Italian Meatballs without Breadcrumbs (Keto & Whole30)
This easy meatball recipe features healthy, homemade meatballs made with beef, pork, and almond flour. Truly the most flavorful, moist, and tender meatballs without breadcrumbs! Freezer-friendly, keto meatballs– perfect for meal prep!
Servings: 24 meatballs
Calories: 112
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic grated or finely minced
- 1 pound ground beef 85% lean
- 1 pound ground pork 80% lean
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup packed finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (for easy clean up), and set in the wire rack.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour and chicken stock. Stir and set aside while it absorbs the liquid.3/4 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup chicken stock
- Heat a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions, garlic and a pinch of salt & pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and turning golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 3 cloves of garlic
- In the same large mixing bowl that has the almond flour and chicken stock, add the cooked onions & garlic, ground beef, ground pork, 2 eggs, parsley, salt, pepper and Italian seasonings. Use a spatula or hands to mix until completely combined.1 pound ground beef, 1 pound ground pork, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup packed finely chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb seasoning, 1 teaspoon pepper
- Use a large cookie scoop (or measure out 3 tablespoons) to scoop out meatballs. Place meatballs on wire baking sheet. Will make 23-24 meatballs.
- Bake the Whole30 meatballs in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- Meat Choice: This recipe combines ground beef and pork. I get my meat through ButcherBox, which I highly recommend! You could use all beef or substitute ground turkey for turkey meatballs. You'll need 2 pounds of ground meat for this keto meatballs recipe.
- Nut-Free: If you have a nut allergy, you can use pork rind panko in place of almond flour. If you don't need this to be Whole30 + keto, you can use gluten-free breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs. Same quantities for all substitution options.
- Egg Free: You should be able to use a flax egg or chia egg to make this meatball recipe egg-free. You'll need 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal or chia seeds soaked in 5 tablespoons water for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Parsley: If you don't have fresh parsley on hand, dried parsley can work too. You'll need 1/4 cup of dried parsley.
- Noodles: My favorite Whole30 & keto noodle swap is hearts of palm pasta (code TASTESLOVELY for 15% off). This tastes the closest to regular noodles that I've found. You can also use zucchini noodles. Or even serve over mashed cauliflower.
- Slow Cooker: You can make this keto meatballs recipe earlier in the day as instructed above. After they're done baking, transfer all the meatballs to your slow cooker with a jar of spaghetti sauce over LOW. They'll stay warm in there for hours!
Serving Tips
Serve immediately while warm. I love serving the cooked meatballs over hearts of palm pasta or zucchini noodles with marinara sauce and parmesan cheese.
Storage Tips
Leftovers/Meal Prep: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave until warm, about 3-5 minutes. I like to sprinkle in a little water to help it steam and prevent the meatballs from drying out. Or reheat in a 350ºF oven until warm, 10-15 minutes. When meal prepping, I prefer serving these with hearts of palm spaghetti because they reheat better.
Freezer: To freeze, place the raw meatballs on a baking sheet in the freezer for 1 day until fully frozen. Transfer to a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Bake the frozen meatballs on a baking sheet in a 350ºF oven for 35-45 minutes until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 112 | Total Carbs: 2.3g | Protein: 8.8g | Fat: 6.3g | Fiber: 0.5g | Net Carbs: 2g