Easy Low-Carb Marinara Meatballs

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Mamma Mia… these meatballs! So easy to make, these speedy Easy Keto Marinara Meatballs are up there in my favourite go to quick and easy keto recipes.

Serve with keto zoodles, Palmini low-carb pasta or on cauliflower mash for the ultimate keto comfort food dinner. I actually made these low-carb marinara meatballs without an egg and they hold together great but you can add an egg too if you prefer to make them even sturdier.

Oven Baking vs Pan Frying Meatballs

You can bake or fry meatballs based on personal preference and time you have available yo make these. Pan-frying is generally faster and produces a better flavour, but the meatballs may crumble if you turn them too quick. Plus you will need to grease the pan so make sure to add cooking fat to adjust your macros in our app if you do that.

If you use a frying pan to cook the meatballs, simply add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee or virgin avocado oil to a non-stick or cast iron frying pan. Add the meatballs and fry, turning them every 3 minutes, and cook for a total of 8 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the meatballs, until cooked through. Do not turn too soon or the meatballs will crumble, especially if you're not using eggs.

Do I Need to Use Eggs and Breadcrumbs to Make Meatballs?

Eggs and breadcrumbs improve the texture of meatballs, making them bind better and produce a softer, fluffier texture. We kept these keto meatballs super simple by skipping these ingredients which will result in more meaty, dense texture. They are still delicious!

For best results you can add one egg per 500 grams (1.1 lb) of meat, plus ¹/₃ to ¹/₂ cup of Keto Breadcrumbs. You don't want too many eggs or breadcrumbs as that would make the meatballs too dense and spongy.

If you don't have time to make proper Keto Breadcrumbs (they do taste and work just like the real deal!), you can use other options such as as almond flour (¹/₂ cup), coconut flour (2 tablespoons) or flax meal (¹/₄ cup). Enjoy!

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Nutritional values (per serving, 4 meatballs)

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• 500 g ground beef (1.1 lb)
• 1 garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 ¹/₂ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or coconut aminos
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ¹/₂ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley or basil
• 1 batch Marinara Sauce, about 1 ¹/₂ cups (300 ml/ 10 fl oz)
• Optional: 1-2 tbsp fresh herbs such as parsley or basil

Instructions

1. Prepare the Marinara Sauce as per the recipe here.
   
2. Preheat the oven to 180 °C/ 355 °F (fan assisted), or 200 °C/ 400 °F (conventional). (Skip if you're cooking the meatballs in a frying pan. See recipe tips above for more info.)
3. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and use your hands to combine. Shape into 15 to 16 meatballs, about 33 g (1.2 oz) each. Place the meatballs on a greaseproof lined baking tray.
   
   
4. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes or until cooked through.
   
5. Add the marinara sauce to a skillet and add the meatballs. Cook to warm through, about 2 to 4 minutes.
   
   
6. Option to top with fresh parsley, basil and cracked black pepper to serve. Store in a Tupperware in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezer for 3 months.

Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, 4 meatballs)

Net carbs	Protein	Fat	Calories
Beef, minced (ground), raw, grass-fed
0 g	21.5 g	25 g	318 kcal
Garlic, fresh
0.2 g	0 g	0 g	1 kcal
Onion powder, spices
0.6 g	0.1 g	0 g	3 kcal
Apple cider vinegar
0 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Salt, sea salt
0 g	0 g	0 g	0 kcal
Pepper, black, spices
0.1 g	0 g	0 g	1 kcal
Dijon mustard
0 g	0 g	0 g	1 kcal
Parsley, fresh (spices)
0.1 g	0.1 g	0 g	1 kcal
Marinara sauce
3.3 g	0.8 g	12.2 g	127 kcal
Total per serving, 4 meatballs
4.3 g	22.6 g	37.3 g	451 kcal

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