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    Home » Recipes » Low-Carb Keto Dinner Recipes

    Easy Keto Stuffed Bacon Meatballs (Freezable)

    Published: Jun 14, 2019· Modified: Jul 4, 2022· By Libby Jenkinson May contain affiliate links.

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    5-INGREDIENTS COOKBOOK STARTER PACK JUMP TO RECIPE
    keto bacon meatballs on a grey platter

    These delicious keto bacon meatballs have a smooth cream cheese filling that's perfect when served with spaghetti squash.

    You only need 4 ingredients and with only 3g net carbs per serving, makes a quick and easy mid-week healthy family meal.

    keto bacon meatballs on a grey platter
    Quick and easy bacon meatballs made with ground beef.

    Everyone loves a good meatball recipe. These low-carb stuffed meatballs will blow all the other meatball recipes away!

    Jump to:
    • Ground beef nutrition
    • Ingredients
    • Directions
    • Storage
    • Serving
    • Easy sauces for meatballs
    • Variations
    • Bacon meatballs recipe FAQ
    • Best sides for meatballs
    • More keto meatball recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Ground beef nutrition

    Ground beef is a versatile meat and is a source of complete protein.

    The amount of protein and fat in ground beef will be dictated by which variety of ground beef you buy. The higher the fat content, the lower the protein.

    Per 100g (3.5oz)CarbsProteinFatCalories
    Ground beef 70% lean014.4g30g332
    Ground beef 80% lean017.2g20g254
    Ground beef 90% lean020.0g10g176
    Ground beef 95% lean021.4g5g137
    Ground beef nutrition per 100g/3.5oz serving

    Nutritional values from cronometer.com

    Ingredients

    labelled ingredients to make keto bacon meatballs
    Simple ingredients to make bacon stuffed meatballs.

    There are two parts to this recipe - the filling and the meatballs. Here's what you'll need to make both.

    Filling

    • Bacon - use sugar-free bacon on when you're on a low-carb diet. This is a great way to use leftovers, but if you have uncooked bacon, you should cook it first. I personally like to store cooked bacon in the refrigerator and use it in recipes like this one or as a crumble on top of my salad.
    • Cream Cheese - Full fat cream cheese is best. Make sure to buy a plain variety with no added sugars.

    Quick question: How do you cook bacon? The easiest way to cook bacon is in the air fryer. You can make soft or crispy bacon and even crumbled bacon pieces to sprinkle over salads.

    Meatballs

    • Ground Minced Meat - I like to use ground beef, but you can use another type of ground meat if you prefer. Ground turkey, ground pork, ground chicken, or ground lamb.
    • Onion Flakes - You could also use finely chopped onion, but I like the mild taste of dried onion flakes or onion powder.
    • Salt and Black Pepper - add seasoning to taste.

    Directions

    This is one of my favorite flavorful recipes because it is so easy to make—though you'd never guess it by how delicious it is!

    First, gently fry the bacon until it is fully cooked in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, place it in a small bowl and mix it with the cream cheese.

    cream cheese meatball stuffing in a glass bowl
    Cream cheese and cooked bacon meatball filling.

    In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion flakes, salt and pepper. This meat mixture is what will become your meatballs.

    small scoop of meatball from a mixing bowl
    Ground beef meatballs.

    Form the meat mixture into 1 inch meatballs. Press your thumb into the middle of them to make an indentation.

    hand holding a meatball
    Press into each center.

    Add 1 teaspoon of bacon filling to the middle of the meatball and squeeze the edges around it, enclosing it completely.

    stuffing a bacon meatball
    Add the creamy filling to the bacon meatballs.

    Place the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and bake them in your preheated oven. I suggest using olive oil spray (or brush with cooking oil) on your sheet pan to prevent the bacon meatballs from sticking.

    stuffed bacon meatballs on a baking tray
    keto bacon meatballs on a lined baking sheet

    Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C/350F for 15 minutes.

    How to cook meatballs in the air fryer

    Place meatballs into the air fryer basket with a small space between each meatball. Cook at 180C/350F for 10-15 minutes until the ground beef is cooked on all sides and slightly crispy.

    How to cook meatballs in the frying pan

    Place the meatballs on a heated frying pan or skillet with your favorite cooking oil. Fry for 10-15 minutes, turning each meatball to ensure they are golden brown on all sides.

    Storage

    Leftover meatballs make amazing lunchbox fillers, or they can be frozen for a quick keto frozen meal for later.

    Store these bacon meatballs in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.

    These bacon meatballs also freeze beautifully, and are a great option for meal prepping! Before freezing, allow the meatballs to cool down to room temperature.

