Best Keto Meatballs Recipe (+ VIDEO) (2024)

These keto meatballs are extra juicy and soft and are perfect to feed a family! Ready in minutes, serve it over keto pasta for a comforting low carb dinner recipe.

Looking for a quick and easy keto dinner? Nothing tastes as good as meatballs.

Sure, I could make some chicken parmesan or keto salmon, but like my keto meatloaf, these are nostalgic and comforting.

Traditional meatballs are usually bound with bread crumbs, which makes them unsuitable for a keto diet. Luckily, with a few smart swaps, you can enjoy them that taste just like the classic.

Recipe highlights

• The best texture. This keto meatball recipe is better than any meatball out there because they are extra soft and juicy. Even those who don’t follow a keto diet use this very recipe as their go-to.
• Easy prep. There are no hard-to-find ingredients needed. You probably have everything in your refrigerator and pantry right this minute.
• Ready in 20 minutes. From prep to plate, this entire dish takes barely any time.
• Versatile. enjoy it over your favorite low carb pasta, zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or simply over steamed vegetables.

What I love about this recipe is just how well they keep. Like with keto chili, I love to make a batch as part of a meal prep or freeze leftovers to enjoy at a later date.

Ingredients needed

There are no fancy, specialty, or hard-to-find ingredients to make this recipe. It uses pantry staples and supermarket basics. Here is what you’ll need:

For the meatballs

• Ground beef.Use 80/20 ground beef (80% lean, 20% fat). Every good meatball needs to have a little fat, which helps them from drying out and keeps them extra juicy.
• Ground pork.Pork is traditionally a little fattier than other meats, and swapping out half the beef with pork will yield extra juicy meatballs. If you don’t want to use pork, double the ground beef.
• Egg. To bind everything together.
• Onion. Finely chopped.
• Garlic. Freshly minced garlic, skip the jarred variety!
• Parmesan cheese.You must use freshly grated or refrigerated parmesan cheese. Avoid using the shelf staple kind, as they are super-processed and will actually hold their shape in the meatballs.
• Bread crumb substitute.There are several options, including crushed-up pork rinds or homemade keto breadcrumbs.
• Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.

For the marinara sauce

I made a simple from-scratch sauce. Alternatively, you can skip the marinara sauce and usehomemade keto spaghetti sauce, pomodoro sauce, or sugo (two kinds of Italian tomato sauce that are also both low carb!).

• Olive oil. A good quality olive oil makes all the difference and is a must for Italian-style meatballs.
• Onions and garlic.Finely chopped to add extra flavor.
• Tomato sauce.Also referred to as passata or unsweetened pasta sauce. This is NOT tomato ketchup!
• Italian seasonings.It is a must for any good meatball recipe.You can swap this out for some fresh parsley and fresh basil instead.
• Salt and pepper. To taste.

How to make keto meatballs

I’ve includedstep-by-step photosbelow to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to therecipe cardat the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Make the meatballs. Start by mixing all the meatball ingredients together, then shape them into small bite-sized balls.

Step 2- Cook the meatballs. Next, place olive oil into a non-stick pan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and cook until no longer brown. Remove the meatballs from the pan.

Step 3- Make the marinara sauce. Now, prepare the marinara sauce. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes before adding the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.

Step 4- Combine. Finally, add the meatballs back to the marinara sauce mixture and cook for 8-10 minutes, regularly turning. Remove the meatballs from the heat and serve immediately over your favoriteketo pastaorgnocchi.

Recipe tips and variations

• Do not overbake the meatballs because, let’s face it- no one wants rubbery meatballs here. To ensure this does not happen, always use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature. Fully cooked beef should reach 165F.
• When making the meatball mixture, avoid overmixing. Like cake batter, the more you mix, the tougher they will be.
• Swap out the ground meat for Italian sausage, ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
• For cheesy meatballs, fold through some freshly grated mozzarella cheese or parmesan cheese.
• Instead of a red sauce, these meatballs taste incredible with a keto alfredo sauce or a keto cheese sauce.

How to store leftovers

To store: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

To freeze: Place low carb meatballs in a shallow container and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw the meatballs before reheating.

Reheating: Either microwave the meatballs for 1-2 minutes or reheat in a non-stick pan until warm and the sauce is bubbling.

Frequently Asked Questions

More keto recipes using ground beef

• Keto lasagna– With homemade low carb lasagna noodles too!
• Keto cheeseburger casserole– All the best parts of a cheeseburger, minus the carbs.
• Keto taco casserole– My family LOVES this for a comforting dinner.
• Keto stuffed peppers– Easy to customize and so fast.
• Or any of these keto ground beef recipes.

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