The Best Keto Meatballs Recipe - Low Carb Spark (2024)

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Ioana

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These keto meatballs are moist, tender, juicy, perfect without any breadcrumbs or flour. Learn how to make low carb meatballs that are perfect for meal prep, served as appetizers and great to take to work. I provide instructions for oven baking meatballs, pan-frying or air-fryer.

The Best Keto Meatballs Recipe - Low Carb Spark (1)

Try some of the best keto meatballs and turn them into your favorite flavourful dish. Use your preferred method to cook the meatballs and then create great recipes around them. I like to serve them with marinara sauce and zucchini noodles.

TABLE OF CONTENTS hide

  • Ingredients for the Keto Meatballs
  • How to Make Keto Meatballs?
  • To Bake Meatballs
  • How to Make Meatballs in the Air Fryer?
  • More Ground Beef Recipes For You to Try:
  • The Best Keto Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients for the Keto Meatballs

The ingredients you’ll need for the keto meatballs are effortless to find and delicious. This recipe is versatile and basic. You can enhance the flavors by adding red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, or oregano.

I stick with the more basic Italian version of these meatballs and used: ground beef, parmesan, eggs, garlic, onion, heavy cream (instead of milk), salt, and pepper.

Here are all the ingredients you’ll need:

  • 1 poundground meat, 85 % lean such as beef, pork, chicken, turkey, veal or mix
  • 1largeegg,beaten
  • 1/2cupparmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/4cupheavy cream
  • 2tbspfresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 small onionfinely grated onion
  • 1clovegarlic, minced
  • 1/2tspsalt
  • 1/4tspfreshly ground black pepper
The Best Keto Meatballs Recipe - Low Carb Spark (2)

How to Make Keto Meatballs?

It’s so easy to make these meatballs. All you have to do is to combine all the ingredients with your hands and form beautiful meatballs.

How to cook meatballs? Well, that’s up to you! Whether you chose to oven bake, fry them or use the Airfryer, I give detailed instructions for all the methods.

  1. In a bowl combine the beaten egg, salt, pepper, minced garlic, chopped onion, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, parsley. Whisk to combine.
  2. Add the ground meat to the egg mixture. Use your hands to incorporate the egg mixture into the meat. Try not to overwork the meat.
  3. Form about 12 meatballs. I use a scale (not mandatory!) and weigh my meatballs to make sure they are equal. This step helps the meatballs cook evenly.
The Best Keto Meatballs Recipe - Low Carb Spark (3)

To Bake Meatballs

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil or use a silicone baking mat.
  2. Place the meatballs onto the sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. The meatballs are ready when the outsides are brown.
  3. Serve the meatballs warm, topped with mozzarella or with Rao’s Marinara Sauce. Garnish with more freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!

How to Make Meatballs in the Air Fryer?

  1. Start by lightly greasing the basket of the Air Dryer. Combine all the ingredients and form meatballs using your hands.
  2. Set the Airfryer at 350F and cook for about 13-14 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through. I manage to fit all the meatballs in this recipe into my 6 QT Air Fryer.
  3. Serve the meatballs warm, topped with mozzarella, low carb tomato sauce, and zucchini noodles.

Fry the Keto Meatballs Method

  1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat add a few tablespoons of oil or bacon grease.
  2. Add meatballs and cook, occasionally turning until golden on all the sides (about 8-10 minutes).
  3. Remove from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels.

More Ground Beef Recipes For You to Try:

Ground beef is such a versatile ingredient. I have so many favorite recipes using it as a main ingredient. Here are a few of them may love:

  • Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup
  • Best Low Carb Keto Chili
  • Zucchini Lasagna
  • Easy Low Carb Crack Slaw

The Best Keto Meatballs Recipe - Low Carb Spark (4)

The Best Keto Meatballs Recipe

4.97 from 29 votes

Prep time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Yelds 12 meatballs

Author Ioana Borcea from LowCarbSpark.com

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Description

These keto meatballs are moist, tender juicy, perfect without any breadcrumbs or flour. Learn how to make low carb meatballs that are perfect for meal prep, served as appetizers and great to take to work. I provide instructions for oven baking meatballs, pan frying or air-frying.

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground meat 85% lean such as beef, pork, chicken, turkey, veal or mix
  • 1 largeegg beaten
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/4 small onion finely grated onion
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Serving Suggestions

  • Zucchini noodles
  • Mozarella
  • Rao’s Marinara Sauce

Instructions

  • In a bowl combine the beaten egg, salt, pepper, heavy cream, parmesan cheese, parsley, onion, garlic. Whisk to combine.

  • Add the ground meat to the egg mixture. Use your hands to incorporate the egg mixture into the meat. Try not to overwork the meat.

  • Form about 12 meatballs. I use a scale (not mandatory!) and weigh my meatballs to make sure they are equal. This step helps the meatballs cook evenly.

Bake in the Oven Meatballs Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a baking sheet with foil or use a silicone baking mat.

