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    Home / Recipes / Dinner / Keto Italian Meatballs

    Keto Italian Meatballs

    May 7, 2024 by Keto Cooking Christian 31 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, see Disclosure.
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    Enjoy these Keto Italian Meatballs that are braised low and slow in a classic tomato sauce guilt-free! They're finished off baked in the oven with gooey mozzarella cheese.

    closeup of Keto Italian Meatball in spoon with cheese pull
    Easy Keto Dinners eBook 3D cover

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    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love This Keto Italian Meatballs Recipe
    • 🛒 What's in Low Carb Italian Meatballs
    • 🔪 How to Make the Best Keto Meatballs
    • 💡 Tips to Make the Best Keto Meatballs
    • ☑️ Storage Instructions
    • 🍴 What Can I Serve with Italian Meatballs Instead of Pasta?
    • 🔄 Substitutions and Additions
    • Can you Eat Italian Food on Keto?
    • 🍽️ More Keto Ground Beef Recipes

    ❤️ Why You'll Love This Keto Italian Meatballs Recipe

    • Tender and flavorful classic Italian meatballs
    • Braised low and slow in a tangy low carb tomato sauce
    • Baked melted mozzarella cheese on top
    • Family friendly
    Keto Italian Meatballs with tomato sauce and chopped parsley

    Oh how I love the smell of Italian food cooking in my kitchen!  And who doesn't love a great meatball parmigiana!? Before Keto, I often made the typical "Sunday Sauce" (or gravy depending on who you ask!) and of course served it over some of my favorite pasta long fusilli, rigatoni or penne.  

    While I no longer indulge in pasta, I do still really enjoy a good meatball, Italian sausage or Beef Braciole.  This is such a healthy Low Carb meatball recipe that will make you forget that you are on a diet!

    Keto Italian Meatball sub with 4 meatballs and cheese

    With shredded mozzarella cheese over the top, they're baked in the oven till the cheese is golden and bubbly.  These are the best gluten free meatballs ever, and I promise you won't even miss the bread crumbs!  They are moist, tender and full of flavor!

    🛒 What's in Low Carb Italian Meatballs

    • Ground beef
    • Ground pork
    • Parmesan cheese
    • Mozzarella cheese
    • Low carb tomato sauce
    • Tomato paste
    • Oat fiber
    • Eggs
    • Heavy cream
    • Garlic
    • Basil
    • White wine (or chicken stock)
    • Salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • Olive oil 

    *Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

    🥣 Recommended Tools

    • Large skillet
    • Ice cream scoop
    • Parchment paper
    • Mixing bowl

    🔪 How to Make the Best Keto Meatballs

    Add eggs, heavy cream, 3 cloves of the garlic, parmesan cheese, tomato paste, oat fiber and half the basil to a mixing bowl and mix well.  

    cheese, eggs, basil and cream in mixing bowl unmixed

    Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out mixture into your hand, form the meatballs and place them on a piece of parchment paper.  

    ground beef and pork in mixing bowl

    Wet your hands periodically, to prevent them from sticking to your hands.

    Keto Italian Meatball mix in ice cream scoop held over a mixing bowl

    Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium. Add in the olive oil and once heated, add in the meatballs.

    raw Italian meatballs in skillet

    Sear on all sides, and cook until they firm up.

    cooked Keto Italian Meatballs in skillet

    Remove the meatballs and put them aside.

    minced garlic in skillet

    Drain off most of the fat, then add in the remaining clove of garlic. Sauté for about 20 seconds, careful not to brown it. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up the brown bits. Continue cooking until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the tomato sauce, remaining basil, salt and pepper.

    Keto Italian Meatballs sauce in skillet

    Add the meatballs back in and cook (covered) for 1 hour on low or until tender.  

    Keto Italian Meatballs in tomato sauce in skillet

    You can either serve the meatballs as is with the sauce over the tops or you can bake them with some cheese.

    Keto Italian Meatballs in tomato sauce in skillet

    Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Add the cheese over the top.

    Keto Italian Meatballs in skillet with shredded mozzarella cheese on top

    Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden, then serve.

