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Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs

★★★★★★★★★★
4.9 stars, average of 109 ratings

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I love Greek and Mediterranean food. There are quite a few recipes inspired by Greek cuisine on my blog! Melitzanosalata (Greek Eggplant Salad), Lamb Souvlaki (Greek Lamb Skewers) and many more.

The truth is, I wouldn't be able to try some of the best Greek recipes if it wasn't for my fiancé who comes from Greece. This recipe is inspired by Soutzoukakia - meatballs cooked in rich tomato sauce.

Chia seeds are used for thickening the sauce. You don't have to use them if you don't mid the sauce runny, or you can use 1/2 tsp xanthan gum instead. Keep in mind that xanthan gum is not considered paleo-friendly. You can use any other oil suitable from high-heat cooking.

Hands-on Overall

Serving size 5 meatballs + sauce + 1 zucchini

Allergy information for Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs

✔  Gluten free
✔  Dairy free
✔  Nut free
✔  Pork free
✔  Avocado free
✔  Fish free
✔  Shellfish free

Nutritional values (per 5 meatballs + sauce + 1 zucchini)

Net carbs8.8 grams
Protein31.1 grams
Fat31 grams
Calories456 kcal
Calories from carbs 8%, protein 28%, fat 64%
Total carbs14.2 gramsFiber5.4 gramsSugars7.1 gramsSaturated fat15 gramsSodium746 mg(32% RDA)Magnesium105 mg(26% RDA)Potassium1,111 mg(56% EMR)

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

Meatballs:

  • 500 g ground lamb or beef (1.1 lb)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 chopped small white onion (35 g/ 1.3 oz)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • small bunch of fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp ghee, lard or virgin coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste

Sauce:

  • 1/2 chopped small white onion (35 g/ 1.3 oz)
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped (240 g/ 8.7 oz)
  • 1 cup vegetable stock or bone broth (240 ml/ 8 fl oz)
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened tomato purée (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
  • 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives or other olives (50 g/ 1.8 oz)
  • 1 tbsp ground chia seeds (8 g/ 0.3 oz)
  • 1 tbsp ghee, lard or virgin coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
  • Optional: 1 package feta cheese (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
  • 4 small zucchini, sliced using a julienne peeler or vegetable spiralizer (600 g/ 1.3 lb)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C/ 400 °F (fan assisted), or 220 °C/ 425 °F (conventional). Wash and chop the herbs and mash the garlic. Finely chop the onion and place half of it in a separate bowl. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  2. Place the meat, egg, cumin, mashed garlic, chopped herbs, half of the onion, salt and coconut flour into a bowl and mix well using your hands. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  3. Create about 20 small meatballs (about 31 g/ 1.1 oz each) and place them in a cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet greased with half of the ghee or coconut oil. Place in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce. Roughly chop the tomatoes and drain the olives. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  5. Grease a pan with the rest of the ghee or coconut oil, add the remaining onion and cook until slightly browned. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  6. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, vegetable stock (or bone broth) and season with salt. Cook for about 5 minutes. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  7. Add the ground chia seeds for thickening the sauce and mix in well. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  8. Add the kalamata olives and stir in well. Take off the heat. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  9. When the meatballs are done, remove from the oven. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  10. Add the tomato sauce and cook for 5 more minutes. Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  11. When done, serve with zucchini noodles aka "zoodles" briefly fooked for 2-5 minutes (I use this spiralizer to make them). I also recommend you check Mellissa's website The Clothes Make The Girl. She has revealed the secret to make "zoodles" al dente and not loaded with water - ingenious! Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs
  12. You can try this meal with crumbled feta on top. Enjoy! Low-Carb Greek Soutzoukakia Meatballs

