Italian keto meatballs with mozzarella cheese

Italian keto meatballs with mozzarella cheese

Tomato sauce, rich and comforting. Mozzarella, fresh and creamy. Meatballs, with just the right touch of onion and basil. It's like spaghetti night, without the carbs. Enjoy every ketolicious bite!

Italian keto meatballs with mozzarella cheese

Tomato sauce, rich and comforting. Mozzarella, fresh and creamy. Meatballs, with just the right touch of onion and basil. It's like spaghetti night, without the carbs. Enjoy every ketolicious bite!
USMetric
4 servingservings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 450 g ground beef or ground turkey
  • ¾ cup (2 oz.) 180 ml (60 g) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1 eggeggs
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp ½ tbsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 3 tbsp 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1¾ cups (1 lb) 425 ml (425 g) canned whole tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 7 oz. (6½ cups) 200 g (1.6 liters) fresh spinach
  • 2 oz. 55 g butter
  • 5 oz. (1¼ cups) 140 g (300 ml) fresh mozzarella cheese
  • salt and pepper
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Instructions

  1. Place ground beef, parmesan cheese, egg, salt and spices in a bowl and blend thoroughly. Form the mixture into meatballs, about 1 oz (30 grams) each. It helps to keep your hands wet while forming the balls.
  2. Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet and sauté the meatballs until they're golden brown on all sides.
  3. Lower the heat and add the canned tomatoes. Let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley and stir. You can prepare the dish up to this point for freezing.
  4. Melt the butter in a separate frying pan and fry the spinach for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the spinach to the meatballs, and stir to combine.
  5. Serve with mozzarella cheese on top, torn into bite-sized pieces.

Tip!

Like it hot-hot-hot? Swap out half the ground beef with spicy Italian sausage. Add red pepper flakes, as needed.

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💬 Have you tried this recipe?

What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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144 comments

  1. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    Is it ok to eat with a lil pasta i am oj my 5th day and body feels a lil fatigue

    No, we would not recommend adding carbohydrates. If you're feeling fatigued, you may be experiencing a bit of the "keto flu." Here's more info and tips on how to feel to better! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/flu-side-effects

  2. jan
    So delicious !!! I added two small red chillies which gave a great kick!!! With 30g per meatball, there was 4 1/2 meatballs per serving, needs nothing else - damn delcious !!!
  3. Julie
    Hi, in the UK we get ground beef (mince) in different fat percentages - 5%, 10%, 15% and sometimes even 20% fat. Surely the fat percentage of the beef will hugely affect the "ketoness" of the meal. I used 10% fat pasture-fed beef mince. Is that about right Diet Doctor? Thanks
    I thought the recipe was delicious - i had never made meatballs before.
    Reply: #104
  4. Crystal Pullen Team Diet Doctor

    Hi, in the UK we get ground beef (mince) in different fat percentages - 5%, 10%, 15% and sometimes even 20% fat. Surely the fat percentage of the beef will hugely affect the "ketoness" of the meal. I used 10% fat pasture-fed beef mince. Is that about right Diet Doctor? Thanks
    I thought the recipe was delicious - i had never made meatballs before.

    The basic recommendation is to use what you prefer and what is on sale. 85/15 is a good bet for most recipes, but 90/10 will work as well.

  5. Robin
    Just made these tonight. I think next time I'll use Italian diced tomatoes. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to use whole tomatoes, I ended up cutting them up with kitchen shears. I also added two packs of Miracle Noodle fettuccine to the sauce to let them absorb the flavors.
  6. Robin
    I also wanted to say, when making the meatballs, I pulled out my kitchen scale and weighed each as I made them most were between 30 and 32 grams. Made 25 meatballs (I used 1.5 lbs ground beef).
    Reply: #107
  7. Crystal Pullen Team Diet Doctor

    I also wanted to say, when making the meatballs, I pulled out my kitchen scale and weighed each as I made them most were between 30 and 32 grams. Made 25 meatballs (I used 1.5 lbs ground beef).

    Thanks for sharing!!

  8. michaela.allard
    Hello , I made this yesterday and used chopped tomatoes and fresh Garlic . Also I replaced the Parsly with fresh Basil and to make it more spicy a little smoked chilli flakes. Very tasty and I love it ;)
    Reply: #109
  9. Crystal Pullen Team Diet Doctor

    Hello , I made this yesterday and used chopped tomatoes and fresh Garlic . Also I replaced the Parsly with fresh Basil and to make it more spicy a little smoked chilli flakes. Very tasty and I love it ;)

    Nice variation! I am glad you enjoyed it.

  10. donnasaunders575
    Hi, I want to make this recipe today but don't have any parmesan cheese. could I grate in cheddar?
    Thank you
    Reply: #111
  11. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Hi, I want to make this recipe today but don't have any parmesan cheese. could I grate in cheddar?
    Thank you

    Cheddar has a higher fat percentage than parmesan does and may result in greasy meatballs.

  12. Genevieve
    Can you add more spinach to this recipe and stay keto?
    Reply: #113
  13. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    Can you add more spinach to this recipe and stay keto?

