These keto meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and easy to make. I bake them in the oven and then coat them in a quick glaze.
These keto meatballs are ready in about 30 minutes, even faster if you skip the glaze - they're delicious with or without it. I make them often because they taste great, pair well with countless side dishes, and the leftovers are also good, reheated or cold. Plus, ground beef is one of my favorite ingredients to work with - it's cheap, versatile, and delicious.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Lean ground beef: I prefer using 85/15 ground beef, but when 80/20 ground beef is on sale, I use it.
- Creamy ingredients: Mayonnaise and Dijon mustard add creaminess and flavor to the meatballs.
- Minced garlic: You can substitute a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Grated parmesan: Use finely grated parmesan and not coarsely shredded.
- Chopped parsley: Fresh is best, but dried parsley works too. If you don't have either, it's OK to skip.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl and divide the mixture into 20 portions. Shape the portions into round meatballs.
Bake the meatballs until cooked through. This should take about 15 minutes in a 400°F oven.
If using the glaze, mix and heat it over very low heat while the meatballs are in the oven. When the meatballs are done, turn the heat off, add them to the glaze, and turn to coat. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- The meatballs emerge from the oven lightly browned. If you want them deeply browned (purely for aesthetic reasons), you can use a broiler-safe pan and foil instead of parchment paper, bake them for just 10 minutes, and finish them under the broiler. Place them six inches below the broiler (not directly below) for 1-2 minutes and watch them closely to make sure they don't burn.
- Make-ahead: You can mix the ingredients and shape the meatballs a few hours in advance. Store them in a wax paper-lined container in the fridge, as shown in the photo below. If layering, separate the layers with wax paper. I often do this in the morning. At dinnertime, all I need to do is bake the already-shaped meatballs and (if I feel like it) glaze them.
Recipe FAQs
I don't recommend that. The meatballs will turn out too dry if you do. The leanest you should go is 85/15.
Don't overwork the mixture. Mix the meatball mixture thoroughly but not excessively, and try to use a light touch. The more you work the meat, the tougher and denser the meatballs.
You don't need a binder. I have several recipes where I use just meat and spices, such as these sweet and sour meatballs. In this recipe, the mayonnaise and parmesan act as a filler/binder. But I mostly add them for their flavor.
Yes. The glaze is optional. The meatballs are delicious without it. The two photos below show you what they look like with and without the glaze.
Serving Suggestions
When I glaze them, I like to serve these meatballs on a bed of mashed cauliflower, mashed pumpkin, or mashed butternut squash to soak up the tasty glaze. Otherwise, I like to serve them with a side dish I can cook in the same 400°F oven, such as:
- Roasted leeks
- Roasted radishes
- Zucchini casserole
- Caramelized shallots
- Roasted carrots
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Roasted onions
In the photo below, as you can see, I served them with roasted cauliflower and cherry tomatoes:
Storing and Using the Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.
I like to serve the leftovers with a dipping sauce (such as harissa, photographed below), pickles, and fresh veggies.
Recipe Card
Baked Keto Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef - 85/15
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ¼ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup parmesan - grated - not shredded
- ½ cup parsley - chopped; optional
- Olive oil spray
For the optional glaze:
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sugar-free maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the ground beef, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan, and parsley. Mix thoroughly but not excessively, and try to use a light touch. The more you work the meat, the tougher the meatballs.
- Divide the mixture into 20 portions, each weighing about 1 ounce. I use a kitchen scale to make them uniform. But it's fine to eyeball it - divide the mixture into 4 parts, then divide each of these parts into 5 portions.
- Shape the portions into 20 meatballs. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray them with olive oil.
- Bake the meatballs until cooked through, for about 15 minutes.
- If using the glaze, mix the ketchup and maple syrup in a medium saucepan while the meatballs are in the oven. 5 minutes before the baking time is done, heat them over very low heat.
- When the meatballs are done, turn the heat off, add them to the glaze, and turn to coat.
- Transfer the meatballs to a serving plate or bowl and brush their tops with the remaining glaze. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can replace the fresh garlic with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and the fresh parsley with 1 teaspoon of any dried herb such as parsley, oregano, or thyme.
- The nutrition info does not include the glaze. However, the glaze doesn't add significant calories or carbs. A serving with the glaze has 307 calories and 2 grams of carbs.
- Extra-lean ground beef doesn't work well in this recipe. It produces dry meatballs. I recommend sticking with lean ground beef (85/15) or with fattier ground beef (80/20).
- The meatballs emerge from the oven lightly browned. If you want them deeply browned, use a broiler-safe pan and foil instead of parchment paper. Bake them for just 10 minutes, and finish them 6 inches under the broiler for around 1 minute (watch them closely!)
- You can mix the ingredients and shape the meatballs a few hours in advance. Store them in a wax paper-lined container in the fridge. If layering, separate the layers with wax paper. I often do this in the morning. At dinnertime, all I need to do is bake the already-shaped meatballs and (if I feel like it) glaze them.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