    Keto Italian Meatballs in skillet with melted mozzarella cheese on top

    💡 Tips to Make the Best Keto Meatballs

    • Mix everything that goes into the meatballs in the bowl first and add in the meat last, this ensures the meat does not get overworked, tough and dense.  
    • Using an ice cream scoop makes the meatballs more uniform in size and helps them all cook evenly.  And let's be honest, much easier than digging your hands in the bowl each time!
    • Most definitely use a nonstick pan! Since this recipe doesn't use breadcrumbs, they are a little more delicate and can stick more easily to a stainless steel pan.
    • Braising them low and slow in the tomato sauce helps keep them tender, while infusing great flavor into the meatballs.

    ☑️ Storage Instructions

    Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or freeze.

    🍴 What Can I Serve with Italian Meatballs Instead of Pasta?

    There are several different ways you can serve these meatballs that are perfectly acceptable for a low carb diet. The first and most traditional, would be over a bed of zucchini noodles, Palmini noodles or this Parmesan Garlic Spaghetti Squash.

    The second, is with Keto Buns or Keto Dinner Rolls, and for added flavor Keto Garlic Rolls are fantastic! But my favorite is with these homemade Keto Hot Dog Buns that you see below. I simply made a batch of 6, rather than the 8 in the recipe and they were the absolute perfect size!

    You can also serve them a some sauce on top and a low carb side dish or salad on the side.

    Keto Italian Meatball sub with 4 meatballs and cheese

    🔄 Substitutions and Additions

    • If you only have crushed tomatoes on hand, you can use them instead of tomato sauce.
    • If you don't have fresh basil, you can use some fresh parsley and a little dried basil.
    • Grated Romano or Asiago can be used instead of parmesan cheese.
    • Finely ground almond flour can be used instead of the oat fiber, though it will change the texture a bit. I would use ¼ cup instead of the 1 tablespoon of oat fiber, since it's not nearly as absorbent.
    • Chicken stock can be used instead of white wine if you'd like.
    • The tomato paste helps give the meatballs more flavor and helps keep them moist. If you don't have tomato paste, you can use the same amount of tomato sauce instead.

    Can you Eat Italian Food on Keto?

    Yes, you sure can! While we cannot enjoy traditional pasta, there are a number of classic Italian dishes that with a few ingredient tweaks, that we can indulge in. Here are some of my favorite Keto Italian recipes:

    • Zucchini Rollatini
    • Crockpot Sausage and Peppers
    • Chicken Piccata
    • Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet
    • Keto Marinara Sauce
    Keto Italian Meatballs with cheese on top in skillet

    Can You Substitute Almond Flour for Bread Crumbs to Make This Gluten-Free Meatball Recipe?

    Sure you can, but this meatball recipe is made without breadcrumbs.  It uses 1 cup of parmesan cheese instead and actually acts as the perfect binder, along with the eggs.

    Can you Eat Meatballs on Keto Diet?

    With this Keto meatballs recipe, there is no reason you can't enjoy the same great flavor and texture of traditional meatballs. And because, as I explain below, they are made with almond flour instead of all purpose flour, they are perfectly low carb!

    In fact, in recipes that use bread crumbs, like Chicken Parmesan, Zucchini Fries, Chicken Milanese or Mozzarella Sticks,  I make my own gluten free breadcrumbs with a mix of almond flour, parmesan cheese and crushed pork rinds and herbs, which works really well.

    There is also heavy cream in the mix, this is to keep them moist and tender.  

    How Many Net Carbs are in Keto Meatballs?

    Each serving in this Keto meatball recipe, has only 3 net carbs.  This includes a little sauce over the top, which is a must!

    closeup of Keto Italian Meatball in spoon with cheese pull

    What Frozen Meatballs are Keto Friendly?

    Store bought frozen meatballs typically contain flour in them, as one of the binding agents used to hold them together. So they're not idea for a low carb or Keto diet. However, since this meatball recipe ues almond flour instead, they are perfectly acceptable and can easily be frozen.

    Is Almond Flour Good for Keto?

    Absolutely and it does a great job in holding the meatballs together, just as all purpose flour does with traditional meatballs. I do find that the oat fiber I used in this recipe does work better than almond flour.

    How Should You Store these Almond Flour Meatballs?

