The Ultimate Low-Carb Italian Meatballs

Some of my earliest and fondest memories are centered around Italian feasts. From Monday night pasta dinners (that later became Family Happy Hour’s) to Christmas Eve celebrations, my Nani’s kitchens were the place to be. But my two Nani’s (also known as Nonna’s) kitchens were polar opposites from each other.

My Nani on my dad’s side had your typical suburban Italian kitchen with all the modern, sparkling appliances. My Nani on my mom’s side kept her kitchen in the basement like many Italian women at the time.

But when it was time to feast, these kitchens were always packed with family and friends. These kitchens were hazy with the steamy scents of boiling pasta water and aged cheese, and the sharp perfume of garlic, tomatoes, and basil. Strong feminine hands digging deep into bowls of ground beef and Italian sausage. In nostalgia, these kitchens always remind me of meatballs and love.

To Americans, the meatball is a dense, round arrangement of meat. Many people make their meatballs from ground beef and spices. But, meatballs taste the greatest when created from a mixture of ground beef and ground pork or veal, together with breadcrumbs, egg, Italian herbs and spices, and parmesan cheese. Fried on the stove and then simmered in pasta sauce until ready to be served, meatballs are a staple in Italian restaurants and homes throughout the country.

When I grew up and moved out on my own, I attempted to make my own version of meatballs. After many bland and failed attempts, I finally resolved to leave the meatball making to my grandmothers (and my brother who had spent time with both grandmothers learning all of their secrets in the kitchen). After all, I had very high standards to compete against.

Sure, it would’ve been easy to just throw some ground beef and breadcrumbs in a bowl and call it a meatball but, I’d be fooling (and disappointing) myself. So, I started experimenting with various spices and cheeses until I found the right combination of meat and spices— and it is low carb.

Being of Italian descent, carbs are a big part of the meal. From pasta to crusty bread, there is no shortage in the carbohydrate department. But, after years and years of indulging in the deliciousness that is my heritage, I decided I needed to tone down the carbs a bit. Can I just say, that is not an easy task for a foodie?

That’s when I created this fantastic low-carb Italian meatball recipe. This meatball is not only low carb but very HIGH in flavor. Even my pickiest child loved this meatball recipe. I just threw the ingredients into a bowl, mixed them all together, rolled them into balls of wonderfulness, and then threw them in the oven to bake. That’s right; I said to BAKE… not fry. I love THESE pans.

Usually, I would fry up my meatballs in a little olive oil and onion and garlic, but I was very short on time. And guess what? It turned out just as good!

So please, try this baked low-carb Italian meatball recipe and tell me what you think of it.