This Keto Meatball Casserole Is Everything You Need For An Easy Low-Carb Dinner.
Grab Keto Bread And Make Yourself A Sub Or Serve It As Is With A Side Salad.
Bonus: Save Time With A Bag Of Frozen Meatballs.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you purchase through our link(s) at no extra cost to you. This information is not intended to be medical education and is not medical advice. It should not be used as a substitute for your or any medical professional. You should always seek counsel from your physician before beginning any new diet or exercise regime. Yes, this means talking with your doctor even if we’re simply making a keto cult classic, a meatball casserole. Also, Nom nom, nom.
The naughty things to watch out for when it comes to a dish like this are the typical breadcrumbs that bind the meatballs holding the shape and the hidden sugar in the marinara sauce. Both of which could pop you right out of your carb goals.
Here, we’ll make a few swaps and we’ll add protein-rich and super creamy ricotta cheese to make this one very easy keto meatball casserole recipe.
Keto Meatball Casserole
KETO MEATBALL CASSEROLE WITH RICOTTA
Once upon a time I only thought of ricotta as a lasagna filler. I don’t recall my parents using it in any other way. Long before the recent ricotta toast trend, I think my only other conscious use of it was in the form of a pie. As in a cheesecake of sorts.
Here’s a fun recipe for a Low-Carb Lemon Ricotta Pie from Very Well Fit
Fast forward a few years and I found myself thumbing through a Jillian Michaels cookbook in the back of a Walmart. This was around the time that The Biggest Loser TV series was popular.
Jillian recommended a snack of 1/4 cup ricotta cheese mixed with a few walnuts. I was perplexed. Could you eat ricotta all by itself with a little nut garnish? At that time, I thought that would be similar to raw-dogging mayonnaise or sour cream. No, thank you!
I’m now happy to report that I have corrected my error in judgment and ricotta (yes, even with a few walnuts) remains one of the stars in my kitchen. It’s absolutely delicious on its own and will always remain perfectly matched with Italian-inspired dishes.
You’ll love this recipe if you feel the same about warm dollops of creamy ricotta hugging a cheesy meatball with a classic marinara base.
EASY LOW-CARB CASSEROLE
Easy can mean so many things. Here, it’s going to mean a few simple steps in creating your own meatballs for this casserole. But one can easily (see what I did there 😂) grab pre-made ones from the store. You chose your own adventure here.
Walmart sells pre-cooked frozen meatballs that are only 4 carbs per 6 balls. Check out the Great Value Homestyle Meatballs if this is your version of easy.
Let’s make some juicy turkey meatballs.
Uniform sizes make the food cook at approximately the same time and to the same temperature. This is always a good thing for consistency. Undercooked or overcooked food presents its own set of problems. We always want to be safe and we always want our food to be delicious. Here, I wanted the turkey meatballs to be cooked properly and I want the end result to be extra juicy. No dry meatballs allowed!
Scoops, like ice cream scoops, are a great way to achieve a uniform size. In light of the extra juicy part, they are especially helpful here. Ordinarily, we would bind our meatball mixture with bread crumbs. Of course, we won’t be heading off course with normal carb-heavy bread crumbs. Instead, we are going to use some almond flour. However, if you have time and keto-approved bread, you can make your own bread crumbs.
Due to the light use of almond flour and the 2 eggs, these meatballs are extra juicy and a scoop is super helpful!
HOW TO BUILD THIS SIMPLE LOW-CARB CASSEROLE
In general, I like a smaller meatball so I went with the third scoop on the right. For this reason, I knew they would all fit inside a cute little pie dish. Of course, a few meatballs were sacrificed. After all, one must test as they go, right? But I think the pie dish would have been a tad tight if I tried to fit all of the meatballs yielded from one pound of ground turkey. Therefore, you may consider a different vessel when you’re ready to build your own keto meatball casserole.
After selecting your vessel, spread some low-carb marinara on the bottom. Rao’s is always great. However, making your own is preferred. It’s so easy to make your own – check out this recipe from The Today Show.
Next, add dollops of ricotta cheese and nestle your cooked meatballs around the dish. Finally, top with mozzarella cheese.
The cheese pull may actually be the most important part of the entire dish. If you agree, try thicker slices of mozzarella. I used Trader Joe’s Mozzarella Cheese Log. Shredded mozzarella will also work.
Bake your casserole uncovered for about 10 minutes. Then, let it sit under the broiler for a few minutes if you like that brown cheese look. Finally, garnish your dish with fresh basil, and dinner is served!
This Post Was All About A Delicious Keto Meatball Casserole
Additional Posts You May Be Interested In:
A Delicious Quick Keto Lunch Idea If You’re Down For A Little Prep
This Is One Of The Most Simple Keto Recipes If You Love TJ’s Chicken Shawarma
Sometimes The Good Keto Recipes Are The Easiest Ones, Like This ‘Lasagna”
One Incredibly Easy (Keto Recipes Breakfast) Idea You Must Try
Casea Keto
615 Chestnut Street Lobby
Suite 40112
Philadelphia, PA 19106
HELLO@CASEAKETO.COM
Keto Meatball Casserole
Ingredients
Low-Carb Turkey Meatballs
- 1 # Ground Turkey
- 1/4 C Grated Onion
- 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 2 Eggs
- 2 T Almond Flour Use more or less based on your consistency preference
- 1/4 C Parmesan Cheese
- 1 1/2 t Dried Oregano or Italian Seasoning
- 1 t Salt
- 1/4 t Pepper
Ricotta Cheese Blend
- 16 oz Ricotta Cheese
- 1-2 T Garlic Powder
- 2 T Dried Oregano
- Salt & Pepper, To Taste
Remaining Keto Casserole Ingredients
- 1/4 C Low-Carb Marinara Sauce
- Mozzarella Cheese
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees
- In a bowl, combine the ground turkey through the pepper and gently combine all to create the meatball mixture. Add additional almond flour if the mixture is too wet to hold a ball shape
- Using a scoop, form the mixture into meatballs and place in an oven-safe dish, and bake uncovered for 20 - 25 minutes or until they are fully cooked
- Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper to taste
- Spread the marinara in an oven-safe dish and place dollops of the ricotta mixture on top. Add the cooked meatballs and top with cheese. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. Use the broiler for an additional minute or two to melt the cheese as desired. Then top with fresh basil and enjoy!