    Place the baking tray (or a cookie sheet) filled with meatballs in the freezer for about 2-3 hours. Then, once they are chilled, transfer the meatballs to a freezer-safe zip topped bag.

    Serving

    keto bacon meatballs on a grey platter with toothpicks
    The perfect appetizer.

    There are so many ways to enjoy these delicious meatballs. My favorite is to enjoy them like spaghetti and meatballs, only swapping out carb-laden pasta for a lovely spaghetti squash.

    These meatballs are also absolutely delicious with your favorite soup - like keto pumpkin soup with bacon.

    Enjoy it as part of meatball subs inside your favorite low-carb bread rolls. This fathead dough is perfect.

    Or serve all the meatballs as an appetizer at your next party. You can't go wrong with them!

    Easy sauces for meatballs

    Adding bacon to the stuffing is the simplest way to add flavor but serving with a yummy sauce will keep the whole family happy.

    Each fo these sauce recipes is worth 5 stars.

    • Keto BBQ sauce recipe (sugar-free barbecue sauce)
    • Quick mushroom sauce recipe (gluten-free)
    • Sugar-free ketchup recipe (Instant Pot recipe)
    • Easy herbed butter recipes (4 flavors) - garlic butter, blue cheese butter, lemon and rosemary,

    Variations

    keto bacon meatballs on a grey platter
    • Make them cheesy. Add shredded parmesan cheese to the outside. Parmesan cheese will make them crispier, and it acts as a fantastic substitute for bread crumbs.
    • Add BBQ sauce on the side. Make sure it is sugar-free BBQ sauce, or make your own. Don't use a brand such as Sweet Baby Rays barbecue sauce because it has too much sugar.
    • Give them some spice. Add chili powder a little kick!
    • Add garlic. All the recipes that have garlic in them are my favourite ones! I'm a big fan of that zesty flavour.
    • Onion mixture coating - mix onion powder with almond flour and roll the meatballs to make a crunchy coating.

    Bacon meatballs recipe FAQ

    keto bacon meatballs on a grey platter with toothpicks
    Can I swap ground beef for ground turkey meat?

    Yes, you can swap ground beef for ground turkey to make turkey meatballs. Just be aware that the texture may be a bit different and potentially a little dry because beef does have a higher fat content than ground turkey would. If you choose leaner meat you may have to serve it with a dipping sauce.

    You may also swap out the bacon for turkey bacon as well if you can't eat pork.

    What is the best stuffing for bacon meatballs?

    When it comes to stuffing the meatballs, you can use regular cheese instead of cream cheese. You can also use blue cheese, mozzarella cheese, or even get cheese or halloumi cheese too The cream cheese is my top choice for this recipe because it adds a nice creamy texture to the centre of the meatballs.

    You can also vary the filling easily by mixing the cream cheese with spring onion, chilli powder, or your favourite herb or spice. This meatball recipe is extremely versatile.

    If you use regular cheese, it will have a more "cheesy" taste but will still be delicious!

    Can you make meatballs without bread crumbs?

    Yes you definitely can. This recipe doesn't have any and it turned out perfectly. You don't need carbs to make dishes taste fantastic!

    Can you make bacon in the air fryer?

    Yes, you can. If you love bacon but don't like the excess grease, this is a fantastic way to prepare it.

    What is the best keto crumb coating?

    If you want crumbed meatballs you can use almond flour onion mixture, parmesan cheese, or ground pork rinds.

    Can I use a food processor to make meatballs?

    Yes, if you want a smoother texture then use the food processor. Add the ground meat, salt, and black pepper then pulse until smooth. You can also add herbs such as parsley and basil. Form mixture into balls using your hands or a cookie scoop.

    mockups of the low-carb starter pack cookbook

    Best sides for meatballs

    I bet you're ready to cook this delicious low-carb and gluten-free dish! While it's totally delicious to make and eat on its own, pairing it with a healthy bowl of low-carb spaghetti squash is an absolute win as well. 

    Spaghetti squash can be cooked in the oven, slow-cooker, microwave, and even the air fryer.

    Instead of mashed potatoes, serve with mashed cauliflower.

    Instead of regular garlic bread, serve with cheesy keto garlic bread.

    More keto meatball recipes

    • Keto Chicken Meatballs: High-Protein Low-Carb (HPLC)
    • Cream Cheese Stuffed Meatballs (High Protein)
    • Self Saucing Keto Crockpot Meatballs (Your Kids Will Eat)
    • Easy Keto Meatballs (With 3 Sauces)
    • Keto Meatballs With Mushroom Sauce

    📖 Recipe

    keto bacon meatballs on a grey platter

    Please rate this recipe.