    Store them in the fridge for a few days, sitting in their sauce so they can continue to absorb the flavor and stay moist.  This is one of those meals that actually tastes better the next day.  Beyond a few days, you can freeze them and they'll reheat beautifully!

    Keto Italian Meatballs with tomato sauce and chopped parsley

    🍽️ More Keto Ground Beef Recipes

    • Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
    • Baked Southwest Skillet
    • Beef Stroganoff Casserole
    • Instant Pot No-Bean Chili
    • Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
    20 Easy Keto Recipes Cover Thumbnail

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    closeup of Keto Italian Meatball in spoon with cheese pull

    Keto Italian Meatballs

    Enjoy these Keto Italian Meatballs that are braised low and slow in a classic tomato sauce guilt-free! They're finished off baked in the oven with gooey mozzarella cheese.
    4.93 from 14 votes
    Author: Julianne
    Servings 8
    Print Pin
    Save RecipeSaved!
    PREP 5 minutes mins
    COOK 1 hour hr
    TOTAL 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

    RECIPE VIDEO

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 pound ground beef, I use 85%
    • 1 pound ground pork
    • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
    • 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
    • 28 ounce canned tomato sauce, lowest carb
    • ½ cup white wine, I use Pinot Grigio - or chicken stock
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped & divided
    • 2 whole eggs
    • 1 tablespoon oat fiber
    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced & divided
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Add eggs, heavy cream, 3 cloves of the garlic, parmesan cheese, tomato paste, oat fiber and half the basil to a mixing bowl and mix well.  Add in the ground beef and pork and mix just until combined, do not over-mix.
    • Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out mixture into your hand, form the meatballs and place them on a piece ofsheet pan parchment paper.  Wet your hands periodically, to prevent them from sticking to your hands.
    • Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium. Add in the olive oil and once heated, add in the meatballs. Sear on all sides, and cook until they firm up.
    • Remove the meatballs and put them aside. Drain off most of the fat, then add in the remaining clove of garlic. Sauté for about 20 seconds, careful not to brown it. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up the brown bits. Continue cooking until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in the tomato sauce, remaining basil, salt and pepper.
    • Add the meatballs back in and cook (covered) for 1 hour on low or until tender. You can either serve the meatballs as is with the sauce over the tops or you can bake them with some cheese.
    • Preheat the oven to 425°F.  Add the cheese over the top and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden, then serve.

    Recipe Notes

    Makes 19-20 meatballs
    * The recipe has recently been improved and updated both with ingredients and the process, since the video was made. Please refer to the recipe card for the updated version.

    *Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.

    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Calories 428kcal
    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Italian Meatballs
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    428
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    29
    g
    45
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    15
    g
    94
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    5
    g
    2
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    3
    g
    3
    %
    Protein
     
    34
    g
    68
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    *Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.

    © Copyright for Keto Cooking Christian LLC. Please use the share buttons to share on social media, but please do not copy/paste the recipe.

    Rate this Recipe

    *Originally published on September 12, 2018, updated on May 7, 2024 with improvements to the recipe, new photos, new recipe information and helpful tips.

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    Filed Under: Beef, Dinner, Italian, Popular, Posts, Recipes Tagged With: best italian meatballs, best keto recipes, best low carb recipes, easy keto recipes, easy low carb recipes, gluten free meatballs, gluten free recipes, keto, keto diet, keto meatballs, keto recipes, ketogenic diet, low carb meatballs, low carb recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      4.93 from 14 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Pam

      May 20, 2024 at 9:47 am

      5 stars
      Definitely looks delicious.

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        May 21, 2024 at 8:40 am

        Thank you. They really are.

        Reply
    2. Jane Miller

      March 20, 2023 at 11:16 am

      5 stars
      I made these delicious meatballs last night! They were a hit and so was the sauce served over It’ Skinny Konjac noodles.

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        March 20, 2023 at 3:50 pm

        That sounds amazing! I am so glad you enjoyed them.

        Reply
    3. Mama6

      February 19, 2023 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      These meatballs are so good for Keto and my kids love them with some noodles. They are better the following days for leftovers and great for a quick, healthy lunch!

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        February 20, 2023 at 6:51 pm

        That's so awesome to hear. I love them the next day even more too.

