10 Paleo Meatball Recipes To Try Today - Irena Macri

Make sure to bookmark these keto and paleo meatball recipes if you’re bored with your current go-to recipe. These are all delicious, healthy and easy to make for dinner, lunchboxes or on-the-go snacks.

I LOVE MEATBALLS! The succulent beef meatballs braised in traditional Italian tomato sauce, the spicy Lebanese kofte, the Swedish meatballs from Ikea, and my grandmother’s fluffy pork rissoles – I love them all equally and unconditionally. They are easy to make, ground meatis affordable and there are as many varieties of meatballs as there are cuisines in the world.

Plus, once you take out the breadcrumbs or other grain-based fillers, all these paleo meatballs are healthy and nutritious. You can eat them with salads, vegetables, dips, mashed sweet potatoes, or as a snack on the go.

In this post, I am sharing some of my favourite paleo meatball recipes, many of which are also Whole30 and keto-friendly. All of these are grain-free and gluten-free, but some contain a little dairy, which you can omit. A couple of sauces contain wine, which you don’t have to use either. Cooked wine contains a lot less alcohol than the regular glass, so I personally still cook with wine but that’s totally up to you.

Basic Paleo Meatballs

Makes 12-14 meatballs

1/2 medium onion, grated or finely diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
300 g / 0.6 lb each ground beef mince
300 g / 0.6 lb ground pork mince
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, finely diced or grated
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Ghee, coconut or macadamia oil for frying

Instructions

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Combine the of the ingredients with the pre-cooked onion and mix thoroughly using your hands. Knead the mixture for a minute to work the protein in the meat to bind everything together.

Wet your hands and roll the meat mixture into small balls (somewhere between a table tennis ball and whole walnut. Heat a large frying pan with a dollop of with ghee or coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, without overcrowding the pan, and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. Turn over to other visibly uncooked sides and give them another minute or two. Total cooking time should be about 12-13 minutes. Remove from the pan and let the meatballs rest for a few minutes before serving.

Another method is to brown the meatballs for 2-3 minutes on each side and then finish them off in an oven at 175 C / 350 F for about 10 minutes.

Meatballs are best served with a sauce, that’s why you will often see meatballs braised in tomato or wine sauce, or served with a condiment on the side. These basic meatballs are delicious with some tomato relish or with creamy mashed sweet potato or cauliflower.

Lamb Harissa & Almond Meatballs

These are inspired by The Burke Street Bakery’s sausage rolls with a similar same filling.

600 g / 1.3 lb lamb mince/ ground lamb (you can use 300 g each pork & beef or just beef)
3 tablespoons harissa paste (you can use a store-bought or make your own harissa)
2/3 cup almonds, toasted in the oven or frying pan until golden brown
2/3 cup dried currants or cranberries
1 + 1/2teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

To make the meatballs, crush or grind the almonds into crumbs using a food processor or mortar and pestle. Combine with lamb, harissa, driedcurrants, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Roll and cook as per the basic recipe. Serve with your favourite condiment and vegetables.

Simple Italian Meatballs In Tomato Sauce

For the meatballs

300 g each beef mince/ ground beef (0.7 lb)
300 g pork mince/ground pork(0.7 lb)
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf basil or parsleyor 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
2 garlic cloves,finely diced or grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Ghee or coconut oil for cooking

For the tomato sauce

1 medium onion, finelydiced
150ml dry red wine
400ml canned diced tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon mixed dried Italian herbs or extra chopped parsley/basil and oregano
Pinch of black pepper
Fresh basil

Instructions

To make the meatballs, mix the ingredients and roll the meatballs as per the basic recipe. Brown the meatballs in a dollop of coconut oil or ghee in a large, deep frying pan or a saucepan, 2-3 minutes each side. Remove pre-cooked meatballs to a bowl.

Add a little extra coconutoil or ghee to the pan and add the onion. Sauté for5 minutes over medium heat, stirring a few times. Add thered wine, stir and let it bubble away for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, salt, herbs and pepper and bring to boil. Add the meatballs, stir through and braise in the sauce overmedium heat for 10 minutes. Serve with zucchini spaghetti or a side of vegetables and some fresh basil.

Try my Baked Chicken Meatballs In Spiced Tomato Sauce here.

Truffle Oil & Pecorino Cheese Chicken Meatballs

500 g / 1.2 lb chicken mince
1 cup finely chopped button mushrooms
1 tablespoon truffle-infused oil
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino cheese (you can also use aged Parmesan or remove cheese completely)
2/3 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pinch of black pepper
1 egg (optional)

Combine all ingredients, roll into meatballs and cook as per the basic recipe.

