Keto Meatballs (Low Carb Meatballs)

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These gluten-free low carb meatballs were originally inspired by Wholesome Yum readers, who were asking for a great keto meatballs recipe without breadcrumbs. That was back in 2017, and I’ve made them about a gajillion times since then. They’re a favorite now for everyone in my family, including my kids – and I hope these Italian keto meatballs make their way into your family’s favorite list, too.

These contain a flavorful mix of beef, aromatics, and cheese, and make the great base for a plate of zucchini spaghetti with marinara sauce. (You can also make a keto meatloaf with similar ingredients.) These are not quite no carb meatballs, but they are pretty close… and they taste just like the real thing!

Are Meatballs Keto?

Most meatballs are made with breadcrumbs, so they would not be suitable for a keto diet. However, you can easily make a low carb meatball recipe using a different binder instead to make it keto friendly.

These keto meatballs use Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour instead of bread crumbs. The neutral flavor and ultra fine grind in this flour blends seamlessly into the recipe to deliver a taste and texture just like a classic meatball — all with fewer carbs! It’s the only one I use for meatball making.

Get Almond Flour Here

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best low carb meatball ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

• Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – This flour creates the best texture for keto meatballs while cutting carbs, but you could use other binders. See variations below!
• Grated Parmesan Cheese – This also acts as a binder. I used pre-grated parmesan for convenience. You can replace with additional almond flour if you need them to be dairy-free.
• Italian Seasoning – I make my own homemade Italian seasoning (takes 5 minutes!), but you can also use a store-bought seasoning.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – For simple savory flavor.
• Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage – Makes keto friendly meatballs tender and juicy. You can also substitute a different keto milk, such as almond milk or heavy cream.
• Onion – Grate with a box grater. I used a white onion, but any variety works.
• Egg – Binds to the meat, flour, cheese and herbs to keep meatballs from falling apart. A flax egg will also work here.
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic adds the best flavor, but you could also use jarred minced garlic for convenience if you prefer. If using jarred, you would need 1 tablespoon of minced garlic for this recipe.
• Fresh Parsley – I highly recommend using fresh herbs for the best flavor, but if needed, you can substitute 2 teaspoons dried parsley in place of the 2 tablespoons fresh. You could also use other herbs, like fresh basil.
• Ground Beef – The classic choice for a keto meatballs recipe. I used 85% lean beef, but you can use any variety you prefer. You could also easily substitute ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork.
• Marinara Sauce – Makes a classic topping for low carb Italian meatballs. I make my own marinara sauce homemade, but you can easily swap in a sugar-free store-bought one… or try keto alfredo sauce, sugar-free pizza sauce, or chimichurri sauce instead.

VARIATION: Use a different binder.

These Italian keto meatballs are made with almond flour (my personal favorite!), but you have other options:

• Coconut flour – Be careful with this substitute. It can lead to dry meatballs, so use 1/4 the amount, and personally even then I still don’t recommend it.
• Flax seed meal (regular or golden) – Pretty good, but can be slimy if you use too much. I originally had this recipe made with golden flax seed meal, but now don’t recommend it anymore.
• Crushed pork rinds – These are salty, so reduce the salt if you use them as a binder.
• Grated Parmesan cheese – Not ideal on its own, but great mixed with other binders, such as almond flour.
• Ground sunflower seeds – A 1:1 almond flour replacement in these meatballs, if needed.
• Other ground nuts or nut meal

How To Make Keto Meatballs

This section shows how to make low carb meatballs, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Prep. Preheat the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (grease if using foil).
2. Stir dry inredients. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the grated Parmesan cheese, almond flour, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper.
3. Add wet inredients. Mix in the milk, grated onion, egg, garlic, and fresh parsley. Let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes.

4. Mix in beef. Using your hands, mix the ground beef into the egg and seasoning mixture, until just incorporated.
5. Form keto meatballs. Use a small cookie scoop or your hands to form the mixture into 1 in (2.5 cm) balls. Place on the lined baking sheet.

6. Bake. Cook keto meatballs in the oven, until barely done.
7. Top. Add marinara sauce to the top of each meatball. Return to the oven and bake.

8. Serve. Garnish with additional parmesan and fresh parsley.

Tips For The Best Keto Meatballs

Easy keto meatballs are always a hit, and with these tips, they’ll be even better!

