My recipe for keto BBQ meatballs are perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Made with a combination of ground beef and pork, the meatballs are baked in the oven and then tossed in a tangy and sweet BBQ sauce that is completely sugar-free.
Made with easy-to-source ingredients, this recipe is perfect as an appetizer or meal prepping for the family.
These homemade meatballs have an amazing flavor, making them perfect for game day as well as a great party appetizer. It's a popular crowd pleaser in our home.
For another meatball recipe, be sure to check out our keto pastrami meatballs, which are also baked.
Low-Carb BBQ Meatballs
What's so fantastic about this barbecue meatball recipe, besides being low-carb and packed with flavor, is that it can be served as the main course of a meal or as an appetizer.
It's also an easy recipe you can half or make ahead by flash-freezing the meatballs, allowing you to store them in a zip-lock bag for a quick option when busy schedules call for it.
The recipe makes 50 meatballs, and each one has only 0.6 net carbs, which allows you to decide based on your personal macros how many to enjoy!
Ingredients Needed
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For this delicious keto meatball recipe, you will need the following ingredients. Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page, along with the nutrition facts.
Low Carb Meatballs (Ingredients)
- Lean ground beef
- Ground pork
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Eggs
- Water
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes
- Smoked paprika
Keto BBQ Sauce
- Sugar-free ketchup
- Minced garlic cloves
- Brown sugar substitute
- Apple cider vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Liquid smoke
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Red pepper flakes
- Black pepper
- Salt
Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce
Barbecue sauce is generally not keto-friendly because it often contains high amounts of sugar. However, it is an easy condiment to make sugar-free and low-carb.
The best way to avoid the sugar in most premade sauces is to be in charge of the sauce ingredients by making your own.
This avoids processed ingredients and all the extra carbs that are hidden in these sauces.
This is why I have included our recipe for keto BBQ sauce for this recipe.
With that being said, you can substitute this portion of the recipe with a premade sugar-free BBQ sauce.
The following are some BBQ sauces that are sugar-free and keto-friendly that I can recommend for you:
How To Make Sugar-Free BBQ Meatballs
To make these low-carb BBQ meatballs, preheat your oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef and pork, minced garlic, eggs, water, salt, Italian spices, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
Mix the meat mixture until well combined. Form the mixture into meatballs that are about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Note that a small cookie scoop works well for this.
Then, place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them so they do not touch each other.
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Bake the meatballs in the oven for 30–35 minutes, or until they are lightly brown and fully cooked.
While the meatballs are baking, make the keto BBQ sauce by whisking together the brown sugar substitute and apple cider vinegar in a medium-sized bowl.
Then add the remaining ingredients and combine well until everything is fully incorporated and the sugar-free sweetener has dissolved.
Once the meatballs are cooked, transfer them to a large bowl and toss them in the prepared BBQ sauce.
You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 weeks. Enjoy your delicious and healthy keto meatballs with BBQ sauce!
How To Flash Freeze Meatballs
To flash-freeze meatballs, you can follow these simple steps:
- Prepare two baking sheets or trays by lining them with wax paper or parchment paper.
- Place the meatballs on two prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are not touching each other.
- Place the baking sheets with the meatballs in the freezer, ensuring they are level and flat.
- Allow the meatballs to freeze for about 1–2 hours, or until completely frozen.
- Once the meatballs are frozen, remove them from the baking sheets and transfer them into a freezer-safe, airtight container or plastic bag.
- Label the container or bag with the date and contents, and place it back into the freezer.
By flash-freezing the meatballs, you can prevent them from sticking together and ensure that they retain their shape and texture during storage.
This method is also useful if you need to freeze a large batch of meatballs quickly.
Then, remove it from the freezer bag and bake it frozen according to the recipe instructions. Note that you will need to bake them about 5 minutes longer to account for the fact that they are frozen.
