Meatball Casserole with Buttery Garlic Crumbs

Meatball Casserole places meatballs center stage in this keto friendly dish.

Forget spaghetti and meatballs, this meatball casserole leaves out the unnecessary carbs. It focuses on the true stars of the dish: meatballs, mozzarella, and marinara sauce. A buttery, garlic crumb is added to the top to give the casserole more dimension and flavor. Pair this casserole with a side salad and asparagus or green beans for a full meal.

Meatball Casserole Recipe Notes

All beef meatballs were used for this recipe, however a beef and pork mix, or even just pork meatballs would work as well. Additionally, I used a lower carb store bought marinara sauce for this recipe because it was a quick grab and go, but a homemade marinara sauce would work just as well with this dish too.

For the crumb, crush pork rinds either by hand or in a food processor. My preference is the food processor because crushing them by hand results in some bigger chunks if there happens to be some harder pieces in the package. Seek out a fluffier variety of pork rinds for a more even texture in your crumb.

While on the topic of pork rinds, feel free to experiment with different flavors to change up the recipe. One of my favorite flavors is jalapeno cheddar, though I think a rosemary sea salt variety I spotted somewhere would work well too.

If you’re really craving some spaghetti with your meatballs, consider serving this casserole on top of some zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash to keep it low carb.

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Meatball Casserole with Buttery Garlic Crumbs

Meatball Casserole places meatballs center stage in this keto friendly dish.

Servings 8

Calories 485 kcal

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Topping

• 2.5 oz pork rinds crushed
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 2 tsp garlic minced
• 1 tsp parsley

Casserole

• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 2 cups mozzarella shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Don't overwork the meat. Form into 16 meatballs. Place meatballs evenly spaced on wire rack. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Reduce oven temperature to 350F. 

3. While meatballs are in the oven melt butter for topping in a skillet over medium heat. Add remaining topping ingredients. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent garlic from burning, until pork rind crumbs are lightly toasted. Remove from heat.

4. Assemble casserole in a 9x13in baking dish. Place cooked meatballs evenly in bottom of baking dish. Layer on top marinara sauce, mozzarella, then topping. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted on top.

Nutrition Facts

Meatball Casserole with Buttery Garlic Crumbs

Amount Per Serving (2 meatballs)

Calories 485 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Fat 33g51%

Saturated Fat 14g88%

Cholesterol 157mg52%

Sodium 814mg35%

Potassium 239mg7%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Protein 43g86%

Vitamin A 350IU7%

Calcium 450mg45%

Iron 3.4mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Yum

Disclaimer

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Each individual’s dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual. Information is provided to the best of my ability. You are ultimately responsible for all decisions pertaining to your health. Please read our full nutrition disclaimer for more information.

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