        Reply
    4. Lori

      August 17, 2022 at 9:50 am

      5 stars
      What type of tomato sauce is used??? Plain or like a spaghetti sauce?

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        October 06, 2022 at 9:21 am

        I use plain tomato sauce in a can, then season it myself.

        Reply
    5. Colleen

      January 02, 2021 at 11:22 pm

      I tried this recipe tonight and it was delicious! My husband (who is not keto) and I both loved it. I froze half the meatballs (after browning, before saucing) to use for a future dinner.

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        January 03, 2021 at 7:26 am

        Wonderful, glad you both loved the meatballs!

        Reply
    6. Jaime

      September 24, 2019 at 1:23 am

      5 stars
      I made these tonight and they were delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I served them with a Caesar salad.

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        September 24, 2019 at 9:31 am

        Caesar salad sounds like the perfect side to serve with these! Glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    7. Scott Dixon

      September 01, 2019 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        September 01, 2019 at 10:05 pm

        Thank you Scott, so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    8. Jen Reid

      August 26, 2019 at 8:47 am

      5 stars
      How do you think these would freeze? I’m looking for low carb freezer:friendly recipes and these meatballs are awesome.

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        August 26, 2019 at 8:50 am

        Hi Jen,
        These meatballs actually freeze and reheat perfectly!

        Reply
    9. Tiffany O'Brien

      August 24, 2019 at 2:27 pm

      5 stars
      My husband and I LOVE THESE! Thanks so much for the recipe. -Tiffany

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        August 24, 2019 at 2:56 pm

        Awesome, glad you both enjoyed them!

        Reply
    10. Lynette

      July 15, 2019 at 9:06 pm

      5 stars
      Went over well and easy to make

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        July 15, 2019 at 9:23 pm

        Great to hear you liked them!

        Reply
    11. Sharon

      June 25, 2019 at 4:35 pm

      Hi,
      Making this now, when is the Parmesan cheese added?

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        June 25, 2019 at 5:09 pm

        Hi Sharon,
        It's added to the meatball mixture.

        Reply
    12. sara

      May 29, 2019 at 12:37 am

      I've been wondering, when looking for fat content, do you look at the total fat or the saturated portion? I've been told just saturated, and if that's so, it's much lower than protein and I've been having a hard time minimizing my protein and getting on ketosis.

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        May 29, 2019 at 11:06 am

        Hi Sara,
        Personally, I look at total fat, but I display both total and saturated fat in the nutrition label for my recipes.

        Reply
    13. Kate

      April 14, 2019 at 6:54 pm

      Hi there! Making these for dinner. Watched the video & it shows to add the Parmesan with the cream, eggs, etc but that’s missing in your step 2. Not sure if that was on purpose. Too late for me to add that in but I’m sure they’ll be delicious anyway 😊

      Reply
    14. kaleigh

      April 04, 2019 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      how many meatballs is considered a serving?

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        April 04, 2019 at 3:33 pm

        Hi Kaleigh,
        Each serving is 2 meatballs for the size that I made. If you make them larger or smaller, it would just be 1/8th of the recipe. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    15. Heather

      November 25, 2018 at 1:55 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for supper last night, and it was delicious. I had it over steamed veggies (my spouse, who is not keto, enjoyed it over pasta). It was a nice change of pace from my usual fare, and I'm adding it to my "I need to treat myself" file. It's an easy recipe, but the results taste special--like it required more work than it actually did. Two thumbs up!

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        November 25, 2018 at 3:06 pm

        My husband is not Keto either, though he eats most of what I make that is. He too, had it over pasta and enjoyed it. I'm glad you and you both liked it and consider it a treat 🙂

        Reply
    16. Carolyn

      November 11, 2018 at 7:41 pm

      4 stars
      After the meatballs simmered for 45min. I poured them over spaghetti squash in a 9x11 dish, added the cheese and into the oven for 15min. ?

      Reply
      • Keto Cooking Christian

        November 11, 2018 at 7:43 pm

        5 stars
        Great idea, sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂

        Reply

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    Julianne Walser KCC

    I'm Julianne, welcome! I offer tasty and indulgent Keto and Low Carb recipes that will never leave you feeling deprived!

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