How to Make Italian Meatballs without Breadcrumbs
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, gluten-free, and 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