Paleo Greek Meatballs aka Soutzoukakia
Step by Step

★★★★★★★★★★
4.9 stars, average of 109 ratings
Paleo Greek Meatballs aka Soutzoukakia
These Greek inspired low-carb meatballs are cooked in rich tomato sauce and served with zucchini noodles.
Hands on20m
Overall40m
Servings4
Calories456 kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 g ground lamb or beef (1.1 lb)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 chopped small white onion (35 g/ 1.3 oz)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • small bunch of fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp ghee, lard or virgin coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 chopped small white onion (35 g/ 1.3 oz)
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped (240 g/ 8.7 oz)
  • 1 cup vegetable stock or bone broth (240 ml/ 8 fl oz)
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened tomato purée (30 g/ 1.1 oz)
  • 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives or other olives (50 g/ 1.8 oz)
  • 1 tbsp ground chia seeds (8 g/ 0.3 oz)
  • 1 tbsp ghee, lard or virgin coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt, or to taste
  • Optional: 1 package feta cheese (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
  • 4 small zucchini, sliced using a julienne peeler or vegetable spiralizer (600 g/ 1.3 lb)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C/ 400 °F (fan assisted), or 220 °C/ 425 °F (conventional). Wash and chop the herbs and mash the garlic. Finely chop the onion and place half of it in a separate bowl.
  2. Place the meat, egg, cumin, mashed garlic, chopped herbs, half of the onion, salt and coconut flour into a bowl and mix well using your hands.
  3. Create about 20 small meatballs (about 31 g/ 1.1 oz each) and place them in a cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet greased with half of the ghee or coconut oil. Place in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce. Roughly chop the tomatoes and drain the olives.
  5. Grease a pan with the rest of the ghee or coconut oil, add the remaining onion and cook until slightly browned.
  6. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, vegetable stock (or bone broth) and season with salt. Cook for about 5 minutes.
  7. Add the ground chia seeds for thickening the sauce and mix in well.
  8. Add the kalamata olives and stir in well. Take off the heat.
  9. When the meatballs are done, remove from the oven.
  10. Add the tomato sauce and cook for 5 more minutes.
  11. When done, serve with zucchini noodles aka "zoodles" briefly fooked for 2-5 minutes (I use this spiralizer to make them). I also recommend you check Mellissa's website The Clothes Make The Girl. She has revealed the secret to make "zoodles" al dente and not loaded with water - ingenious!
  12. You can try this meal with crumbled feta on top. Enjoy!

Nutrition (per serving, 5 meatballs + sauce + 1 zucchini)

Calories456kcal
Net Carbs8.8g
Carbohydrates14.2g
Protein31.1g
Fat31g
Saturated Fat15g
Fiber5.4g
Sugar7.1g
Sodium746mg
Magnesium105mg
Potassium1,111mg

Detailed nutritional breakdown (per 5 meatballs + sauce + 1 zucchini)

Net carbsProteinFatCalories
Total per 5 meatballs + sauce + 1 zucchini
8.8 g31.1 g31 g456 kcal
Lamb, minced (ground), 85% lean, 15% fat, raw
0 g23.9 g16.6 g245 kcal
Egg, whole, fresh, raw (free-range or organic eggs)
0.1 g1.6 g1.2 g18 kcal
Coconut flour, organic
0.8 g1.3 g1.1 g28 kcal
Garlic, fresh
0.5 g0.1 g0 g2 kcal
Onion, white, fresh
1.3 g0.2 g0 g7 kcal
Cumin, spices
0.2 g0.1 g0.1 g2 kcal
Ghee
0 g0 g7.5 g68 kcal
Parsley, fresh (spices)
0.1 g0.1 g0 g1 kcal
Oregano, fresh
0.3 g0 g0 g2 kcal
Tomatoes, fresh
1.7 g0.5 g0.1 g11 kcal
Keto bone broth
0.2 g0.9 g1.5 g18 kcal
Tomato purée (paste, unsweetened)
0.5 g0.1 g0 g3 kcal
Kalamata olives
0 g0.1 g1.6 g16 kcal
Salt, pink Himalayan rock salt
0 g0 g0 g0 kcal
Chia seed meal (ground chia seeds)
0.1 g0.4 g0.6 g10 kcal
Zucchini (summer squash, courgette)
3.2 g1.8 g0.5 g26 kcal

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Martina Slajerova
Creator of KetoDietApp.com

Martina Slajerova

I changed the way I ate in 2011, when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. I had no energy, and I found it more and more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.

That’s when I decided to quit sugar, grains, and processed foods, and to start following a whole-foods-based ketogenic approach to food.

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Comments (10)

Hi Martina !! Bravo !!!! Excellent recipe. I am Greek I made that recipe was delicious!!!!
I have your apps at my iPhone and iPad.
I am new to all that but your hard work helped me a lot.
Thank you !!!!!
More Greek recipes please!!!!!!😊

Thank you so much Jenny!! My fiancé is Greek so there is definitely going to be more 😊

These are awesome! I tweaked the recipe a bit (added the feta directly to the meat). My kids loved them and didn't even ask of a dessert 😊

Thank you Sam! Sounds delicious, I bet it makes them more juicy 😊

How much is one serving size with this recipe?

This recipe makes 4 servings so 1/4 of the recipe. It depends on how big you make the meatballs but can be 5-6 meatballs per serving.

Love tomato meatballs! I never tried them with zoodles though. How long do you cook them for? Mine always get mushy :-(

I only cook them for about 2-3 minutes, just to get them "al dente". Also, the tip from Melissa I included in this post also helps and they get less "watery" 😊

Your fiancé is Greek? Ha I knew it! 😊 I love the post you have about recommending foods in Greece. IMHO it's the best diet for keto as long as you avoid bread and potatoes 😊

He is! We have Greek food quite often: Greek salad (Choriatiki), meatballs, lamb (we love slow-cooked lamb) and Greek yogurt with nuts and berries 😊