These Keto General Tso’s Meatballs are easy to make and family friendly. Delicious hot or cold, these sweet and spicy keto meatballs are also perfect for meal prep for lunches all week long!
Keto General Tso’s Meatballs guys – you’re gonna want to make these STAT.
These keto General Tso’s meatballs are inspired by the popular Chinese takeout dish that consists of fried chicken chunks in an addicting sauce that is both sweet and spicy.
I’ve taken all the flavors of the classic favorite and jammed them into these little gems of poultry bliss!
One of the things I love about these sweet and spicy keto meatballs is that they are equally delicious either hot or cold. Maybe I’m just weird that way, but I enjoy them right out of the fridge – no heating needed. Which makes them super convenient to take them for lunch on the go when you don’t have the option to warm them up.
I’m including some answers to frequently asked questions in the section below. If I’ve missed anything feel free to put your question in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them.
What is the best ground meat to use for these keto meatballs?
I recommend that you use ground chicken or turkey for the most authentic flavor in these keto General Tso’s Meatballs, but ground pork would also work nicely.
In a pinch, you could use ground beef, but the stronger flavor of the meat won’t work as well with this particular sauce in my opinion.
Are keto meatballs gluten free?
The majority of my recipes here on IBIH are gluten free. These particular meatballs can be made with regular soy sauce if that’s what you have on hand and a small amount of gluten isn’t an issue for you.
Traditional soy sauce is a no-no for Paleo and Celiacs, so if you want to make sure these keto meatballs are gluten free, you can substitute a tamari-based gluten free soy sauce, or coconut aminos for the soy sauce in this recipe with excellent results.
Substitutions for this recipe
- Typically, General Tso’s chicken contains blisteringly hot dried peppers, but if you can’t get them, or you don’t like it too hot, you can use fresh chili’s instead and adjust the amount to your preference. Another option is to use crushed red pepper flakes, but the flavor won’t be as authentic.
- If you are Paleo, you can substitute honey for the granulated sweetener, and arrowroot powder (or another preferred thickener) for the xanthan gum. I don’t recommend omitting the thickener altogether in this recipe, because the sauce won’t cling to the meatballs as well and it won’t have that authentic sticky feel – however, the flavor will be just as good!
- If you are allergic to almonds, you can replace the almond flour with sunflower seed flour, hemp hearts, or crushed pork rinds to use as your binder in this keto meatball recipe.
Serving suggestions for Keto General Tso’s Meatballs
Finally, and I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life here, but these keto General Tso’s Meatballs go perfectly with my Coconut Lime Cauliflower Rice to soak up that sticky, yummy sauce.
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General Tso’s Meatballs (Low Carb & Gluten Free)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
These keto General Tso’s Meatballs have all of the flavors and textures of the classic Chinese takeout favorite! Low carb and gluten free, there are also Paleo substitutions available.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1/4 cup scallions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 egg
- light flavored oil for frying
For the General Tso’s Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (unseasoned and sugar free)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (tamari based for GF, or coconut aminos for Paleo)
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons sugar substitute (I like Swerve for keto, honey for Paleo)
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (or arrowroot powder)
- 1/4 cup scallions, chopped
- 4 – 5 small dried chilies, seeded and chopped (or 1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes)
Instructions
To make the meatballs:
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Form into 16 balls about 1 inch in diameter.
- Fry in hot oil over medium heat until cooked through and crispy.
**Alternatively you could bake them but they won’t get the crunchy exterior.
To make the sauce:
- Combine the sesame oil, vinegar, GF soy sauce, water, sugar substitute, and xanthan gum in a small saucepan and whisk until combined.
- Add the scallions and chili pepper and bring to a boil.
- Simmer for five minutes or until thickened, and remove from heat.
To serve:
- Add the cooked meatballs to the thickened sauce and stir to coat.
- Garnish with more chopped scallions and chilis if desired.
Notes
Approximate net carbs per serving = 4g
To lower the fat and calories, use extra lean ground turkey, and bake rather than fry them.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Keto meatballs
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 322
- Fat: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 23g
More Keto Meatball Recipes
Keto Spinach & Artichoke Dip Meatballs
Keto Chicken Piccata Meatballs
Keto Turkey Saltimbocca Meatballs
Kathy L says
Loved these and shared them with friends who also loved them. I’ll be keeping this one as a favorite!
Jessie Sams says
I have made these a few times. They are easy and wonderful. Turkey can be sort of blah if its not dressed up. The seasoning and sauce in this are perfect.
Amy Atkinson says
I’m so glad I found this recipe! I haven’t had Chinese food in 3 years, as it’s impossible to find restaurant Chinese food without cornstarch and sugar. This is SO good! We chickened out and did not add the chiles to the sauce, but that was a mistake. It’s still delicious, but it needed the heat and bite from the chiles. I served it as suggested, with coconut lime cauliflower rice, but plain cauliflower rice would be fine, as the sauce and meatballs are flavorful. A definite keeper, since the non-keto family scarfed it up as fast as I did!
Mellissa Sevigny says
So happy you all liked this recipe Amy! Definitely try it with the chilies or red pepper flakes next time!
Elinor says
I made these a couple of nights ago and they were delicious. Like others said, the sauce was especially delicious, and I didn’t find it too gelatinous, as others complained. I made them with turkey and didn’t love the texture of the meat; it was a bit like a paste. Might try ground chicken next time, or even beef. I just finished the leftovers for lunch and they were even better. Will definitely make again.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks for taking the time to review and comment Elinor – glad these worked out for you! I do prefer the texture of pork over turkey personally!
Mary K Murphy says
This was absolutely delicious. I really loved the flavor. How do you work with the chilis? Do you rehydrate them first?
Christy says
These look yummy! Pinterest not working?
Kim says
I have had this recipe saved for months, and finally got the stuff to make it. I served with some cauliflower rice. Oh my GOODNESS! It was delicious! Thank you for sharing this with us!! I can’t believe I waited so long to make it! Definitely won’t be the last time!! :)
Bekah says
This is so yummy! Adding it to my menu rotation!
Suzi says
Just making these but I just noticed no salt in the meatballs. Error?
Mellissa Sevigny says
This recipe is from years ago but I remember that the sauce is quite salty so I may have omitted it on purpose. You can add a pinch to the meatballs if you like though, just don’t go overboard I would say.
Marla says
The family loves these meatballs!