• Soak the dry ingredients in (some kind of) milk. Let the dry ingredients soak for a few minutes in your keto milk of choice before adding the meat. Not only does it let the flavors develop, it also lets the moisture soak into the dry ingredients more thoroughly and improves texture.
• Don’t over mix. If you do, you’ll end up with tough meatballs. Add the meat last and mix only until combined.
• Form low carb meatballs gently. Don’t want to pack the meat too much, or your meatballs will be dense. A small cookie scoop is great for this. If you use your hands instead of a scoop, make sure they are cold (wash in cold water first) and lightly covered in oil. This prevents sticking and ensures that the fats in the meat don’t break down prior to cooking.
• Broil or pan fry for a golden top. If you want your meatballs browned, you can lightly pan fry them or place them under the broiler. Take this into account ahead of time, taking them out of the oven a little early if you plan to broil or pan fry, so that you don’t overcook them at the end.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Meal prep: Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for several months.
• Reheat: Reheat this low carb meatball recipe in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees F, until heated through.
• Freeze: To freeze these (almost) no carb meatballs, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet (without sauce) and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag. No need to thaw before reheating.

Ways To Serve Low Carb Meatballs

This low carb meatball recipe is the perfect main for an Italian dinner or a delicious party food. Here are my favorite ways to serve them:

• Keto Pasta – Zucchini noodles, keto egg noodles, spaghetti squash, or even zucchini roll ups all pair well with this keto meatball recipe. Melt mozzarella cheese on top for a tasty finish.
• Salads – Antipasto salad, avocado Caprese salad, or chopped Mediterranean salad are all great veggie sides to the meatballs.
• Keto Breads – Low carb bread recipes like keto garlic bread, cauliflower breadsticks, or garlic parmesan chaffles are a great side to meatballs. Use keto hot dog buns to make a meatball sub.
• Vegetable Sides – Enjoy this dish with sauteed mushrooms, sauteed broccoli, or pan fried zucchini.
• Serve As An Appetizer – Skewer them with little appetizer forks and serve them with other appetizers like keto stuffed mushrooms or keto fried pickles.

More Keto Meatball Recipes

Meatballs are one of my favorite keto dinners, so I have lots of recipes for them. Try these ones next time!

• Keto Swedish Meatballs
• Asian Turkey Meatballs
• Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
• Creamy Chicken Meatballs

5 from 46 votes

Keto Meatballs (Low Carb Meatballs)

This keto meatballs recipe is juicy and flavorful every time! Italian low carb meatballs take just 30 minutes, with simple ingredients.

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Recipe Video

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Ingredients

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• 1/4 cup Grated parmesan cheese ▢
• 1/4 cup Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour (or sunflower seed meal for nut-free) ▢
• 1 tbsp Italian seasoning ▢
• 3/4 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened coconut milk beverage (can also use almond milk or heavy cream) ▢
• 3 tbsp Onion (grated) ▢
• 1 large Egg ▢
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced) ▢
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley (chopped) ▢
• 1 lb Ground beef ▢
• 3/4 cup Marinara sauce ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (grease if using foil).

2. In a large bowl, stir together the grated Parmesan cheese, almond flour, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper.

3. Whisk in the milk, grated onion, egg, garlic, and fresh parsley. Let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes.

4. Mix in the ground beef using your hands, until just incorporated. (Don't over-mix to avoid tough meatballs.)

5. Form the mixture into 1 in (2.5 cm) balls and place on the lined baking sheet. (A small cookie scoop this size works well for this. If using your hands, use a gentle touch and don't pack the meatballs too tightly.)

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the meatballs are barely done. (If you want them more golden, you can place them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.)

7. Top each meatball with marinara sauce. Return to the oven and bake for 3-5 minutes, until the sauce is hot and meatballs are cooked through. Garnish with additional fresh parsley.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 6 1″ meatballs

Nutrition info is based on using 85/15 ground beef, and may vary slightly depending on marinara sauce brand.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 301

Fat 21.5g

Protein 23.8g

Total Carbs 3.5g

Net Carbs 2.5g

Fiber 1g

Sugar 1.7g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keywords: keto meatball recipe, keto meatballs, low carb meatballs

Calories: 301 kcal

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