Turkish Lamb Kofte (meatball sausage)

1.3 lb lamb mince/ ground lamb (you can use 300 g each pork & beef or just beef)
1 medium onion, grated or finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Pinch ofred chilli pepper/flakes
1 teaspoonsweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Allspice powder (optional, but very nice)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 egg (optional)

Instructions

Mix the ingredients in a bowl and roll into elongated meatballs (see image). Flatten slightly (you can use a fork or the edge of a knife to make small indents in the patties). Cook on a lightly oiled barbecue grill, or in a chargrill pan, for 4-5minutes on each side. Serve with tahini yoghurt or a babaganush dip and a large garden salad on the side.

Mexican Meatballs With Guacamole & Fresh Lime

500 g / 1.1 lb ground minced beef
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander/cilantro
3 garlic cloves, finelydiced or grated
1/4cup finely chopped pickledjalapeño peppers
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspooncoriander seed powder
1 teaspoon of sea salt

Instructions

Combine the ingredients and roll into small meatballs or patties. Cook as per the basic recipe. Serve with freshly made guacamole and drizzle with fresh lime juice. You can also break these meatballs apart and serve in lettuce cups as ‘tacos’.

Learn how tomake my leek & jalapeño guacamole.

You can also try my spicychipotle meatballshere.

Leek, Bacon & Chicken Meatballs

500 g / 1.1 lb chicken mince/ground chicken (turkey would also work well here)
1 cup finely diced bacon
1 cup finely chopped leek, white part only
1 garlic clove,grated
2/3 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg (optional)

Optional white wine sauce(contains dairy)
150 ml dry white wine
200 ml vegetable stock (just a little less than 1 cup)
1 tablespoon butter
Generous pinchteaspoon sea salt
A pinch of black pepper
2 tablespoons pouring cream
Fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Mix the meatball ingredients, roll into patties and cookas per the basic recipe. Remove meatballs to a bowl. To prepare the sauce, keepthe frying pan over high heat and deglaze with white wine. Let it bubble away for a minutebefore adding the vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter and cream. Stir to further thicken the sauce. Add the meatballs back and stir through for a minute. Toss through some fresh parsley before serving.

Pork, Fennel & Apple Meatballs

600 g / 1.3lb pork mince/ground pork
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves, grated or finely diced
1 small green apple, peeled andfinely diced
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
1 egg

Optional sauce

1/3 cupwhite wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Pinch of sea salt & ground pepper
1 teaspoon butter or ghee
1 tablespoon pouring cream (option)

Instructions

Mix the meatball ingredients, roll into large or small patties and cook for 4-5 minutes each side, or longer, if needed. You can finish them in the oven as well. If making a sauce, remove the patties to a bowl and set aside.

Deglaze the frying pan with white wine and let it bubble away for a minute. Add the stock, tomato paste, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stirfor a few minutes, then add the butter or ghee and let it thicken and become glossy. Add some cream for extra richness and flavour, if you allow dairy. Add the meatballs and toss through the sauce before serving.

Also, try these simple baked apple and pork meatballs.

Swedish Meatballs (sauce contains dairy)

1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or macadamia oil
300 g each beef mince/ ground beef (~0.7 lb)
300 g pork mince/ground pork(~0.7 lb)
1/2 teaspoon ground Allspice powder
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon of sea salt
Pinch of black pepper
1 egg, plus 1 extra egg yolk

For the sauce

1/2 cup dry white wine
2cups beef stock
2/3 cup heavy pouring cream or single cream
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or tapioca powder/flower

Instructions

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion in ghee or another type of fat until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Combine the onion with ground meat, spices and eggs and mix well together. Roll into small balls and cook for 4-5 minutes each side, then transfer toa large bowl and cover to keep warm.

Deglaze the frying pan with white wine and let it bubble away for a couple of minutes before adding in the stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer the liquid for 2-3minutes, stirring a few times, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. In a ramekin or a cup, dissolve the tapioca flour in a little bit of warm water or the sauce itself and add to the broth. Stir through and add the cream. Return the meatballs and stir through. Cook together for another minute or two, stirring a couple of times.

Serve with mashed cauliflower or sweet/white potato and vegetables. Traditionally, Swedish meatballs are also served with lingonberry sauce but you can easily make some paleo cranberry sauce or another type of berry relish.

French Meatballs A La Steak Tartar

300 g each beef mince/ ground beef (~0.7 lb)
300 g pork mince/ground pork(~0.7 lb)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons small capers
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free version)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and roll into patties or balls. Cook as per the basic recipe. Serve with a homemade hollandaise sauce, mayonnaise or hot mustard and some mini gherkins.