This Low-Carb Meatballs & Tomato Sauce recipe uses almond flour to make a low-carb, gluten-free meatball that’s great for anyone on a low-carb, keto, or gluten-free diet.
» You might also like this Keto Cheeseburger Soup or these Easy Low Carb Ground Beef Recipes.
This flavorful recipe is a wonderful warm meal for these colder winter months. It is hearty enough to be eaten as is, but can also be served with your favorite carb to change things up a bit.
All of the ingredients are easily accessible, and the recipe is easy and quick enough for any level of home cook. Though it may seem like a simple recipe, the flavors are far from it. Each ingredient bringing in their own complexity to the dish.
Low-Carb Meatballs & Tomato Sauce Benefits
With the use of almond flour instead of wheat-based flour, these meatballs can fit almost any dietary need. They are gluten free, Whole 30-friendly, and keto friendly. It’s a lovely, quick dinner that almost anyone can enjoy.
I use almond flour from WholesomeYum, which you can buy directly through that link (it’s our affiliate link). It’s the best almond flour I’ve found. It’s a blanched finely ground almond flour with a great texture and flavor, with just 2 grams or net carbs per serving.
Ingredients You Need
- Ground Beef: I like to use ground beef, but any protein could work. Some other popular choices are ground pork, turkey, or chicken.
- Egg: The eggs act as a binding agent to hold together the meat, almond flour, herbs, and cheese. Some people combine breadcrumbs and milk to bind the ingredients instead of eggs.
- Parmesan Cheese: I find parmesan is the best cheese to use in this recipe, but you can use another cheese. Just make sure it’s a hard, salty cheese like asiago or pecorino Romano.
- Almond Flour: using a gluten-free flour makes it much easier for more people to enjoy, however it can be a bit pricier than regular flour. If all you have is AP flour, that works too.
- Parsley: It adds a subtle peppery taste to this dish and rounds out the flavors, so I would recommend keeping it in.
- Italian Seasoning: This is a seasoning mix that usually contains oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary. The herbs add savory and earthy notes to the meatballs and tomato sauce.
- Canned Chopped Tomatoes (no added sugar): I love to use canned tomatoes, because it is not only convenient, but they are picked at peak ripeness. You will get a much stronger tomato flavor from the canned tomatoes than fresh ones.
- Garlic Powder: You can use fresh garlic in the tomato sauce, but I prefer garlic powder because it adds the flavor without changing the texture of the sauce.
Expert Tips to Follow
- Use fattier meats to get a more tender meatball. If you are using leaner meats, make sure to not overcook the meatballs.
- When mixing the meatball ingredients, use a chilled bowl to keep everything cold. You don’t want the fat to break down before cooking, so it’s best to keep everything cold.
- You can use a canned tomato sauce or marinara, if you don’t want to make your own.
- Serve on its own or with mozzarella cheese melted over the top.
How to Make Meatballs & Tomato Sauce
In a bowl, add the ground beef, egg, Parmesan, almond flour, parsley, half the Italian seasoning, half the salt, and the pepper. Mix together thoroughly.
Roll the mixture into 12 meatballs. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, turning frequently to ensure all sides are cooked.
Once cooked, remove the meatballs from the pan and drain out any excess oil.
Pour the tomatoes into the pan, along with the remaining Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder. Stir and continue to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. This tomato sauce is similar to our low carb pizza sauce.
Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and parsley, as garnish.
If you are craving pasta why not try these low carb keto-friendly pasta noodle alternatives or serve the meatballs and tomato sauce on wonder bread chaffles for an easy meatball sandwich.
Questions About Low-Carb Meatballs
Can I use this recipe for meal prepping?
Yes! These meatballs and tomato sauce can last up to 3 days in the fridge and longer in an airtight container in the freezer. You can make as many meatballs as you want to enjoy a delicious meal throughout the week without worry.
Can you cook the meatballs raw in tomato sauce?
Yes, if you want to save a little time, you can cook the meatballs right in the tomato sauce, so they are both cooking at the same time. The only difference will be that the meatballs won’t have as much flavor, because they weren’t browned in the pan first. This does add a lot of flavor to the meatballs.
Can I make the meatballs without the almond flour?
It’s okay to make the meatballs without the almond flour. It’s not a necessary ingredient for the meatballs to stay together, it just helps give them a little more texture and makes them more moist.
What to Serve With This Dish?
If you’re looking for a great side dish to serve alongside this main dish, why not try one of these recipes below. They will compliment this main dish very well and are all low in carbs so you can make a great keto or low-carb meal to enjoy.
» If you need more ideas try What to Serve with Meatballs.
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Meatballs & Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning divided
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 14 ounces can chopped tomatoes with no added sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the ground beef, egg, Parmesan, almond flour, parsley, half the Italian seasoning, half the salt, and the pepper. Mix together thoroughly.
- Roll the mixture into 12 meatballs. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, turning frequently to ensure all sides are cooked.
- Pour the tomatoes into the pan, along with the remaining Italian seasoning, salt, and garlic powder. Stir and continue to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Serve with additional Parmesan cheese and parsley, as garnish.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Laura is dedicated to a low-carb lifestyle after losing 52 pounds on the keto diet. As many of us do, she struggles with her weight and has found that one of the only diet lifestyles that allows her to maintain a healthy weight is a low-carb diet. She shares her favorite low-carb recipes here that are both easy to make and full of flavor, so you don’t even miss the carbs.