What To Serve These Keto Barbecue Meatballs
The following are some of our favorite ways to serve these meatballs as a simple dinner option:
- Cauliflower Rice
- Keto Raw Cauliflower Salad ( Faux Potato Salad)
- Keto Red Cabbage Slaw
- Keto Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
Tag Us
I sure hope you will give these keto-friendly BBQ meatballs a try. Whether you're following a strict keto diet or just looking for a healthy and flavorful meal, these meatballs are a great option.
And when you do, don’t forget to tag us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest with your creations—we truly enjoy seeing your masterpieces!
It’s incredibly encouraging to watch you all bring our recipes to life so beautifully.
It’s what keeps us encouraged to keep sharing and perfecting our recipes.
Also, check out our Amazon Store for our recommendations. You might be surprised by how many great keto options are at your disposal.
For another similar flavor profile, you might also want to try our keto meatloaf recipe that features a tangy, sweet sauce.
Check Out Our Books & App
If you haven’t yet, be sure to explore our two bestselling books:
Essential Keto Bread
Essential Keto Desserts
These were born out of your wonderful feedback and requests over the years. Our hope is that these cookbooks make your keto journey simpler—and a whole lot tastier.
Looking for even more recipes? Download the FITTOSERVEGROUP App to access an entire library of easy, flavorful keto recipes for every meal—including snacks and desserts.
Learn more by visiting our Fit To Serve Group App Page.
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Having experienced the transformation firsthand, we created a private, faith-based Facebook group where members support each other with both prayer and keto tips.
Come see what makes this group so special—you might just find the missing piece to your health journey.
Keto BBQ Meatballs, Baked (Gluten-Free)
These keto BBQ meatballs are baked for a quick weeknight dinner or a tasty appetizer for your next party. Sugar-free & gluten-free!
Ingredients
- 1 pound of lean ground beef
- 1 pound of ground lean pork
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup of water
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika
Keto BBQ Sauce
- ½ cup of sugar-free ketchup
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar substitute
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon of onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon of black pepper
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and pork, minced garlic, eggs, water, salt, Italian spices, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Mix all the ingredients until well combined.
- Form the mixture into meatballs that are about 1 ½ inches in diameter.
- Place the meatballs on the two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and leave some space between them so they do not touch one another and can cook evenly.
- Bake the meatballs in the oven for 30-355 minutes or until they are lightly brown and fully cooked.
- While the meatballs bake, make the keto BBQ sauce: Whisk well the brown sugar substitute and apple cider vinegar in a medium-sized bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients and combine well until everything is fully incorporated and the sugar-free sweetener has dissolved.
- Transfer the cooked meatballs into a large bowl and toss in the prepared BBQ sauce,
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
The recipe makes 50 meatballs, and each one has only .6 net carbs, which allows you to decide based on your personal macros how many to enjoy!
This recipe can be halved easily and made ahead of time by flash-freezing the meatballs.
Flash-Freezing Meatballs
To flash-freeze meatballs, you can follow these simple steps:
- Prepare a baking sheet or tray by lining it with wax paper or parchment paper.
- Place the meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure that they are not touching each other.
- Place the baking sheet with the meatballs into the freezer, ensuring it is level and flat.
- Allow the meatballs to freeze for about 1-2 hours or until they are completely frozen.
- Once the meatballs are frozen, remove them from the baking sheet and transfer them into a freezer-safe container or plastic bag.
- Label the container or bag with the date and contents, and place it back into the freezer.
- Then, remove it from the freezer bag and bake frozen according to the recipe instructions. Note that you will need to bake about 5 minutes longer to account for the fact that they are frozen.
By flash-freezing the meatballs, you can prevent them from sticking together and ensure that they retain their shape and texture during storage. This method is also useful if you need to freeze a large batch of meatballs quickly.
Sugar-Free Prepared BBQ Sauce Options
The following are some BBQ sauces that are sugar-free and keto-friendly that you can substitute instead of the recipe listed:
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 50 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 38Total Fat: 1.3gSaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 23mgCarbohydrates: 0.7gNet Carbohydrates: 0.6gFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.1gProtein: 5.8g
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