These easy and delicious keto meatballs are packed with flavor and boast a legit Italian meatball texture. Being smothered in marinara sauce and melty mozzarella cheese doesn’t hurt either! A low carb and gluten free meatball recipe that the entire family will LOVE.
The foundation of these Keto Meatballs Parmesan (or Parmigiana if you’re feeling fancy) are obviously the meatballs themselves. Juicy, tender, and full of flavor, a classic italian meatball is a beautiful thing.
Unfortunately, finding a decent low carb and keto meatball recipe isn’t easy.
You see, it’s the bread crumbs that usually make meatballs tender – without them you can end up with a dense, chewy mouthful that more resembles a rubber hockey puck than an authentic keto meatball.
I know because I’ve tried. So what’s a meatball loving low carber to do?
I’m very happy to report that I finally figured out a keto meatball recipe that results in tender gluten free meatballs that anyone’s Italian grandmother (I’m totally guessing here, mine is French Canadian) would be satisfied with!
They “meat” (heh heh, see what I did there?) all of the requirements of a good meatball, and won’t bust your carb budget for the day!
In fact this keto Meatballs Parmesan recipe is so good that you won’t even miss the pasta and garlic bread. Ok that might be pushing it, but they are really good, I promise!
Especially when you bathe these keto meatballs in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese!!! Yes please.
My favorite way to eat these keto meatballs parmesan is to bake them in my easy no cook marinara sauce with a gooey topping of mozzarella cheese on top. If you don’t have time to make your own sauce, there are plenty of decent keto friendly marinara sauces out there – Rao’s is my favorite store bought one.
It’s hearty and satisfying and perfectly keto friendly.
Since even a sugar free marinara sauce does have some carbs though, I spoon about a tablespoon over each low carb meatball, which makes it easier to keep track of my macros – especially carbohydrates. Any more sauce than that gets wasted in the bottom of the pan anyway.
Same goes with the cheese – you can shred it and dump it onto the meatballs, but most of it will melt into a puddle anyway, so I just slice it and put a piece on top of each of the keto meatballs. Then I bake it until bubbly. You can also microwave it if you’re short on time, you just won’t get the nice brown color on the cheese.
The secret to tender low meatballs is the parmesan cheese, almond flour and water added to the mix. The almond flour bulks up the meatball, the cheese adds flavor and more fat, and the water creates steam when heated, which puffs them up and keeps them tender and juicy.
But don’t take my word for it, give them a try and see for yourself! And do be sure to let me know how they come out – especially if you are someone’s Italian grandmother!! ;)
Best Meat for Meatballs
Ground beef is the most common ground meat used in meatballs, but for the best flavor and texture, I prefer a mix of ground beef and ground pork. If you are only using ground beef, be sure to use an 80/20 lean to fat ratio for best results.
You can also make keto meatballs with ground turkey, but I find them to be a bit dry and the taste isn’t as good in my opinion either.
Adding a few tablespoons of grated vegetable like zucchini or mushrooms to the mixture can improve both the flavor and the moisture content when making keto meatballs with ground turkey.
Breadcrumb Replacements
In this recipe I use almond flour to bulk up and lighten these keto meatballs, but you can also use crushed pork rinds with good results – and as an added bonus it will decrease the amount of net carbs by a few grams per serving. I recommend substituting the pork rinds if you are making low carb meatballs with a nut allergy. You can also use hemp hearts or sunflower seed flour as an alternative binder.
Air Fryer or Oven Instructions
Yes! You can bake these keto meatballs on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in the oven with excellent results. They will be a little drier and not as crunchy and brown on the outside, but cleanup is easy and when baking them as a meatball casserole with sauce and cheese you won’t even notice the difference.
You can also make these meatballs in the air fryer by simply following the instructions for your model with any meatball or burger recipe – mine takes about 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
The nice thing is, these keto meatballs are delicious plain, so they make a great finger-friendly lunch on the go. I like to make a bunch and freeze them in bags of 3 – 5 meatballs. If I know I’m going to be out, I can grab a bag of meatballs out of the freezer and toss it into my purse or cooler bag. A couple of hours later they are thawed, and I can just reach in and eat a few of these Italian keto meatballs, even if I’m driving in my car.
