These Italian-style keto meatballs are wonderfully juicy and tender, making them a breeze to prepare. Perfect as either an appetizer or a main dish, this recipe suits anyone following a low-carb or ketogenic lifestyle.
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Since the start of the year, I've been following a low-carb or keto diet, and baked meatballs have become a kitchen staple. I prefer straightforward, keto-friendly recipes that can be easily adapted or served with sides providing the carbs my family desires. Usually, I'd pair these meatballs with spaghetti marinara, a salad, and a vegetable—then simply skip the pasta for myself.
Related Recipe: Keto 3-Ingredient Pudding Cookies (Low Carb)
Bread crumbs are what typically give meatballs their tenderness. So how do you achieve tender meatballs without the extra carbs? Crushed pork rinds make an unexpectedly excellent replacement. If you're new to keto, you might be skeptical about adding pork rind crumbs to your meatballs, but trust me on this. I was hesitant at first too, but I can assure you it tastes wonderful—and pork rinds have zero carbs.
Tip: Not all marinara sauces are equal in carb count. Some brands, like Rao’s Homemade All Natural Marinara Sauce, are significantly lower in carbs—just 4 grams per ½ cup—and taste great.
If you'd like to indulge in pasta, consider Al Dente Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine, which has only 18 net grams of carbs per serving. Zoodles (spiralized zucchini) are another excellent low-carb option.
Italian-Style Keto Meatballs alla Parmigiana
(Serves 6)
A printable version of the recipe can be found at the end of this article.
What You'll Need:
- 2 lbs. Ground beef
- 1 c. Crushed pork rind crumbs
- ½ c. Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. Basil
- 3 Cloves minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Egg beaten
- 1 ½ c. Low carb marinara sauce such as Rao’s Marinara
- 1 ½ c. Shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
- Set your oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, mix together 2 lbs of ground beef and 1 cup of crushed pork rinds. To crush the pork rinds, put them in a Ziploc bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until finely ground.
- Add ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
- Stir in 1½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon of basil.
- Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Mix in 3 minced garlic cloves.
- Pour in 1 beaten egg.
- Use your hands to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
- Shape the mixture into 24 equal meatballs and arrange them in a greased casserole dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then drain off any excess fat or juices.
- Spoon 1½ cups of low-carb marinara sauce over the cooked meatballs.
- Sprinkle 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
- Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, then serve over a bed of spinach or your preferred noodle substitute.
Tip: Turn leftover meatballs into subs using low-carb sub rolls from Great Low Carb Bread Company—only 6 net carbs per roll!
Keto Meatballs alla Parmigiana
Prep 10 mins
Cook 40 mins
Total 50 mins
Author aboutamom.com
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Ground beef
- 1 c. Crushed pork rind crumbs
- ½ c. Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. Basil
- 3 Cloves minced garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 Egg beaten
- 1 ½ c. Low carb marinara sauce such as Rao’s Marinara
- 1 ½ c. Shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 lbs of ground beef with 1 cup of crushed pork rind crumbs. You can crush the pork rinds by placing them in a Ziploc bag, and using a rolling pin to crush them finely.
- Add in ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese.
- Mix in 1 ½ tsp of Italian seasoning and ½ tsp of Basil.
- Toss in salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir in 3 cloves of minced garlic.
- Pour in 1 beaten egg.
- Combine the ingredients together by mixing with your hands until they are well incorporated.
- Form the meat mixture into 24 equal meatballs, and place them into the bottom of a greased casserole dish.
- Bake the meatballs for 30 minutes, draining off any excess fat or juices when they are done.
- Top the cooked meatballs with 1 ½ cups of low carb marinara sauce.
- Sprinkle with 1 ½ cups of Mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for an additional 10 minutes and serve over a bed of spinach or your favorite noodle substitute.
Notes
These keto-friendly Italian meatballs are juicy, tender, and incredibly simple to prepare—ideal as an appetizer or main course for anyone on a low-carb or ketogenic diet.
Courses Dinner
Cuisine Italian
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