  • Place the meatballs onto the sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. The meatballs are ready when the outsides are brown.

  • Serve the meatballs warm, topped with mozzarella or with Rao’s Marinara Sauce. Garnish with more freshly chopped parsley and enjoy!

Air Fryer Method

  • Start by lightly greasing the basket of the air fryer. Combine all the ingredients and form meatballs using your hands.

  • Set the Airfryer at 350°F/180°C and cook for about 13-14 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through. I manage to fit all the meatballs in this recipe into my 6 QT Air Fryer.

  • Serve the meatballs warm, topped with mozzarella, low carb tomato sauce, and zucchini noodles.

Fry the meatballs

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat add a few tablespoons of oil or bacon grease.

  • Add meatballs and cook, occasionally turning until golden on all the sides (about 8-10 minutes).

  • Remove from the skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels.

Notes

Store the leftover keto meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Make-ahead keto meatballs: You can shape meatballs a day ahead and keep them in the refrigerator.

Freeze uncooked meatballs:Prepare the balls through step 3, then arrange them in a single layer onto a baking sheet and freeze. Transfer them to a container and freeze for up to 1 month. Before cooking, thaw the meatballs in the refrigerator overnight.

Freeze cooked meatballs: Arrange the completely cooled meatballs in a single layer onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Thaw the frozen meatballs in the refrigerator overnight or thaw them directly from the freezer!

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving.

Calories

159kcal

Total Carbs

1g

Net Carbs

1g

Protein

11g

Fat

12g

Fiber

0.1g

Sugar

0.4g

How do we calculate the nutrition info?

These nutrition facts listed are determined using nutrition information from the USDA Food Database. Our nutrition facts are accurate, but if you are using different products, please make your calculations. Net carb count is calculated by subtracting both fiber and sugar alcohols because they don’t raise blood sugar.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword low carb, meatballs

Tried this recipe?Mention @LowCarbSpark or tag #LowCarbSpark!

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Ioana

Ioana is a food and travel lover. Her greatest passion is developing mouthwatering recipes that are comforting, easy to make, and budget friendly! She firmly believes that cooking should be fun! About me...

The Best Keto Meatballs Recipe - Low Carb Spark (2024)

FAQs

What ground meat is best for keto? ›

Ground chuck is often the most popular as it's tender and juicy, and has 80% protein and 20% fat. It's an excellent choice for those who want more fat in their keto diet. If you prefer less, choose 85/15 ground beef.

Are restaurant meatballs keto friendly? ›

Typically, meatballs contain bread or breadcrumbs as the main ingredient. This helps the balls maintain their shape. The presence of bread is a direct Keto violation, but all is not lost. I found that ground up pork rinds made for a great alternative to traditional bread or breadcrumbs.

Which cheese is best for keto? ›

You can eat high fat foods like cheese on the Keto diet. Cheddar, Gouda, goat cheese, and blue cheese are the best to consider. Cheese to avoid on Keto are cottage cheese and low fat and processed varieties.

Can you eat unlimited meat on keto? ›

Meat and poultry are popular with people on the keto diet because they're high in fat and very low in carbs. However, scientists have found links between eating too much meat on a regular basis and health conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and excess weight.

How many carbs are in keto meatballs? ›

How many carbs are in keto meatballs? These meatballs have 2.6g of carbs and 1g of fiber per serving. That comes to 1.6g net carbs per serving of 5 meatballs.

Can I eat M&M on keto? ›

Yes Tim, m&m's are made with corn syrup now. Guaranteed to ruin Keto. The other trouble is that when you eat “sweet stuff” like that you are blunting your taste.

Is romaine lettuce OK for keto? ›

Romaine lettuce, spinach, and arugula are the best lettuce options for keto. Generally, opt for darker, leafy greens, as they contain more nutrients than iceberg lettuce and other light green varieties.

Can I eat ground beef everyday on keto? ›

Can I eat ground beef everyday on keto? Eating ground beef every day on keto can be part of your meal plan, but it's crucial to consider a few factors: Nutritional Balance: While ground meat provides healthy fats and protein, it lacks certain essential nutrients found in other foods.

What ground meat is best for weight loss? ›

Grass-fed beef is the ultimate choice because it's the leanest. It also contains omega-3s, which is a fatty acid that only comes from food. Omega-3s aid in keeping various parts of your body healthy like the eyes, brain, heart, and lungs, while giving you energy.

What is the healthiest ground beef to buy? ›

The meat from the loin primal is very lean, so it produces ground beef with the healthiest lean point. You will often hear ground sirloin called extra-lean ground beef. If you want to create a healthy menu and limit the saturated fat in your dishes, then ground sirloin is the best choice.

What is the healthiest brand of ground beef? ›

Laura's 92% Lean ground beef is incredibly delicious, flavorful, and so lean. We have been so impressed by both the quality and taste of Laura's Lean ground beef, and we also love that it's hormone and antibiotic-free without compromising the taste. Ground beef that's really good AND good for you!

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