It’s a great alternative to the drive thru, and minimizes your chances of grabbing something that will wreak havoc on your diet or digestive system simply because you’re starving and desperate.
If your family isn’t eating keto or gluten free, then you can serve these low carb Italian meatballs with pasta for them and spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or even konjac noodles or palmini noodles for yourself. It’s so filling as a casserole that I’ve even eaten these keto meatballs without a side dish.
I’m also not above enjoying them over a pile of cheesy cauliflower polenta – and while it may sound weird to do that with a sauce containing tomatoes, it’s surprisingly tasty and satisfying.
These keto meatballs store well in an airtight bag or container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer
More Keto Meatball Recipes
- General Tso’s Meatballs
- Beef Stroganoff Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Turkey Saltimbocca Meatballs
- Jamaican Jerk Meatballs
Keto Meatballs – Low Carb
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 15 two-inch meatballs 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
A delicious keto Meatballs recipe that the entire family will love! Low carb, Atkins, gluten free and kid friendly!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup almond flour (or crushed pork rinds)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 cup easy keto marinara sauce (or any sugar free store bought marinara)
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Combine the ground beef, pork, parsley, parmesan, almond flour, eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion flakes, oregano, and water in a large bowl and mix well.
- Form into fifteen 2″ meatballs.
- Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 20 minutes, OR fry in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through.
- Pro-tip – try frying in bacon grease if you have any – it adds another level of flavor. Frying produces the golden brown color shown in the photos above.
- Place all of the cooked meatballs in an oven safe dish.
- Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of marinara sauce over each meatball.
- Cover with approximately 1/4 oz of mozzarella cheese each.
- Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 20 minutes (40 minutes if meatballs are frozen) or until heated through, and the cheese is golden and melted.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Approx nutrition info per “naked” meatball: 121 cals, 8g fat, .7g net carbs, 11g protein
Approx nutrition info per meatball parmigiana: 151 cals, 9g fat, 1.7g net carbs, 12g protein
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Meatballs
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs with sauce and cheese
- Calories: 453
- Fat: 27g
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 36g
Need more low carb dinner ideas? Check out this post of delicious keto dinner recipes the entire family will love!
Stacey Werner says
Thank you so much for this recipe! We love meatballs, and since I went to low carb, I have had a hard time finding a recipe that still tasted good and wasn’t dry. These are perfect.
DA says
Love your meatball recipes!! Even my kids gobble them up!
BetsyRose says
These are the best meatballs I have ever tasted. Thank you for making low carb keto attainable.
Mellissa Sevigny says
That’s high praise Betsy, thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed them!!!
Lois says
Loved them! Used 1lb ground turkey and 1/2 ground beef and they turned out great. Never thought to use almond meal, usually grind sprouted bread for breadcrumbs but never again! Newly dx diabetic and your recipes are a godsend! Thank you
Vanessa says
Super delicious!! I made these for dinner and they were a huge hit. Can’t wait to make them again soon. Thank you!!
Jacky says
I made these for my grand children while babysitting for two weeks. Ended up making a triple recipe and freezing them. The kids just loved them and couldn’t get enough! All the adults loved them too! Am going to make them now with pork rinds for my ailing in-laws. My father-in-law can’t eat nuts so I figured that was best. Thanks for all the great recipes!
Mary B. says
These are FABULOUS!!! I was a little iffy when forming the balls because they were so moist but WOW. And I an admitted meatball/Italian food snob. I am. I will never use another recipe again. Thank you!!!
Christine Anderson says
First time I made this I missed the part about adding warm water, but they turned out absolutely amazing & my husband loved. I tried making them again tonight & realized about the 1/2 cup warm water. Well, the mix was a soggy mess & would barely form a meatball shape despite measuring everything else exactly. I have no idea what I did wrong, but keeping my fingers crossed they turn out okay. I know next time I probably will omit the water. May I ask why you add it???
