Carnivore Meatballs
Our Carnivore Meatballs are all about simple ingredients and big flavor. Made with just a handful of pantry staples, they're juicy, protein-packed and easy to work into any meal.
When we're looking for a no-fuss meal prep option, these meatballs are always on repeat. They come together easily, freeze beautifully, and work just as well for quick snacks as they do for family dinners.
If you're looking for more easy dinner ideas, our Cooked Perfect Meatballs and Meatball Parmigiana Sub are both great options.
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Ingredients
You may have everything on hand already to make these.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Medium Ground Beef: The base of your meatball mixture.
- Eggs: Acts as a binding agent to keep your meatball together.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds a deliciously salty flavor.
- Sea Salt: Enhances all other flavors in the meatball mixture.
- Dried Parsley: For additional depth of flavor.
- Ground Pepper: Adds a hint of spice.
Grab a baking sheet, large mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons and a cookie scoop for this one.
Variations
- Meat: We use ground beef here, but feel free to use the ground meat of your choice or a mixture.
- Fresh Herbs: Chop up your favorite herbs to add a burst of freshness to your meatball mixture.
- Stuffed: Add a cube of cheddar cheese to the centre before cooking.
- Bacon: Adding lightly cooked bacon or wrap them.
- Spices: Add garlic powder, onion powder, ground white pepper, chili flakes or Italian seasoning.
How to Make Carnivore Meatballs
Check out how quick and easy it was to make these low carb meatballs.
Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. By hand, mix until well combined.
Using a 2 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, make medium sized meatballs and lightly shape into a tighter ball, then place on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160F.
Cool on the baking sheet until ready to serve.
Hint: When shaping the meatballs, pinch any cracks closed before baking, then gently re-roll to help seal in moisture.
Recipe Tips
- Cold Meat Mix: Keep the meat cold while mixing to help the meatballs hold their shape and stay juicy.
- Gentle Mixing: Mix just until combined. Overworking the meat can lead to dense meatballs.
- Even Sizing: Use a scoop to portion the meatballs evenly so they cook at the same rate.
- Rest After Cooking: Let the meatballs rest briefly so the juices redistribute before serving.
More Mains
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Once cooled, place in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked or uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet with parchment paper, then transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stovetop until warmed through. If uncooked, cooked based on the recipe card.
- Make Ahead: To make ahead, prep the meatballs through step 3 and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.
Serving Suggestions
Carnivore Meatballs Frequently Asked Questions
For the best flavor, we suggest a combination of beef and pork, or even veal. Meatballs are incredibly versatile and work well with just about any ground meat, including turkey or chicken if you're looking for a leaner option.
Your meatballs are fully cooked when their internal temperature reaches 160F (for a beef meatball) or 165F (for a chicken meatball). We recommend investing in a meat thermometer to make checking on this as easy as possible.
Carnivore Meatballs are made without the addition of breadcrumbs, letting eggs be the primary binding ingredient. Many people following a low-carb or Keto diet enjoy these meatballs, but they are a versatile favorite for anyone.
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Carnivore Meatballs
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 2 ½ Tablespoon Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
- 2 lbs medium ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup parmesan cheese grated
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. By hand, mix until well combined.
- Using a 2 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, make medium sized meatballs and lightly shape into a tighter ball, then place on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160F.
- Cool on the baking sheet until ready to serve.
Notes
- Seal the Surface:Pinch and smooth any cracks before cooking to help lock in moisture.
- Cold Meat Mix: Keep the meat cold while mixing to help the meatballs hold their shape and stay juicy.
- Gentle Mixing: Mix just until combined. Overworking the meat can lead to dense meatballs.
- Even Sizing: Use a scoop to portion the meatballs evenly so they cook at the same rate.
- Rest After Cooking: Let the meatballs rest briefly so the juices redistribute before serving.
- Refrigerator: Once cooled, place in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked or uncooked meatballs on a baking sheet with parchment paper, then transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stovetop until warmed through. If uncooked, cooked based on the recipe card.
- Make Ahead: To make ahead, prep the meatballs through step 3 and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.
Nutrition
We would be so grateful for you to leave us a rating and review on any recipes you try. If you make any alterations, let us know how they turned out.
Just starting the second week of the carnivore diet. Heading to a party tomorrow and thought this would be a good thing to bring. Do you recommend 80/20 on the ground beef or what's your preference?
Oh awesome, I think they will be a great addition too. You could use your preference, but I do use 80/20 (medium) myself! Let me know how you like them and enjoy your party.
So juicy and delicious!
Can I use ground chicken and follow the same recipe? Looks amazing by the way.
Absolutely! You just want to make sure when using chicken you are cooking them to 165F instead of the 160F mentioned in the post for ground beef. Thank you, enjoy!