These Keto Polpette (aka. Italian Pork Meatballs) are loaded with parmesan cheese and served with a light tomato sauce flavored with lemon zest and a splash of cream.
These keto polpette are inspired by a recipe I found for polpette served in the Apulian city of Bari (Polpette al barase) in an old cookbook by Joyce Goldstein called Enoteca. These keto pork meatballs themselves are pretty similar to the ones in my Low Carb Meatballs alla Parmigiana recipe, but the similarity of the total dish ends there.
This sauce is simple, and not as “tomatoey” as a traditional marinara sauce because it’s thinned out with chicken broth and enhanced with lemon zest and herbs. It’s bright and fresh, but also rich from the addition of a splash of heavy cream.
Traditionally these keto polpette would be served over mashed potatoes or polenta, so I used a parmesan flavored cauliflower puree to get a similar feel. To make this both prettier, and more complex in flavor, I wilted some arugula in olive oil and garlic. The result was a fantastic, slightly bitter component that really made these keto meatballs shine.
This keto pork meatball recipe has it all. It’s easy to execute (don’t be intimidated by the multiple steps – they are all easy), remarkably flavorful, and pretty enough to make for company if you’re into sharing like that. I promise you that they will LOVE it.
If you aren’t a fan of bitter greens like I am, you could use something more subtle like spinach or swiss chard. Or just eat these keto polpette plain with nothing else – they are tasty enough on their own to munch on while still crispy right out of the pan.
Well now I’M starving… how about you?
More Keto Pork Recipes
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Keto Polpette – Italian Pork Meatballs
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
An Italian pork meatball recipe that is easy to execute, and pretty enough for company! Gluten free, keto, low carb
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the greens:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 4 cups fresh arugula, packed (or spinach or swiss chard)
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
For the cauliflower puree:
- 5 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the meatballs:
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients (except for the olive oil) in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Form into 15 meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a non-stick saute pan, then cook the meatballs in small batches, turning occasionally until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside.
To make the greens:
- In a medium saute pan, heat the olive oil and garlic.
- Cook for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant and sizzling.
- Add the arugula (or other greens) and cook for a minute or two, until just wilted and still bright green. Remove from the pan and set aside.
To make the sauce:
- Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic to the same pan you cooked the greens in and cook for a couple of minutes until the onions are translucent but not browned.
- Add the tomatoes and chicken broth and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon zest, heavy whipping cream, and fresh oregano.
- Cook for 2 – 3 minutes and remove from the heat.
To make the cauliflower puree:
- Combine the cauliflower, butter, and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10 minutes.
- Stir to coat cauliflower with cream/butter mixture.
- Microwave for another 6-8 minutes on high or until completely soft.
- Remove from the microwave and put into a high speed blender or food processor along with the cheese.
- Puree until smooth.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can adjust the cream and butter to your preference.
To assemble:
- Spread 1/2 cup cauliflower puree on your serving plate.
- Top with 3 meatballs.
- Add about 1/4 cup of the wilted greens around the meatballs.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup of sauce over the top.
- Garnish with additional lemon zest, oregano, and grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Approximate nutrition information per serving:
Naked meatballs (3): 289 calories, 19g fat, 1g net carbs, 17g protein
Cauliflower puree (1/2c): 155 calories, 12g fat, 3g net carbs, 5g protein
Arugula (1/4 cup): 35 calories, 4g fat, .5g net carbs, 0g protein
Tomato sauce (1/3 cup): 59 calories, 5g fat, 2.5g net carbs, 1g protein
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: keto meatballs
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs plus garnish (see below)
- Calories: 535
- Fat: 40g
- Carbohydrates: 7g net
- Protein: 23g
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l p says
mmmm…. I can taste these already! thanks
Joanne Tenhoeve says
This was delicious! I loved the lemon in the sauce!! My husband said that it was high quality Italian dining! Will be making this again! Thank you!