Mellissa Sevigny says
I add the water because it evaporates as steam during cooking leaving the meatballs tender and juicy – you can certainly omit it though.
Christine Anderson says
Ahh!! That makes sense. I will absolutely be making them again and will probably omit the water or maybe just add a little less, lol!!!. My husband couldn’t stop raving about how good they were. Thank you so much for such a great recipe. :D
Shirley Homan says
Do I freeze before or after adding mozzarella and sauce?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Either is fine!
Amy says
Can you simmer these in sauce?
Cat says
Absolutely! I have done so several times. They hold their shape perfectly, and don’t disintegrate. Fear not!
Teresa says
Tradditionally, meatballs are cooked in the sauce, not the oven or fry pan, so Yes yum!
Cat says
These are all sorts of AWESOME!!! I did make a little upgrade, in that I fresh-grated some imported Asiago in place about 1/2 of the Parmesan, and the flavor was nothing short of stellar. Also amped up the flavor by adding about 1/2 a Tb of chicken base to the mix. The meat mix was pretty sticky and not easy to shape, but I found that dipping my hands in cold water and shaking off the excess before rolling them helped considerably. (Normally I use a disher, but I’m not home right now.) Would have never believed that almond flour could so successfully replace bread crumbs if I hadn’t seen for myself. After baking them I steep them in a tomato-basil sauce, and they become permeated with that flavor, and become even softer. I make low carb bread, which I shape into sub rolls, and we have meatball Parmigiana subs. Many thanks for the recipe. What a treat!!
Cat says
Oh, almost forgot, Melissa. As a matter of fact, I do just happen to be an Italian grandmother to two gorgeous babies!
The recipe is great, and has all the makings of a proper Italian meatball, but real Italians who learned to cook at the knee of their “Nonna” don’t use garlic powder or dried onion. Only fresh garlic and onions.
The use of powdered garlic and freeze-dried onions is an invention of “Italian Americans.” In all my time in Italy, I never saw either of those in any kitchens. I’m in my sixties, a classically trained professional chef, and I’ve never once had either in my kitchen. My nonna (who emigrated from Sicilia) would have rapped me on the noggin if I did! Also, she never put either garlic or onions in the meatballs. They derived their flavor from the meats (always a mix of veal, pork and beef) and the cheeses used. Simplicity is the hallmark of genuine Italian cuisine. She taught me that they get the biggest infusion of taste, as well as their soft texture, by being steeped in a flavorful sauce for hours at very low heat, which has been liberally seasoned with both garlic and onions, plus black pepper and a liberal dose of basil. Nonna always said there were no shortcuts.
And, like always, she was right.
That said, after making those two omissions, my nonna would have been proud. And THIS “nonna” was also very proud to serve them. The texture was soft, and the flavor spot-on. They want for nothing. But as for how you choose to season them for your own taste? In the words of my illustrious Roman ancestors, “De gustibus non disputandem est.” Which somewhat loosely translated means “There are no meatball cops, so chill – it’s all good!”
Mellissa Sevigny says
Cat I completely agree with you about fresh being preferable in every case! However, I made these concessions because so many people don’t mince the garlic or chop the onion fine enough and they end up with unpalatably large chunks in their meatballs. Also, because these don’t use actual bread in the meatball, the garlic powder and onion add a little extra flavor to make them more tasty. And finally, because most people will just use ground beef and not a mix (and sadly today’s meat doesn’t have as much flavor as the meats available when we were younger) the garlic and onion compensate for that as well! In the end, this recipe can be executed by even the most inept of cooks to provide a delicious meal, and that was my goal here more than purism! I’m glad you were able to overlook the exceptions and enjoy them anyway ha ha! ?
Doreen says
I do have dried onion flakes and garlic powder in my kitchen. I plan on making these great looking meatballs with a pound of ground beef and half a pound of spicy Italian sausage. My abuela is from Mexico, but always open to new flavors and recipes. Low Carb is hard for me as I’ve grown up on tortillas and beans (sob). Thank You for providing interesting and delicious alternative dishes.
Kendall says
So good! Tender and flavorful. Easy to double.