Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs ( low carb, keto)

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs make the best dinner because not only are they out of this world tasty they are also a fantastic low carb and keto meatballs recipe that will keep the kids happy.

Does it get any better than delicious meat stuffed with stretchy melty cheese? I don’t think so!

These mozzarella stuffed meatballs are made without breadcrumbs so that we could keep them  low carb and keto friendly. They come in at around 9g net carbs per serving with the bulk of the carbs coming from the tomatoes in the homemade marinara sauce so if you want reduce the carbs further just have less sauce.

I baked the meatballs in the oven using a similar method and the same tomato sauce from my Paleo Italian Meatballs recipe which is one of my all time most popular recipes.

The homemade Marinara sauce is unbelievably easy to make and costs a fraction of the price you’d pay for a large jar of sauce, the jars of ready made sauces are very expensive these days and most of them contain sugar so this is a much better option for your waistline and your wallet.

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How to Make Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Add the olive oil to the pan you want to cook the homemade marinara sauce in, and then add half of a finely chopped small onion. If you are not counting carbs you could just go ahead and add the whole onion.

Saute it for about five minutes then add the garlic, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, pepper, and  chopped fresh parsley. All you need to do now is simmer the sauce for about 20-30 minutes over a low heat so you can leave it to cook while you make the meatballs.

Preheat your oven to 400F and then crumble the ground pork and beef into a large bowl and sprinkle over the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and chopped fresh parsley.

In a small bowl beat the egg with a fork and then pour that over the ground meat and then mix the whole lot together really thoroughly. If you don’t have a stand mixer with a paddle you might just need to get your hands in there (sorry)

Cut the mozzarella into small cubes that are a little less than one inch squares and form a meatball round each one leaving no gaps.

Then place the meatballs on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. You might see a little of the cheese leak out but the bulk of it should remain inside the meatballs if you made sure not to leave gaps.

Serve the meatballs with the marinara sauce and a little sprinkling of fresh parsley or basil.

Can you Freeze Cheese Stuffed Meatballs?

Yes you can freeze mozzarella stuffed meatballs, they freeze really well in the marinara sauce. Defrost them overnight in the fridge and then reheat in a covered microwave safe container.

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs (low carb, keto)

Quick and easy family meal for cheese stuffed meatballs, it’s perfect for your low carb or keto diet. 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Total Carbs: 11 g

Net Carbs: 9 g

Protein: 53 g

Servings: 4

5 from 12 votes

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Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 lb Lean ground pork
• 0.5 lb Lean ground beef
• 1 tbsps Italian Seasoning
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
• 12 oz mozzarella cheese , cut into small cubes

Sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small onion , finely chopped
• 14 oz crushed tomatoes, canned
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove garlic , chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, or basil , finely chopped
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Make the Marinara Sauce

1. Add the olive oil to a pan over a medium heat.

2. Then add the chopped onion and saute for five minutes.

3. Next, add the chopped garlic, canned crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, black pepper, and fresh parsley to the pan.

4. simmer over low to medium heat for about 20 – 30 minutes while you prepare and cook the meatballs. 

Make the Meatballs

1. Preheat your oven to 400F

2. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper so that the meatballs don’t stick to the pan.

3. Mix the meat, egg, and seasonings together in a large bowl.

4. Take a golf ball sized piece of the meat mixture and place a cut piece of mozzarella in the middle then form a meatball around the cheese until it’s fully enclosed leaving no gaps. Makes about 12 medium meatballs.

5. Bake in a 400F oven for  15- 20 minutes, or until fully cooked through. A small amount of cheese may leak out, but if the meatballs fully enclose the cheese it should be minimal. 

6. Serve with the homemade marinara sauce, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, or basil if you prefer. 

Recipe Notes

Net Carbs – most of the carbs in this recipe come from the crushed tomatoes in the sauce, so if you want to reduce the carb count further add less sauce to your plate. 

Nutrition Facts

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs (low carb, keto)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 720 Calories from Fat 450

% Daily Value*

Fat 50g77%

Saturated Fat 22g138%

Cholesterol 224mg75%

Sodium 1363mg59%

Potassium 927mg26%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 53g106%

Vitamin A 950IU19%

Vitamin C 12.5mg15%

Calcium 513mg51%

Iron 4.7mg26%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional information on Noshtastic is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.

Author: Sheena Strain

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American