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

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.