto meatballs low carb gluten-free easy oven beef

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About Sachi

What's cooking, carb counters?! I’m Sachi, I'm the carb counting recipe developer at We Count Carbs! Need help figuring out what to make for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner? Do you wish recipes came with carb counts and nutrition facts labels? You've come to the right place. We count carbs because carbs count!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Robin Donovan says

    October 22, 2021 at 12:11 am

    Yum! The whole family loved these.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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