    Yes, you could add a bit more spinach if you'd like. A cup of raw spinach adds less than a net carb.

  14. Michele
    Diced tomatoes have an ingredient that makes them keep the dice shape. I think whole tomatoes break down better and make a more appealing textured sauce so I agree this is the best choice. You can just squeeze them to pieces with your hands.
  15. 1 comment removed
  16. 4aip48
    Company quality dish! So delicious. I used diced tomatoes, had on hand. Turned out perfectly. Easy to make and looks beautiful and tastes even better.
  17. Bori88
    Could you help me? Why does some meal say it's 10g and it's in a green circle while the other meal is 7g and it's in an orange? This is so confusing! And how many grams one serving should be? So, for example, this meal has 5g. Is this for one serving? So if I make 2 servings and I eat 2x1 serving in a day I will end up with 10g in total? I swear I tried to search for the answer in the sight but I haven't found it.
    Reply: #118
  18. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Could you help me? Why does some meal say it's 10g and it's in a green circle while the other meal is 7g and it's in an orange? This is so confusing! And how many grams one serving should be? So, for example, this meal has 5g. Is this for one serving? So if I make 2 servings and I eat 2x1 serving in a day I will end up with 10g in total? I swear I tried to search for the answer in the sight but I haven't found it.

    The nutrition information is per serving. This meal is 5g net carbs per serving so yes, 5g for dinner and 5g for lunch. For the green and orange circles, that also has to do with protein and fat percentages. Generally, as long as the meal you're choosing will keep you at 7-10g net carbs for the meal, you're on the right track!
    https://www.dietdoctor.com/how-low-carb-is-low-carb

  19. Mrs N
    OMG!! The flavour is fantastic. You must try. I've done number a of serves and frozen them. Too convenient.
    Reply: #120
  20. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    OMG!! The flavour is fantastic. You must try. I've done number a of serves and frozen them. Too convenient.

    Great idea to make a big batch and freeze for another day.

  21. Turks
    Is the nutrition correct? 49g of fat in one serving?
    Reply: #122
  22. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Is the nutrition correct? 49g of fat in one serving?

    Yes, that is correct.

  23. Squeaky
    Delicious! I used a pork beef blend and fresh basil, crushed tomatoes (kids prefer that) and added fresh basil, oregano and a pinch of thyme to the sauce. The rest of the family had with Bucatini and they enjoyed it also.
  24. Maria
    This is a restaurant quality recipe! Absolutely amazing. I used a parmesan-pecorino blend, which gave it a tiny bit more bite than just parmesan, and it didn't affect the carb count. I make this recipe at least once a week and it always disappears quickly.
  25. Barbara
    We love this. Easy to make, adaptable to what you've got in the fridge or the garden. Fresh tomatoes? Jalapeño picked today? Parsley, too! Too bad--no fresh mozzarella, but shredded tastes good, too. Boring ground beef turns into a super taste treat.
    Reply: #126
  26. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    Yes! Glad this is such a hit!
  27. 1 comment removed
  28. Dani
    Dani- These were very good. Could you please explain the serving size. I got 25 meatballs. How many per serving and how many calories am I eating? Thanks!
    Reply: #129
  29. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Dani- These were very good. Could you please explain the serving size. I got 25 meatballs. How many per serving and how many calories am I eating? Thanks!

    That is going to depend on how many Servings you had selected when you prepared the dish.

  30. dgriffin1
    Made this tonight. Added a little fresh chopped Basil to the meat balls. Then a touch of Italian seasoning to the tomatoes, which were petite diced. Served with a small salad. Tasted like a nice little Italian meal. This will be made again, as it is very good.
  31. Barbara
    We love this! I've added chopped jalapeño to the meatballs, and used cilantro instead of parsley. Basically you can do anything you like with this. My shortcut: don't bother to sauté the spinach separately. Just pile the fresh spinach on top of the simmering meatballs, cover, and let it cook down. If it doesn't all fit in at first, just wait a moment and add more. Spinach cooks down fast! I forgot to count the meatballs. I weigh them at about 30g on my kitchen scale. Four to six make a hearty portion, with plenty for four servings.
    Reply: #132
  32. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    We love this! I've added chopped jalapeño to the meatballs, and used cilantro instead of parsley. Basically you can do anything you like with this. My shortcut: don't bother to sauté the spinach separately. Just pile the fresh spinach on top of the simmering meatballs, cover, and let it cook down. If it doesn't all fit in at first, just wait a moment and add more. Spinach cooks down fast! I forgot to count the meatballs. I weigh them at about 30g on my kitchen scale. Four to six make a hearty portion, with plenty for four servings.

    Love the idea of adding jalapeno! Thanks for sharing!

  33. Robert C.
    Just made it, came out pretty dang good for someone who is a very novice chef, it was so easy and you can really go to town with the ingredients and use organic (or not) . All ingredients are very easy to find and it replaces one of my main concerns with going Keto which was giving up so many staples I have eaten my entire life and I am 60 . I was okay giving up Potatoes, pasta and fries but I was struggling with giving up the burgers or having a burger with no bun or some unsatisfactory replacement such as butter lettuce.

