Keto Party Meatballs

These meatballs are perfect for a cocktail party or any special occasion. They are flavoured with Italian herbs, marinara sauce and topped with olives. With a hidden surprise inside, these meatballs will disappear from your table before you even know it. If you make the meatballs in advance and need to reheat them, have a look at these great tips at The Kitchn. For more healthy ideas, check out my keto party recipes!

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Nutritional values (per meatball):

Macronutrient ratio: Calories from carbs (3%), protein (24%), fat (73%)

Ingredients (makes 20-25 meatballs):

Meatballs:

• 500 g ground beef (1.1 lb)
• 1 large egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ cup almond flour (50 g/ 1.8 oz) or ½ cup coconut flour (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
• 1 cup diced mozzarella, 20-25 pieces (132 g/ 4.7 oz) - use the low-moisture pizza type
• 1 tsp salt or to taste (I like pink Himalayan)
• freshly ground black pepper

Sauce and Topping:

• ½ cup Homemade Marinara Sauce (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
• 20-25 pitted olives, green or black (60 g/ 2.1 oz)
• fresh basil for garnish

Tip: If served for dinner, it will be enough for four people. Try the meatballs on top of cauli-rice or zucchini noodles.

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 230 C / 450 F. Dice the mozzarella in 20-25 equal sized pieces. Place it in the freezer for 30-60 minutes. Freezing the cheese will prevent it from leaking out while baking. Place the meat, egg, minced garlic, thyme, oregano, ...
2. ... almond flour, salt and pepper into a bowl. Mix until well combined using your hands or a mixer.
3. Divide the meat into 20-25 pieces (I made 20). Remove the cheese from the freezer.
4. Take each piece and flatten using your hands. Place a piece of the mozzarella cheese in the middle and fold the meat over it.
5. Briefly roll between hands and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Place in the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, prepare the Marinara Sauce. Place the marinara sauce in a large pan and heat up over a medium heat.
   The first time I made this recipe, I used too much marinara sauce (photo below) which I then used to make another batch of meatballs.
7. Take the meatballs from the oven and place in the pan with marinara sauce. Using a spoon or a spatula, cover with the sauce from all sides. Drain the olives (I used both green and black Kalamata olives).
   
8. Insert a toothpick into each olive and then into each meatball. Garnish with freshly chopped basil and enjoy!
   Tip: You can serve the marinara sauce separately from the meatballs by dipping into it.