Easy Low Carb Keto Meatball Casserole

Name: Keto Meatballs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 8 ounces of ground beef; 8 ounces of pork belly; 1 beaten egg; 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese; 1/2 cup of full-fat milk; 1/4 cup of almond flour; 5 cloves of chopped garlic; 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley; 1 teaspoon of salt; 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper; 2 tablespoons of olive oil; 1 chopped onion; 1 tablespoon of tomato paste; 28 ounces of canned tomato; 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

A keto-friendly meal to bring the whole family together, presenting moist keto meatballs in a rich, homemade marinara sauce topped with bubbling cheeses.

European Cuisine

June 23, 2021

Difficulty Medium

Servings 4 people

Preparation 30 mins

Cooking 60 mins

Total 90 mins

Recipe Contents

Ingredients Directions Nutrition Equipments Tips

Ingredients

8 ounces of ground beef
8 ounces of pork belly
1 beaten egg
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of full-fat milk
1/4 cup of almond flour
5 cloves of chopped garlic
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
28 ounces of canned tomato
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Meatballs

Into a mixing bowl add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, parmesan cheese, milk, almond flour, chopped garlic, parsley, salt and black pepper.
Fold the ingredients together gently with a wooden spoon until a uniform mixture, being careful not to overwork the meats.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper then use your hands to roll the meatball mixture into 2-inch wide balls. Place each keto meatball onto the baking tray and continue to roll the remaining mixture.
Transfer the tray of keto meatballs to the refrigerator to firm up for 20 minutes while the marinara sauce is prepared.

Marinara Sauce

Place a saucepan on medium heat and add 2 tablespoon of olive oil.
Then stir in the chopped onion, cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Next add 2 cloves garlic and 1 tablespoon tomato paste, stir to cook out the tomato paste for 2 minutes.
Pour the canned crushed tomatoes into the saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Cook the marinara sauce for 20 minutes until thickened and the flavours have developed, season with salt to taste.

Casserole

Preheat an oven to 350F.
Place a skillet on medium heat and add the remaining olive oil.
Remove the meatballs from the refrigerator and place into the skillet.
Brown the keto meatballs for 5 minutes in the skillet then transfer to a casserole dish.
Pour the prepared marinara sauce into the casserole dish and mix with the meatballs.
Then top the dish with shredded mozzarella and place into the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Once the cheese has melted and the meatballs are cooked through, serve the keto meatball casserole.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Keto Meatballs

Serves 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories464

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 21 g26.9%

Cholesterol 146 mg48.7%

Sodium 1180 mg51.3%

Potassium 641 mg13.6%

Protein 45.7 g91.4%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Tips

The keto meatballs can be made with beef mince alone if preferred or a combination of beef and veal mince, beef and turkey mince or even the bold flavour of venison mince.
For a quicker version of the recipe premade meatballs or marinara sauce then follow the guidelines below to achieve the same great resulting dish.
The meatballs are gently combined until they come together naturally, super-tight meatballs become tough and chewy when the ground meat is overworked.
Shape the keto meatballs to an even size, they can be as big or small as you like but should be roughly equal to ensure consistent cooking. Smaller meatballs will become dry and larger meatballs will be undercooked.
The meatballs can be baked into the oven once they are on the baking tray for 15 minutes rather than browning in the skillet. This method is less effort and clean-up however there is a greater danger of the meatballs drying out.

Rate This Recipe

The best baked keto meatball casserole using a combination of pork and beef mince. A blend of meats provides richness and body from the beef which pairs perfectly with the added moisture and lightness of the pork. Italian food is carb-heavy and when following a keto diet can feel that we’re missing our comfort food classics, this keto meatball casserole is the solution! Rich meatballs topped with an irresistible blend of cheeses for the perfect low carb meal, served with zucchini noodles, fresh green salad, mashed cauliflower or a side of keto garlic bread.

Equipment for this recipe

Mixing Bowls

Baking Set

Saucepan

Frying Pan

Are Meatballs Good For Keto?

Typically meatballs would not be keto-friendly however we have created a recipe which is ideal for the entire family. It’s a simple crowd-pleaser and can be prepared ahead of time, ready to be popped in the oven. Keto meatball casserole is perfect when following a keto diet as a filling meal which can be frozen or be part of a meal plan schedule.

What Can I Use Instead Of Breadcrumbs In Keto Meatballs?

The breadcrumbs, bread or flour which are standard in meatballs recipes are used to bulk out the ingredients to make the dish less expensive, bind the ingredients, lighten the flavour and prevent the meat from becoming dry. As the meatballs cook the meat release juices and fat which is then absorbed by the breadcrumbs, recommended substitutes for keto meatballs are almond flour, ground pork rinds, keto breadcrumbs, psyllium husk, flax seeds or coconut flour.

Are Meatballs High In Carbs?

Traditional meatballs are high in carbs as they classically contain some form of bread within the meatball and are then served with pasta. Keto meatballs are completely keto-friendly as they avoid these ingredients with delicious and nutritious substitutions.

How Do You Keep Meatballs Moist?

A super simple recipe using organic ground beef to form the most delicious keto meatballs. Meatballs often contain breadcrumbs or bread to moisten the meatballs whereas this recipe is specifically designed to be keto friendly with no carbs and no added sugars. There are multiple stages to keep keto meatballs moist which includes using ground pork as well as ground beef contributing fat to the dish to prevent the keto meatballs from drying out. A further step is to roll the meatballs slightly larger than 2-inches in diameter to reduce the loss of moisture within the oven. A final key impact to the moisture within the meatballs is baking them in the marinara sauce to form a meatball casserole, as they bake the meatballs will draw in liquid from the sauce which adds to the overall flavour of the dish.

Recipe byPetite Gourmets