The links in this post may be affiliate links. This means I may receive a small commission if you buy through these links, at no additional cost to you, which helps me run this blog. Read my disclosure here.
When I first started on my low carb journey, I found a lot of new recipes to try to help me with this way of eating. But as I’ve gone along, I’ve missed some of the old classics I used to eat. So I’ve been working on modifying some of our favorites to fit my new lifestyle. These low carb meatballs are super easy and taste amazing even with the low carb swaps.
Low Carb Meatballs
I originally published this recipe back in 2012. The original Dilled Meatballs has oatmeal as the filler, which is delicious but carby. But the sauce itself is low carb already (no thickeners!) so it was really all about adjusting the meatballs themselves.
The meat mixture
I settled on a mixture of both almond flour and golden flax meal to give it a more tender bite. The rest of the ingredients stay the same: an egg, dill, and salt & pepper.
I also upped the amount of meat used. I had always used 1 lb of ground beef, but found that it barely feeds us all (I think because there’s a bit less filler) and used 1.3 lbs. You’d be totally fine using anywhere from 1 to 1.5 lbs depending on how many people you’re feeding.
Once the meat is mixed with the other ingredients, I like to use a cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs to keep them consistent.
Cooking
Brown them in a skillet, then add some beef broth, cover, and simmer.
Once the meatballs are cooked through, add sour cream and more dill.
You can use fresh or dried dill here. It’s been cold enough here that the dill that grew in my garden is long gone, so I used dried. Just remember that the general rule is that you need about 3x as much fresh herbs compared to dried. But fresh will always give the best flavor.
These are amazing on their own. I eat them straight from a plate like this. But you do have options.
Zucchini noodles are a great option for serving with these. I like the method I learned from Maria Emmerich’s 30 Day Ketogenic Cleanse cookbook. Spiralize the zucchini (this is the spiralizer I use) and place on a paper towel-lined cookie sheet and bake at 250°F (120°C) for 20 minutes or until they’ve dried out a bit.
My kids were totally thrilled to have these back on the menu! I don’t know what it is about meatballs that kids find so much more exciting than other meat! But honestly, I’m glad to have them back as well!
Low Carb Meatballs in a Creamy Dill Sauce
Tender meatballs in a flavorful dill sauce.
Ingredients
- 1.3 lbs (0.6 kilo) ground beef
- 1/4 cup (25g) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) golden flax meal
- 1 egg
- dill weed (dried or fresh)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) beef broth
- 1 cup (240 mL) sour cream (not reduced fat, or the sauce won’t work)
Instructions
- Mix beef with almond flour, flax meal, egg, 1/2 tsp dried dill (1.5 tsp fresh), and salt & pepper. Roll into 2″ balls.
- Heat oil in a large skillet with a cover. Brown meatballs on all sides. Pour in broth. Allow to come to a boil, then cover and turn heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes.
- When meatballs are fully cooked, add sour cream and 2 tsp dried dill (2 Tbsp fresh) and stir until it forms a sauce. Heat through but do not boil.
- Serve with zucchini noodles if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 418Total Fat: 35.1gSaturated Fat: 12.4gSodium: 136mgCarbohydrates: 4.3gNet Carbohydrates: 2.5gFiber: 1.8gSugar: 1.6gProtein: 21.4g
Two nights, two delicious meals. I made this meatball recipe tonight and the cheeseburger pie last night. Both amazing. I’m so happy I discovered you on Pinterest! Keto just became so much easier!
I served my meatballs with cauliflower mash and green beans. Perfection. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe ❤️