    This is absolutely a perfect cheeseburger replacement but in a restaurant quality dish although I usually am a pretty simple eater! So thank you for this easy dish . The best dishes are simple dishes that are delicious and also you really don't have to be exact with the ingredients, I just tried to get in close to the measurements you provide (which are a must for me as a guideline) but pretty much just added what looked right.

    I may need to tweak it but it came out pretty good the first time. A little too much liquid but I just kinda returned the excess liquid to the pan so it worked out. Not sure if going with diced tomatoes made it too liquid or it was the olive oil. You really helped me to start out with my keto "journey" . I think I can do this now. This I will eat weekly or biweekly for sure.

    Reply: #135
  34. Robert C.
    Oh I also used Kobe beef which was really good for this dish. Granted it can be pricey but I look for it on sale or on BOGO.
  35. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    Just made it, came out pretty dang good for someone who is a very novice chef, it was so easy and you can really go to town with the ingredients and use organic (or not) . All ingredients are very easy to find and it replaces one of my main concerns with going Keto which was giving up so many staples I have eaten my entire life and I am 60 . I was okay giving up Potatoes, pasta and fries but I was struggling with giving up the burgers or having a burger with no bun or some unsatisfactory replacement such as butter lettuce.
    This is absolutely a perfect cheeseburger replacement but in a restaurant quality dish although I usually am a pretty simple eater! So thank you for this easy dish . The best dishes are simple dishes that are delicious and also you really don't have to be exact with the ingredients, I just tried to get in close to the measurements you provide (which are a must for me as a guideline) but pretty much just added what looked right.
    I may need to tweak it but it came out pretty good the first time. A little too much liquid but I just kinda returned the excess liquid to the pan so it worked out. Not sure if going with diced tomatoes made it too liquid or it was the olive oil. You really helped me to start out with my keto "journey" . I think I can do this now. This I will eat weekly or biweekly for sure.

    Great, Robert! So glad you love it and this can be a staple for you!

  36. Denise
    This is a really good recipe. Thank you for providing such delicious recipes that the whole family can enjoy. 😊
  37. Kelli
    I made this recipe tonight on my our first day back to Keto. It was so delicious and filling. I made the recipe exactly like it was written except I used a can of crushed tomatoes vs. whole tomatoes and it came out perfect. I will definitely put this on my list of go to recipes. By the way, can I also say it was soooo easy to make:)
  38. Rose
    This didn’t work for me. I made 2 servings and used a full egg. The meat mixture was very wet and didn’t stick together. The meatballs ended up falling apart. Not a pretty sight, but it tasted good in the end.
    Reply: #139
  39. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    This didn’t work for me. I made 2 servings and used a full egg. The meat mixture was very wet and didn’t stick together. The meatballs ended up falling apart. Not a pretty sight, but it tasted good in the end.

    So sorry it didn't work for you! It sounds like there may have been too much egg. I would recommend making 4 servings next time in order to utilize a whole egg. And leftovers are always great!

  40. Janice Quirke
    These are by far the best meatballs I have ever had and I am known for making great meatballs, these are delish! So easy to make and I doubled the receipt. Great to have in the house when you are hungry. No faults found.
    Reply: #141
  41. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    These are by far the best meatballs I have ever had and I am known for making great meatballs, these are delish! So easy to make and I doubled the receipt. Great to have in the house when you are hungry. No faults found.

    Wonderful! Thanks so much for the compliment!

  42. Rick M
    I made this using 1 pound each of ground pork and ground beef (90%). For that one egg would have worked better than do as it was sort of wet when mixing, even when I added the cheese and let it site a bit. I browned them a bit then covered the pan to let them cook a bit more, then drained most of the fat, added a bunch of onions (I didn't have spinach) and let that cook down. Then added crushed tomatoes then the meatballs back.

    I wasn't sure what to expect but this was really good and filling. My daughter had some and said she'd eat it again. Vegan wife was like "smells good".

  43. Michael Woods
    Fantastic recipe, so delicious, easy to follow with simple instructions. No need for takeaways when you can make delicious food like this, thank you
    Reply: #144
  44. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    Fantastic recipe, so delicious, easy to follow with simple instructions. No need for takeaways when you can make delicious food like this, thank you

    You're so right! So glad you love it!

  45. Leeza R
    Great recipe, and tastes even better the next day.
    Reply: #146
  46. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    Great recipe, and tastes even better the next day.

    Awesome! Leftovers for the win!

  47. Amanda
    Loved this. I added mushrooms because I had them and didn't want them going bad. I also added more spice to the recipe and it turned out well. I was able to cook the spinach in the same pan by adding it at the end instead of getting another pan dirty.
    Reply: #148
  48. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Loved this. I added mushrooms because I had them and didn't want them going bad. I also added more spice to the recipe and it turned out well. I was able to cook the spinach in the same pan by adding it at the end instead of getting another pan dirty.

    Great tips! Thank you for sharing.

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