Description
A delicious and satisfying Keto-friendly meatball casserole combining ground beef and pork with rich cheeses and low-sugar marinara sauce, perfect for a low-carb diet while delivering comfort food flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Sauce and Topping
- 2 cups marinara sauce (low sugar)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the meatballs.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, egg, almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined to form the meatball mixture.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into roughly 1-inch diameter meatballs and place them evenly spaced on a baking sheet.
- Bake Meatballs: Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for about 25 minutes, or until they are cooked through and nicely browned.
- Heat Sauce: While the meatballs bake, warm the low-sugar marinara sauce in a skillet over medium heat until heated through.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Remove the baked meatballs from the oven and gently add them into the skillet with the marinara sauce, stirring carefully to coat each meatball.
- Assemble Casserole: Transfer the sauced meatballs into a baking dish, spreading them out evenly for the next baking step.
- Add Cheese Topping: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the meatballs in the baking dish.
- Bake Casserole: Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese melts and bubbles to a golden perfection.
- Serve and Garnish: Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for a few minutes. Garnish with fresh basil if desired before serving.
Notes
- Use low-sugar marinara sauce to keep the dish keto-friendly.
- Optional fresh basil adds a lovely herbaceous note but can be omitted.
- Almond flour helps bind meatballs while keeping carbohydrates low.
- Ensure meatballs are cooked through before combining with sauce for food safety.
- To reduce sodium, adjust salt according to preference or use low-sodium cheese and sauce options.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (approx. 300g)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
Keywords: keto meatball casserole, low-carb casserole, keto dinner, meatballs with cheese, keto-friendly recipes, low sugar marinara