    4.6 from 7 votes

    Keto Bacon Stuffed Meatballs Recipe

    Low-carb keto bacon meatballs stuffed with a cream cheese filling, served with spaghetti squash - makes the perfect healthy family meal.  
    Servings: 4
    NET carbs: 3g
    Author: Libby Jenkinson
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Category: Dinner. Lunch boxes
    Diet: Diabetic. Gluten Free
    Egg free. Gluten Free. Grain free. Keto. LCHF. Low Carb. No Sugars. Wheat Free
    Review Recipe Print Pin Email

    Calculate ingredients

    Adjust servings: 4
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    Ingredients

    Bacon and cream cheese filling

    • 2 slices bacon diced
    • 100 g (3.5 oz) cream cheese full fat

    Beef meatballs

    • 600 g (1.3 lb) ground/minced beef
    • 2 tablespoon onion flakes
    • +/- salt and pepper to taste

    Equipment

    • Baking sheets - non stick
    • Mixing bowls

    Instructions

    Bacon and cream cheese filling

    • Gently fry the diced bacon until cooked. Remove from the heat and place in a small bowl.
    • Add the cream cheese to the bacon and mix.

    Ground beef meatballs

    • In a bowl, mix the ground/minced beef, onion flakes, salt, and pepper.  
    • Roll medium-sized meatballs then press your thumb into the center to make an indentation.
    • Place a small spoon of cream cheese bacon filling inside the meatball and squeeze the edges of the meatball to close.
    • Repeat and place all the bacon and cream cheese -illed meatballs on a lined baking tray. Bake at 180C/350F for 15 minutes.
    • Serve with spaghetti squash, and plenty of butter, salt, and pepper.
    © Copyright Ditch The Carbs

    Notes

    Nutrition shown is for meatballs only. Spaghetti squash is additional.

    5-INGREDIENTS COOKBOOK

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    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Bacon Stuffed Meatballs Recipe
    Serving Size
     
    1 serve (serves 4)
    Amount per Serving
    NET carbs
     
    3
    g
    Total Carbohydrates
     
    3.2
    g
    1
    %
    Fiber
     
    0.2
    g
    1
    %
    Sugar
     
    1.9
    g
    2
    %
    Protein
     
    28.9
    g
    58
    %
    Fat
     
    40
    g
    62
    %
    Sodium
     
    246.7
    mg
    11
    %
    Potassium
     
    499.1
    mg
    14
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    337.7
    IU
    7
    %
    Vitamin B1
     
    0.1
    mg
    7
    %
    Vitamin B6
     
    0.6
    mg
    30
    %
    Vitamin B12
     
    3.3
    µg
    55
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    1.9
    mg
    2
    %
    Vitamin D
     
    0.2
    µg
    1
    %
    Vitamin E
     
    0.9
    mg
    6
    %
    Vitamin K
     
    3.3
    µg
    3
    %
    Calcium
     
    58.2
    mg
    6
    %
    Folate
     
    17
    µg
    4
    %
    Iron
     
    3
    mg
    17
    %
    Magnesium
     
    31.3
    mg
    8
    %
    Selenium
     
    26.8
    µg
    38
    %
    Zinc
     
    6.6
    mg
    44
    %
    % Daily Value*
    -
    Calories
    496.1
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Approximate nutrition information is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. For the most accurate nutritional data, use the actual ingredients and brands you used in your preferred nutrition calculator.

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    Libby Jenkinson in her garden

    I'm Libby Jenkinson MPS. A registered pharmacist, Health Coach, Cert.Adv Nutrition, mother of 3 and founder of Ditch The Carbs and Low-Carb Practitioners.

    Learn more about me →

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    1. Brittany

      February 02, 2021 at 6:04 am

      These sound delicious!!!! Have you tried freezing them? I’m wondering if I could make a double batch and freeze half for a busy night when I don’t have time to really cook.

      Reply
      • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com

        February 02, 2021 at 2:07 pm

        5 stars
        Yes, these are great for freezing. Keep them in an airtight container for up to 2 months and they should defrost and reheat beautifully.

        Reply
    2. Lisa

      August 06, 2020 at 11:23 pm

      Those look great!

      Reply
    3. tim

      June 30, 2019 at 10:51 am

      You dont use an egg to help keep the meatballs together

      Reply
      • Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com

        July 01, 2019 at 10:44 am

        No, it doesn't need it. Easy peasy.

        Reply
    4. Norma Gauss

      June 19, 2019 at 2:14 pm

      Hi..how many meatballs in a serving?

      Reply

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