Meatballs are one of my favorite comfort foods. Easy to make, easy to portion, easy to eat. They’re basically mini meatloaves. Growing up, we would have meatloaf stuffed with cheddar cheese and I always looked forward to it.

Keto Italian Meatballs

If you’re trying to eat a diabetic friendly or Keto diet, this recipe is perfect. These low carb stuffed meatballs have a solid macro base and avoid unnecessary carbs.

This recipe is an Italian take on that childhood meal, with mozzarella and marinara sauce serving as the main additions. Speaking of marinara sauce, be sure to check those labels carefully, there are so many with sugar, corn syrup, and other gross ingredients. Our favorite brands are Rao’s and Monte Bene. No sugar and such good flavor.

Stuffed Meatballs Recipe

These stuffed meatballs are easy enough to make on your own, but it’s always nice to let the little ones help out. They can have fun squishing up the ingredients and smushing the cheese in each meatball. A very sensory experience that gives them the opportunity to grow in the kitchen as well.

Meatball Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef
1 lb Ground Pork Sausage (like Jimmy Dean All Natural)
1 large Egg
1/2 cup Pork Rind Crumbs (unseasoned)
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Salt
4 Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (string cheese)
1 cup No-Sugar Marinara Sauce (we like Rao’s)
1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella, for topping

With simple ingredients in the meatballs, they come together in no time. My favorite way to get perfectly uniform-sized meatballs is a cookie scoop. I use the large size with is about 1/4 cup. Makes portioning a breeze, giving you 24 evenly-sized meatballs every time.

Once you’ve scooped all 24 meatballs, add a piece of your mozzarella to the center of each one, pinch the opening to seal it shut, and roll it between your hands to smooth it out. Voila! Perfect meatballs.

These meatballs go through the oven twice: once on a wire rack for the initial bake, then into the casserole dish with your marinara sauce and a little extra mozzarella for the final bake.

String Cheese Meatballs

Another trick to the simplicity of these meatballs is using string cheese for the mozzarella centers. You only need 4 sticks, each cut evenly into 6 pieces, for the perfect little bite-sizes bits for each meatball.

If you like things a little spicy, sprinkle with a little crushed red pepper flakes for a kick. Or use a spicy marinara sauce. Make this recipe your own and it’s guaranteed to be a family favorite for years to come.

Stuffed Italian Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef
1 lb Ground Pork Sausage (like Jimmy Dean All Natural)
1 large Egg
1/2 cup Pork Rind Crumbs (unseasoned)
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Salt
4 Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (string cheese)
1 cup No-Sugar Marinara Sauce (we like Rao's)
1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella, for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 10x15" rimmed sheet pan with foil and place a wire rack in the pan. Set aside.
Cut each mozzarella stick into 6 pieces. Set aside.
Add the ground beef and pork, egg, pork rind crumbs, Italian seasoning, and salt to a mixing bowl. Mix together well until everything is well combined. I like to use gloves for this part.
Use a large cookie scoop to evenly scoop 24 meatballs. You can do this part by hand, but I like the uniform size that results from the cookie scoop.
Place one mozzarella piece in the center of each meatball, pinch the bottom closed, and roll to smooth the meatball. Place the stuffed meatballs on the wire rack, leaving space in between each one. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
While the meatballs are baking, spread 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. When the meatballs are done, place them in the baking dish on top of the marinara sauce. Top with an extra 1/2 cup or so of sauce. Sprinkle on some shredded mozzarella, if desired.
Place back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Alternately, bake an additional 5 minutes and set under the broiler (on LOW) for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
Serve hot. Store leftovers in a tightly-sealed container (preferably glass) in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Yield 24 Serving Size 1 meatball
Amount Per Serving Calories 144Total Fat 11gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 46mgSodium 290mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 11g

Suzanne

Monday 20th of December 2021

Sounds so yummy. When I make this I will use all organic and grass fed meat, dairy, eggs and other ingredients. If you don't want to use pork rind crumbs in the meatballs, mushrooms work really well or even a combination of the them both. I will probably throw in some peppers, hot and sweet and onions too in the meatballs and/or in the sauce. This way, it's a one "pan" dinner and no veggie to think up. Serve it over Miracle Noodles if you choose (so low in calories and virtually no carbs) to give it a little more bulk.