These easy homemade meatballs without breadcrumbs or cheese are tender, juicy, and full of flavor! Perfect for anyone following low-carb, keto, or gluten-free diets, they come together in just minutes with simple ingredients. Make them mini-sized for appetizers or larger for a hearty main dish - either way, they're guaranteed to become a family favorite!
If you love easy low-carb recipes, try my Air Fryer Frozen Salmon or Tilapia in Air Fryer next!
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This meatball recipe without bread crumbs is based on my classic meatball recipe but adapted slightly to make it low-carb. You can make the keto meatballs by pan-frying or baking in the oven.
If you like this recipe, check out my Turkey Meatballs with Stuffing next!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Low Carb: Perfect for keto and low-carb lifestyles - just 1g net carbs per serving!
- Gluten-Free: No breadcrumbs means these are naturally gluten-free.
- High Protein: Each serving has approximately 31g of protein!
- Versatile: Use them in everything from spaghetti to appetizers to meal prep.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make a big batch and freeze for quick future meals.
- Simple Ingredients: Just 7 basic ingredients you probably already have.
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for these gluten-free meatballs are shown in the pic below with extra notes below to assist you.
- Ground Beef. I use lean ground beef (85/15), but you can also use a mix of beef and ground pork for extra flavor. Ground turkey, chicken, or venison work great too!
- Almond Flour. Acts as a binder instead of traditional breadcrumbs. It adds structure while keeping the meatballs low-carb and gluten-free.
- Egg. Helps bind everything together and adds moisture for tender meatballs.
- Spices. Simple garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper create the perfect flavor base. Feel free to adjust to your taste! I also like to add a quarter cup of finely diced onion.
See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a full list of ingredients.
How To Make Meatballs without Breadcrumbs
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 1½ pounds ground beef, 3 tablespoons almond flour, 1 large egg, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Mix gently with your hands until just combined - don't overmix or your meatballs may become tough.
- Shape the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs. Using a cookie scoop or measuring spoon helps create uniform sizes for even cooking. You'll get approximately 21 meatballs.
- Place the meatballs in a single layer on your prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes until nicely browned and cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F with a meat thermometer).
- Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives and enjoy!
Stovetop Method
Don't want to use the oven? No problem! These meatballs cook nicely on the stovetop:
- Follow the same steps to prepare the meatball mixture.
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed).
- Brown on all sides, turning occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes total.
- Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Jeri's Tips
- Don't Overmix: Mix the ingredients just until combined. Overmixing can make your meatballs tough.
- Uniform Size: Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to ensure all meatballs are the same size for even cooking.
- Let Them Rest: Let the meatballs rest for 5 minutes after cooking to retain their juices.
- Make Ahead: You can mix and shape the meatballs in the morning, refrigerate them, and cook them later in the day.
Variations
- Italian Style: Add 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and serve with marinara sauce. They would also go well in my Homemade Italian Meatball Subs.
- Spicy Meatballs: Add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- Swedish Inspired: Serve with a simple cream sauce made from beef broth and heavy cream.
- Asian Fusion: Toss with teriyaki sauce or sweet and sour sauce like in my teriyaki pineapple meatballs and sweet and sour meatballs.
- Buffalo Style: Coat cooked meatballs in buffalo sauce and serve with ranch or blue cheese.
What To Serve With These Meatballs
They're delicious served on Instant Pot Jasmine Rice, Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes, Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes, with pasta, or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
Or keep it low-carb with zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, and Frozen Broccoli in Air Fryer.
Storage & Freezing
Refrigerator: Store cooled meatballs in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: These meatballs freeze so nicely!
- Cool completely.
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours.
- Transfer to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag.
- Store for up to 2 months.
- Reheat from frozen in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or in a sauce over low heat.
Recipe FAQs
Crushed pork rinds, coconut flour (use half the amount), or grated Parmesan cheese all work well as low-carb substitutes.
No, the egg and almond flour provide enough binding. Just be gentle when mixing and turning during cooking.
Don't overmix, don't overcook, and the egg helps retain moisture. For extra juicy meatballs, you can use a fattier ground beef.
Yes! Air fry at 380°F for about 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through.
More Easy Low-Carb Recipes
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Printable Recipe
Meatballs without Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
For Baked Meatballs:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, almond flour, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined.
- Shape into approximately 21 meatballs, about 1.5 inches in diameter.
- Place meatballs in a single layer on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes until nicely browned and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
For Stovetop Meatballs:
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add shaped meatballs in a single layer, working in batches if needed.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally to brown all sides, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Video
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Notes
- Don't overmix the meat mixture - this makes tough meatballs.
- For uniform meatballs, use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon.
- These meatballs freeze nicely for up to 2 months.
- Substitute ground beef with turkey, chicken, pork, venison, or a mixture.
- For extra flavor, add Italian herbs, red pepper flakes, or finely minced fresh herbs.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
nancy says
what a genius idea to use almond flour as the binding instead of breadcrumbs!